Following a frigid week outside, the games (and weather) finally heat up with some great games Friday on High School Lites. We'll feature great conference matchups from the Catholic League, South Suburban Blue, Fox Valley, CSL North, Metro Suburban Red and the Northern Illinois Big 12. We'll also have the Little Ten Tournament action as well.
Thursday will also feature a girls basketball doubleheader of highlights as Marian Catholic travels to Benet and Aurora Christian heads to Timothy Christian for a pair of Senior Night games.
Be sure to follow @NBCSPreps for more IHSA basketball coverage in the Chicagoland area.
Friday's Boys Basketball Games
Little Ten Semifinals, 6:30 p.m./8 p.m. -- The Little Ten Conference Tournament picks up play after some weather-related delays in the middle of the week. The semifinals should feature two great games following Thursday night's quarterfinal action.
Lemont at Hillcrest, 6:30 p.m. -- The South Suburban Blue has an important matchup in this one. Lemont (12-11, 6-2) is led by Drake commit and senior big man Nate Ferguson as he is making a bid for the All-Area team. Hillcrest (13-8, 8-0) is looking for another conference title as seniors Dylan West and Jeremiah Staten are surrounded by a young cast that includes sophomores Kenton Wright and Mar'Kiese Irving.
T.F. North at Oak Forest, 7:00 p.m. -- Staying in the South Suburban Blue, this one features two teams hoping to make a move. T.F. North (12-7, 5-2) is attempting to snap a three-game skid in this one. Oak Forest (18-4, 7-2) is riding a seven-game winning streak as the Bengals are trying to make their way into the Power Rankings.
Loyola at No. 10 St. Laurence, 7:00 p.m. -- Two of the best teams in the loaded Catholic League Blue matchup here. Loyola (17-7, 7-3) fell to Evanston earlier in the week as they feature a dangerous team that should be ready to bounce back. St. Laurence (19-3, 7-2) has been impressive recently as they've picked up wins over DePaul Prep and Leo.
No. 22 Leo at Mount Carmel, 7:00 p.m. -- The Catholic League White also has a game to keep an eye on here. Leo (16-6, 7-3) is trying to stay in the race following a loss to Brother Rice last week. Mount Carmel (16-6, 7-3) has quietly stayed in the mix with a four-game winning streak as the Caravan have another chance to knock off a top team.
Cary-Grove at Dundee-Crown, 7:00 p.m. -- An intriguing Fox Valley clash between two of the better teams in the league. Cary-Grove (14-6, 6-4) features some players to watch in big men Frank Jakubicek and Beau Frericks as they fell to Crystal Lake South in the last contest. Dundee-Crown (16-5, 7-3) won the first matchup between these two teams, 54-51, on Dec. 12 as the Chargers are a game behind Crystal Lake Central for the league lead.
Ottawa at DeKalb, 7:00 p.m. -- The two division leaders in the Northern Illinois Big 12 face in this game. Ottawa (16-1, 5-0) has only lost to Peoria Notre Dame this season as they're a major threat in Class 3A. But the Pirates haven't played in two weeks as they'll have to figure things out after a long layoff. DeKalb (12-10, 5-1) is back on a two-game upswing following a three-game losing streak as they've been especially tough at home.
Deerfield at Glenbrook North, 7:30 p.m. -- A huge matchup in the CSL North as the top two teams battle. Deerfield (15-8, 6-1) is riding a five-game winning streak as they've bounced back from an 0-4 start. Glenbrook North (12-9, 5-1) has won four out of five as they try to keep the momentum going. Deerfield won the first matchup between these teams, 44-30, on Dec. 14 at home.
Wheaton Academy at Ridgewood, 7:30 p.m. -- The Metro Suburban Red race picks up with this game. Wheaton Academy (15-5, 7-1) leads the conference by a game as they're riding a six-game winning streak. Ridgewood (10-9, 6-2) is trying to stay within the conference lead as they won the last game at Fenton. Wheaton Academy was the winner the first time these teams played on Dec. 14 with a 68-51 home win.
Viewers’ Choice Game of the Week
Lindblom at Oak Lawn, 7:30 p.m. -- Our Viewers' Choice Game of the Week gives us a non-conference game to watch. Lindblom (21-2) went unbeaten in the Public League White-Central as they've been one of the city's best teams this season. Oak Lawn (12-11) has struggled in South Suburban Red conference play but they remain a threat thanks to some intriguing pieces -- including junior guard Sami Osmani.