Recapping the 3A and 4A IHSA basketball state finals
As Marist captured its first-ever state championship in Class 4A, and East St. Louis won a title it was expected to win in Class 3A, the weekend closed the book on three other teams that fell short but have done a whole lot of winning in recent years.
DePaul Prep’s heartbreaking, last-second defeat to Benet in the semifinals prevented the Rams a shot at playing for a fourth straight state championship. But coach Tom Kleinschmidt and his Rams added to an expanding trophy case.
That’s five straight years of taking home a trophy, including state championships in 2023, 2024 and 2025. The Rams’ third-place finish this season matched the third–place finish from 2022.
DePaul’s record over that five-year run is 149-28.
Benet, which was looking to win back-to-back state championships, fell to Marist in the 4A title game. But what a four years it’s been for the program.
Coach Gene Heidkamp’s Redwings have averaged 32 wins a year over the past four seasons, going 131-16 with a state championship in 2025 and two state runner-up finishes in 2023 and 2026.
With 99 victories, no team has won more games over the past three seasons in Illinois than DePaul Prep.
Benet is next with 96. No surprise.
The team with the third most wins, however, might surprise you: Kaneland.
With their win in the Class 3A third-place game, the Knights notched their 94th win over the past three seasons.
After not winning a sectional championship in over four decades, Kaneland has won back-to-back sectional titles and brought home the program’s first state trophy since the 1972-73 season.
➤ Time to pay homage to Jake Pollack.
Pollack was an All-Area selection and is a legitimate Division I prospect headed to the Ivy League. But the Dartmouth recruit didn’t have the biggest name in the Class of 2026.
Nonetheless, with a Deerfield postseason tournament run that culminated with a state runner-up finish in Class 3A, the 6-8 senior certainly left his mark.
Pollack put up solid numbers throughout his career and senior year, averaging 17.7 points and 7.6 rebounds a game this season. He responded all season to whatever an opposing team threw his way, which was usually a double-team.
The production and the poise he played with continued in Champaign this past weekend as he led the Warriors.
With 20 points, seven rebounds, four assists and five blocks, Pollack did a little of everything in the state semifinal overtime win over Kaneland. That included impacting beyond the stat sheet, and when it comes to those variables, what Pollack does it hard to define but easy to see.
When the ball needed to be brought up the court against Kaneland pressure, it was the big Deerfield big man who did it. When the team needed a play to stop the opposing team’s momentum, it was Pollack who provided it. And his effervescent play was constantly on display with his calming presence and leadership for the Warriors.
➤ Watching Marist attack York and Benet in such a different way in its two wins in Champaign, showcased the pulse coach Brian Hynes had on his team.
It’s never easy with a quick 24-hour turnaround to make adjustments, but Hynes’ gameplan clearly hit home with a locked-in group of players. The RedHawks’ execution was outstanding.
➤ Watch out for Leo.
Although Leo wasn’t a huge surprise — the Lions were a No. 1 sectional seed — coach Jimalle Ridley did a terrific job in guiding a young team to the IHSA State Finals.
While Leo dropped two games in Champaign to finish fourth in the state in Class 3A, the Lions could very well be back.
Led by junior guard Brian Kizer, Leo will return all five starters. Plus, the development of the three young players that contributed off the bench, including promising 6-8 freshman big man Elon Henderson, will only raise the level of this team.
This is a program now with a solid foundation and a team that should have state title aspirations next season.
➤ No one could have anticipated Benet’s offense stalling in Champaign.
Benet, which scored 60 or more points 23 times, averaged 64 points a game this season with starters sitting out many fourth quarters due to lopsided wins.
In the two games played in Champaign, the Redwings combined to score 67 points. They didn’t score in the second quarter and scored just three points in the fourth quarter of the state championship game.
The 28 points Benet scored in the championship game is the lowest point total by a Gene Heidkamp team in 12 years when Benet lost to Simeon 46-26 in the 2014 Pontiac Holiday Tournament.
➤ Benet’s title game clunker surely stings. But the Redwings played the final game on the final night of the season in back-to-back years. That’s what you play for and that’s what this group should and will remember years from now.
Seniors Jayden Wright and Colin Stack wrap up their careers with a state title, second-place finish and a combined 69 wins in two years. That’s some stellar work.
➤ The cleanest, most entertaining 3A/4A game of the State Finals weekend was the first one: Deerfield’s 49-48 win over Kaneland on Friday morning.
The game featured a little of everything, including a double-digit comeback, several lead changes down the stretch and the drama of an overtime.
There were made shots as Deerfield shot 47 percent from beyond the arc (8 of 17) and the two teams combined for 15 threes in the game.
And there were big shots.
Deerfield’s Tommy Donahue drained a three to put the Warriors up 42-40 with two minutes to play. Kaneland’s Evan Frieders answered with a three-pointer of his own 17 seconds later, giving the Knights a 43-42 lead. And Marshawn Cocroft’s running lay-up with 11 seconds left to sent the game to overtime.
➤ York’s dream season ended with a bit of a thud in Champaign. But is there a coach who maximized more with what he had than Mike Dunn?
➤ Something still feels off about the IHSA State Finals format when there are third-place games being played on Friday night rather than state semifinal showdowns. It certainly hurts the television audience for those around the state who would like to tune in after work on Friday night.