02/11/2026
BY JACK BULLOCK
CARBONDALE - The final regular season rankings are posted here.

It now seems like everyone and their brother have had a say in what is going in southern Illinois hoops but now it is time to get serious.

Today the coaches will send in their seedings for the sub-sectionals and the IHSA will draw it up on Thursday.

The 1A state tournament is up in they air as there is a ton of talented teams that will have to battle each other to try and reach the basketball promise land, the state finals in Champaign.

The roller coaster effect, that I have preached about for years, has taken its toll on many of the teams this winter.

Meaning that in a 31-game schedule, which is about five games too many, creates ups and downs.

The teams must hope that when they get to February 23rd, they are playing on the up side of the carnival ride and can finish strong and make it to the Final Four.

The meat grinder of schedule has paid off for Waltonville and head coach Anthony Lowery as the Spartans finish the regular season in the next week having proven that they're a threat to win the 1A championship.

The resume speaks for itself.

Behind 2K point scorer Gage Peterson and his teammates, Waltonville is wanting to take the next step by winning a sectional.

This crew has won two-consecutive regional titles but the next rung of the ladder has been tough to clear.

We will know in a few weeks if this is going to be their year.

Lawrenceville, who had been riding a wave of success all season, hit a low point on the roller coaster with a loss to Goreville at the Rich Herrin Shootout last Saturday.

Coach Tad Shick and Company have time to regroup.

Goreville, who had a horrible weekend the week before, got back on track with the Lawrenceville win and they have barely broken a sweat in their Black Diamond Conference schedule.

Coach Todd Tripp's club are a lock for the top seed in their sub-sectional.

The other two “W's” on the list also have their sights set on postseason hardware.

Woodlawn has also had some tough moments, most recently a scare on the road at Cisne.

Coach Luke Cooper will need to have his squad focused the rest of the way if the Cardinals are going to add some items to the trophy case.

The program's 13th regional championship is within reach.

As long as you have someone in your lineup who can dump 30 or 40 points on any given night, you have a chance to make a state tournament run.

Webber Township and scoring machine Nathaniel Marlow are also looking to take the next step.

They have two-consecutive regional titles but also a pair of first round sectional exits.

Coach Jaxon Helm is hoping to change that this season.

Sparta has had a rough couple of weeks after flying high for most of the campaign.

Losses to Carlyle and Steeleville on the road have taken the Bulldogs back a notch but the talent is there for a regional championship, especially since they will host.

Tuscola has also run through a gauntlet of games in the central part of the state and the Warriors should also be a factor coming up for Coach Justin Bozarth as they are looking at their sixth straight regional championship.

If you're looking for a flying under the radar “sleeper” team, look to Clinton County.

Carlyle and Coach Maverick Taylor have quietly put together a good run.

The Indians have victories over two of the teams ranked here (Sparta, Webber Township) and have played the type of schedule that prepares a team for success in the postseason.

Cumberland has also been in the picture.

Coach Justin Roedl and Company have reached a point of the season where they should get some respect in the seeding process.

But with both Tuscola and Casey-Westfield hosting regionals, the Pirates will likely have to beat one of them to get to the Macon Meridian Sectional.

C-W is also one of the teams that could get a regional title for Coach Tom Brannan.

They have a brutal schedule as well.

Class 2A is a bit more cut-and-dried.

Nashville has proven since a couple of early season hiccups, to be the top team.

The Hornets and head coach Stote Reeder have beaten some good programs in the past few weeks and have a strangle hold on the SIRR Mississippi Division.

Teutopolis is also a state championship threat for Coach Chet Reeder.

In case you're unaware, Chet and Stote are brothers and it would be an interesting matchup should the Hornets and Wooden Shoes both make it to Champaign.

According to the bracket, they could face each other in either the championship game or third place contest.

Staunton won a big game on Saturday beating Columbia.

Coach Ty Laux and his Bulldogs will head north into what would be the Pleasant Plains Sectional should they win a regional at either Roxana or Carlinville.

Tolono Unity has just two losses, both to Teutopolis, on the resume for Coach Matt Franks.

The Rockets are in the same sectional complex as the Shoes.

Despite a shellacking from Nashville a couple of weeks ago, Breese Central will be a threat to grab another regional title this season for Coach Jeremy Shubert.

The Cougars have four regional titles the last four seasons and a fifth wouldn't be a surprise.

Central took down Columbia on Tuesday night to get back into the Cahokia Conference Mississippi Division picture.

Alton Marquette should also get a good spot in the state tournament after a turnaround this season under Coach Steve Medford.

The Explorers have a young team that has gotten better as the season has went on.

Carterville appears to be the deep south best bet for a top-seed in the sub-sectional, despite a couple of eye-sore losses (Benton, Waltonville) for Coach Shane Hawkins.

They do hold a pretty good poker chip win (Nashville) early in the campaign, that should count for something when the sub-sectional gets seeded.

The Rangers and head coach Ron Winemiller have a few good wins but they got it handed two them on a platter Tuesday night at Nashville.

They host one of the regionals which will likely send Carterville to Massac County.

St. Joseph-Ogden and Coach Kiel Duval are part of the Teutopolis, Tolono Unity led loaded sectional complex.

The Spartans took Unity to overtime last week so they're capable of a postseason run.

Columbia will need to get better in a hurry for Coach Mark Sandstrom after a couple of losses to people on this list.