My D5 Sectional 3 Predictions

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>After a quick break highlighting a few 2026s, let's return to Sectional predictions. Today, we're peeking at small-school basketball and discussing Sectionals Three and Four in D5.<br>The No. 1 team in the state tournament, Argyle/Pecatonica, came out of this sectional last season, but a surprise bump to D4 means we'll have a new champion out of Sectional Three, so let's guess who that team will be in 2025.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Regional Champion: De Soto</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Last season, the Pirates had one of the youngest cores in D5 in Kylie Venner, Ella Koch, and Sylvia Krueger. The Pirates ended up with a tough matchup with Barnevedl, but there are positives to take from last season's group.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As a first-year player, Venner handled the stress of being a high-usage player at 14 years old as well as anyone could've expected and averaged a double-double.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>People found their roles and what worked for them, and they finished with a winning record in the conference. The youth movement should start paying dividends this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Regional Champion: Eleva-Strum</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>My "out there" pick in the bottom half of this sectional is a team that won five games last season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The source of faith I have in this group is [player_tooltip player_id='751245' first='Avery' last='Glenz']. The rising sophomore was the program leader in every statistical category last season, and opposing teams struggled to slow her down.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As a sophomore, I'm guessing that efficiency numbers will improve for her, which will help her become a more lethal player. You won't find many guards her size who can create off the dribble in D5, and Glenz is one of the few.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Sectional Runner-Up: Blair-Taylor</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The skeleton of the group that led the Wildcats to the state title game in 2023 is still around and will make this group a tough out.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='842237' first='Andrea' last='Waldera'] sets the tone for their defense. The 6'1 forward is an athletic kid who can move laterally on the perimeter and block or alter shots around the basket. Anyone who can change a team's shot profile, like Waldera, makes things confusing for opposing teams who must go away from what they're used to doing.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I suspect they'll still play fast with a kid like Waldera running the floor and give teams without trustworthy guards headaches.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Sectional Champion: Barneveld</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>No team has a wall more challenging to break through in D5 than Barneveld.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>They may have the most talented player in the Six Rivers but ran into two teams that made it to state last season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='533073' first='Izabel' last='Durst'] is as dangerous as anyone in D5, and her ability to do anything on the offensive will give them a puncher's chance against anyone they run into this season. Anytime the Eagles need to make something happen to close a game out or make a momentum play late in games, Durst is the best-equipped guard to do it in D5.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Barneveld also has most of their kids back from last year, which gives them stability for the Eagles as they tip their season off.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->