Michael O'Brien

Justin Oliver's late surge beats Lincoln Park and secures Curie's fourth city championship Curie guard Justin Oliver is a nearly perfect representation of his school’s successful basketball program. Unknown and underrated early, he finished his career at the very top of Chicago basketball.

Curie guard Justin Oliver is a nearly perfect representation of his school’s successful basketball program. Unknown and underrated early, he finished his career at the very top of Chicago basketball.

Curie beats Lincoln Park to win the city.

2026 Chicago Sun-Times All-City boys basketball team The 20 best players this season on teams within the city limits.

Here's the 2026 Chicago Sun-Times All-City basketball team.

The 20 best players in the city of Chicago, along with 10 honorable mention selections.

Jayden Riley scores 31 to lead Yorkville Christian past Joliet Catholic at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee Riley showed why he’s considered one of the state’s best players and in a nice move, both teams used the last couple minutes of the first quarter to make sure everyone on the team had a chance to play...

Some kids were in school this afternoon...Yorkville Christian and Joliet Catholic were playing ball at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee.

Jayden Riley sparkled on the Milwaukee Bucks' home floor.

Benjamin Biskupic's hard-nosed, unselfish, 'glue guy' gifts help Riverside-Brookfield upset Glenbard East The Bulldogs dominated the first three quarters against No. 14 Glenbard East on Tuesday in Riverside and then held on through a rocky fourth quarter to win 69-64.

Riverside-Brookfield dominated for three quarters against Glenbard East and then held on desperately at the end to secure the upset.

At every key moment, it was "glue guy" Benjamin Biskupic that found a way to keep the Bulldogs in front.

Saturday's high school basketball scores All the results from Jan. 31, 2026.

Today's basketball schedule. I'll be at Evanston for The War on the Shore.

Maine East sophomore Jayden Dozie's game-winner ends Niles North's 30-game conference winning streak With the shot clock winding down and the Blue Demons trailing Niles North by two in the final seconds, Dozie found a way to win the game.

Niles North's conference winning streak lasted 30 games and 1,099 days.

It ended tonight on a long, heroic, last-second three-pointer from Maine East sophomore Jayden Dozie.

Read all about it and watch the finish.

Some conferences are using it and most of the major holiday tournaments and shootouts.

Maine East sophomore Jayden Dozie's game-winner ends Niles North's 30-game conference winning streak With the shot clock winding down and the Blue Demons trailing Niles North by two in the final seconds, Dozie found a way to win the game.

Niles North's conference winning streak lasted 30 games and 1,099 days.

It ended tonight on a long, heroic, last-second three-pointer from Maine East sophomore Jayden Dozie.

Read all about it and watch the finish.

Friday's high school basketball scores All the results from Jan. 20, 2026.

Tonight's schedule. I'll be in Skokie for Maine East vs. Niles North.

Cedrick Carter, one of the state's top prospects, found the perfect fit at little-known Intrinsic-Downtown One of the state’s top 25 basketball prospects plays his games at a park district field house in Pilsen for a team almost no one has heard of. But Cedrick Carter, a 6-8 senior, found exactly what he a...

One of the state’s top 25 basketball prospects plays his games at a park district field house in Pilsen for a team almost no one has heard of.

But Cedrick Carter, a 6-8 senior, found exactly what he and his family needed at Intrinsic-Downtown.

IHSA may allow high schools to start football practice five days earlier The IHSA is considering moving the football practice start date from Aug. 10 to Aug. 5

JUST IN: The IHSA is considering allowing football practice to start five days earlier.

The new playoff/season format may result in practice starting on Aug. 5.

Wednesday's high school basketball scores All the results from Jan. 14, 2026.

Wednesday's high school basketball scores

Brother Rice upsets St. Laurence, returns to relevance sooner than expected Each season is a new experience in high school basketball, but few teams change so much so quickly from such a successful run.

Rick Romeli took over a brand new group of inexperienced players this season at Brother Rice.

A transition year would have been understandable, but the Crusaders are relevant again much sooner than expected. They upset St. Laurence tonight.

IHSA penalizes Simeon and basketball coach Tim Flowers for bylaw violations on a trip to Hong Kong The IHSA suspended Flowers for six games and two assistant coaches for four games. Simeon cannot practice for the first three days of the season and can only play 28 games this season instead of 31.

JUST IN: The IHSA threw the book at Simeon and Tim Flowers for bylaw violations on a September trip to Hong Kong

“I can't help that Derrick Rose is my friend and opportunities come...if we shouldn't be around one another why can everyone else?” - Flowers

Michael O'Brien's Super 25 high school football rankings for Week 8 Loyola hangs on after the Providence loss while the Celtics and Carmel join the Super 25 for the first time this season.

The new Super 25 high school football rankings for Week 8.

