Following this past Sunday’s sectional draw, the Lowell Red Devils are set to take on River Forest in the semi-finals next week. A victory would set them up into the Sectional Championship, where they would face the winner of a three-team battle between Kankakee Valley, Hanover Central, or Illiana Christian.
Head Coach Delgado expressed confidence following of the sectional draw, expressing the importance of earning a first-round bye in such a competitive bracket. “In a sectional as even as ours, getting the bye is important,” Delgado said, adding that he is pleased with how the draw turned out for his team. Looking ahead, Delgado expects his players to continue improving and competing at a high level. He noted that the team has battled through several tough games this season and consistently competed until the final moments, experience he believes will prove valuable in postseason play. With a full week before their next game, Delgado plans to focus heavily on conditioning to ensure his team stays sharp. The extra preparation time will also allow the coaching staff to review scouting reports, get their game plan, and think of key strategies. Overall, Delgado’s approach reflects confidence, preparation, and a major focus on putting his team in the best position to succeed in sectionals.
Senior Josh Hejnowski is taking a serious but balanced approach as sectionals get closer. He said, “Mentally, I’ll be spending a lot of time watching River Forest film,” and explained that he plans to rewatch their earlier game to see what they did well, while also studying River Forest’s recent games to see how they have improved. At the same time, he understands the importance of staying calm, saying, “I’m not going to think about it too much. I don’t want to psych myself out.” Physically, Josh feels confident in where the team stands, saying they are “in the best shape possible” and just need to maintain their conditioning since they have a break before playing again. Even though they already beat River Forest once this season, he knows that doesn’t guarantee anything. He said, “Anyone can win on any day,” making it clear that the team is confident in their growth but still knows they have to work hard to earn a win in what many consider to be a very competitive sectional.
Another senior, Brayden Spearson, says he’s doing everything he can to be ready for the big game, both mentally and physically. “Usually, the day before every game, I like to go to the YMCA to try to get extra shots up to make sure my form is feeling right,” he said. He explained that as a team, they have had about a week and a half to prepare for what their opponent plans to do on offense and defense, and that the long break has helped them “tighten some things up to the best of our ability to be where we need to be going into the game.” Brayden also feels confident about the bracket, saying, “Our team feels really confident based on how the draw went.” He added that since the two favorites have to face off first, it gives them a better chance, and because they have beaten River Forest before, they believe they can do it again. With just one more win to reach the Championship, Brayden says the team truly believes they can end the 30-year Sectional Championship drought.
The Boys take on River Forest at Hanover Central at 6:00 next week on Friday, March 6! Come out and support our Lowell Boys Basketball team as they look to advance to the Sectional Championship!
