Each Friday, prep sports coordinator Fred Kroner will review the area girls' basketball scene:

Random Thoughts

TOUGH REGIONALS

Several outstanding teams will not win regional championships this season due to the geographical nature of assignments made by the IHSA. In Class 1A, the field at Chrisman will include Shiloh (20-1), Salt Fork (15-1, with the lone loss to Shiloh) and Chrisman (14-4, with two losses to Shiloh and one to Salt Fork). In Class 2A, the field at Olympia includes Bloomington Central Catholic (16-0) and Prairie Central (15-1).

SUPER ASSIGNMENTS

Parkland College will be the site for a Class 1A super-sectional Feb. 23. The winners from sectionals at Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley and Tuscola will be the participants. In 2A, the closest girls' super-sectional will be at Decatur's Millikin University, where the winners from sectionals at St. Thomas More and Olney will compete. In 3A, sectional winners from Lincoln and Centralia have been assigned to the Jacksonville Super-Sectional at Illinois College.

CLOSE TO A RECORD

St. Thomas More will try to win a school-record ninth straight home game next Thursday against CPCI. The record of eight first was set during the 2005-06 season when the Sabers set their record for consecutive wins, 14. Senior Kassie Jones is 46 points away from reaching the 1,000-point mark for her career. To date, the school's only 1,000-point scorer is Ashley Hayes (1,248). In addition to scoring well, Jones has put up eight double-doubles this season (five in a row in one stretch).

FIRST TO 20

Coach Dave Tingley's Shiloh squad was the first area team to reach 20 wins this season. The Raiders (20-1) hit that mark for the third straight year thanks to Thursday's 60-17 triumph against Arthur-Lovington.

ILLNESS SIDELINES HAWK

Prairie Central is without its top reserve, junior guard Paige Heiser, who is sidelined with mononucleosis. She is one of six Hawks who have scored in double figures this season. She could return prior to the start of regionals.

TIME CHANGE

Saturday's varsity-only game between Providence St. Mel and Central in Champaign has been changed to a 10 a.m. tipoff at Combes Gym. St. Mel will be in town tonight to take on Centennial in a 7:30 game at Parkland College.

GAME BALLS

AMY MARTIN, Oakwood

In her past four games – including Thursday's 21-point performance against Hoopeston Area – Martin is averaging 26.5 points, 13.3 rebounds and has made 44 of 54 field goal attempts (81.5 percent).

LAUREN TAYLOR, Sullivan

Posted 31 points, 10 rebounds and seven steals in a losing cause against Cowden-Herrick.

JAMIE BLUE, Urbana Uni High

Freshman had 24 points, eight rebounds and six assists in win against Decatur Christian.

RILEY SCHROEDER, Iroquois West

Had 21 points, three assists and three steals in loss to Ridgeview.

THURSDAY's leaders

TOP FIVE SCORERS (and ties)

LAUREN TAYLOR, Sullivan: 31 points vs. Cowden-Herrick

LAUREN KELLAR, Ridgeview: 26 points vs. Iroquois West

JAMIE BLUE, Urbana Uni High: 24 points vs. Decatur Christian

UZURI WILLIAMS, Judah Christian: 23 points vs. Normal Calvary

DANI BUNCH, Mahomet-Seymour: 22 points vs. Rantoul

KALEY CORBAN, Prairie Central: 22 points vs. Normal U-High

SHELBY HELFRICH, South Piatt: 22 points vs. Okaw Valley

TOP FIVE REBOUNDERS

KAYLA BRYANT, Westville: 22 boards vs. Armstrong-Potomac

HEATHRE DEPRATT, Westville: 18 boards vs. Armstrong-Potomac

RACHAEL BISHOP, Villa Grove: 17 boards vs. Tri-County

AMY MARTIN, Oakwood: 15 boards vs. Hoopeston Area

JAZMYN HARRIS, Danville: 11 boards vs. Centennial

Who's SIZZLING

OAKWOOD

The Comets are averaging 70.3 points during their past four games while shooting 52.5 percent from the field. During the winning streak, the team is averaging 22.5 assists per game and six different players have scored in double figures.

Who's HOT

PRAIRIE CENTRAL

Kaylan Somers' first three-pointer this season created overtime and clutch free throw shooting by Kaley Corban and Abby Popejoy in the extra session helped the Hawks beat Normal U-High.

How news-gazette top 10 fared

SCHOOL (PREVIOUS) RECORD

1. Prairie Central (1) 15-1 Defeated Normal U-High, 63-55 (OT)

2. Salt Fork (8) 15-1 Defeated Schlarman, 59-20

3. Ridgeview (7) 13-2 Defeated Iroquois West, 76-55

4. St. Thomas More (4) 15-3 Defeated Tri-Point, 54-20

5. Shiloh (6) 20-1 Defeated to Arthur-Lovington, 60-17

6. Urbana (3) 12-3 Lost to MacArthur, 47-40

7. Unity (5) 13-6 Idle

8. Bismarck-Henning (2) 16-2 Defeated Georgetown-Ridge Farm, 67-40

9. Chrisman (9) 14-4 Idle

10. Fisher (–) 12-5 Idle