A tough week with a lot of movement. It's late in the season and time to face the truth about several public school conferences.

-Loyola hangs on
-Providence and Carmel debut
-Fenwick, Montini rise

Bogan stuns Bowen on sophomore Jaylen Brown's TD catch with 44 seconds left Bogan’s players celebrated with screams and back flips. The jubilation is well-deserved. The school didn’t have enough players to field a team Week 1 and was forced to forfeit against Hubbard. The Ben...

Bogan didn't have enough players and forfeited Week 1.

But they didn't give up. Coach Ernest Bryant recruited the building...and then won the next 6 games.

It's been kind of an amazing season for the Bengals. They won a stunner tonight vs. Bowen.

Top-ranked Mount Carmel stays humble and hungry, knocks off St. Rita Jordan Lynch’s top-ranked team is living up to all the preseason hype, but doing it with a different attitude this season.

Mount Carmel is living up to the preseason hype, but this is certainly a different group from the last three years.

Less swagger, more humbleness. And they sound hungry. That's a dangerous combination.

The Caravan beat rival St. Rita last night.

No. 11 St. Rita at No. 1 Mount Carmel kicks off at 7:30.

-Rivalry began in 1924.
-The Caravan leads with a record of 69-33-3.
-St. Rita last won in 2017.
-Mount Carmel coach Jordan Lynch is 7-0 vs. St. Rita
-The Caravan beat St. Rita in the regular season and playoffs last year.

The 10 best high school football teams that haven't cracked the Super 25 rankings this season The Chicago area is loaded with promising teams. These ten are just a win or two away from landing in the rankings.

It's always tough to decide on 25 teams for the preseason rankings. Several of the state's best programs missed the cut. And many other teams impressed Week 1.

Here's a look at the 10 best teams that haven't been ranked in the Super 25 yet this season:

Michael O'Brien's Super 25 high school football rankings for Week 2 Lyons, Glenbrook South and Hinsdale Central join after impressive wins in Week 1.

The new Super 25 high school football rankings for Week 2:

-Maine South and York tumble but stay in
-Glenbard West vaults into the top 10
-Lyons, Glenbrook South, Hinsdale Central join
-Nazareth cracks the top 5

Downers Grove North junior Baker Glomb's field goal beats Morgan Park as time expires Morgan Park and No. 5 Downers Grove North staged a defensive battle for four quarters.

Downers Grove North and Morgan Park battled it out on defense until the final drive, then Owen Lansu led the Trojans downfield and Baker Glomb was the hero, nailing a game-winning field goal as time expired.

No. 5 DGN survives Morgan Park.

How the Super 25 high school football teams fared in Week 1 Results from all the ranked teams.

How the Super 25 high school football teams fared in Week 1

Lincoln-Way East makes a season-opening statement with a shutout, running-clock win at Maine South By the middle of the third quarter, that home stand was nearly emptied out. Jonas Williams and No. 3 Lincoln-Way East demolished the No. 4 Hawks 40-0.

Lincoln-Way East makes a season-opening statement with a shutout, running-clock win at Maine South

High school football schedule for Week 1 The complete Chicago-area schedule for the first week of the 2025 football season.

High school football season has arrived. I'll be at Gately tonight for two games:

Ag. Science vs. Evergreen Park at 4:15
St. Francis vs. Kenwood at 7:30

Here's the full schedule for Week 1:

Michael O'Brien's preseason Super 25 high school football rankings A look at the best teams in the area heading into the upcoming season.

The high school football season starts on Thursday. Get ready for all the action with the preseason rankings:

Top-ranked Mount Carmel has the most talented team in Chicago history, led by eight Power Five recruits So much winning, so much history. The Caravan are the kings of Illinois high school football. But they’ve never had a team loaded with talent like this year’s squad.

JUST IN: Mount Carmel opens the season as the top-ranked team in the Super 25.

On paper, the Caravan is the most talented high school football team the Chicago area has ever seen, with eight Power Five recruits.

No. 2 Loyola will lean on coaching, tradition and talented sophomores in four-peat attempt The Ramblers are trying to win a fourth consecutive Class 8A state championship this season. But this is an entirely new team.

No. 2 Loyola will lean on coaching, tradition and talented sophomores in four-peat attempt.

Jonas Williams is nearing multiple state records, but he's focused on a title for No. 3 Lincoln-Way East Star power is a big deal, but great high school football teams are built with depth. That’s where Lincoln-Way East has always excelled.

Jonas Williams is nearing multiple state records, but he's focused on a title for No. 3 Lincoln-Way East

Quarterback Jameson Purcell and an experienced defense make No. 4 Maine South a major contender in Class 8A The Hawks have Class 8A state-championship ambitions, and Purcell is a big-time Player of the Year candidate.

Quarterback Jameson Purcell and an experienced defense make No. 4 Maine South a major contender in Class 8A