Hoops: These Boys are Flying High

1. Benet Academy (27-0): Benet is the talk of the nation after taking down the state’s No. 1 team, Simeon on Saturday. The Redwings soared to No. 6 in the USA Today poll and No. 1 in the Midwest. They’ll take their perfect record into the postseason next week at the Naperville North Regional.

2. Downers Grove South (23-3): The Mustangs quietly will ride into the postseason in Benet’s shadow, not having lost a game since Dec. 18. They’ll ride a 16-game win streak into the West Aurora Regional next week.

3. East Aurora (20-5): The Tomcats have won five straight after a three-game hiccup and still have a non-conference tune-up with Batavia Friday before starting their postseason journey. East Aurora headlines the Bolingbrook Regional next week.

4. Neuqua Valley (22-5): The Wildcats received a much-needed two-win weekend to get back on track after a rough month. They’ll host fellow Indian Prairie school Metea Valley in the regular-season finale Friday before joining East Aurora at Bolingbrook next week, which could be the potential matchup for the regional title next Friday.

5. Plainfield South (19-6): The Cougars can put the finishing touches on an impressive run to the Southwest Prairie title with a win over Oswego Thursday. The Cougars are spared the juggernaut that is the East Aurora Sectional, but a trip out to Crete-Monee next week will not be much easier.

Next best (in alphabetical order): Hinsdale South (15-10), Naperville North (15-11), Oswego (16-8), Plainfield Central (18-8), West Aurora (14-11).

(Covering the following Patch communities: Bolingbrook, Channahon-Minooka, Darien, Lemont, Montgomery, Naperville, Oswego, Plainfield, Romeoville, Shorewood, Woodridge, Yorkville and the neighboring private schools that draw students from those communities).