Illinois Lady Lightning takes great pride in its involvement in two of the most esteemed basketball platforms in Illinois and within the nation's top four. As a leading program, we strive to position our athletes for success at the most competitive levels—because where you play truly matters.

Illinois Lady Lightning stands as an elite program, a testament to the dedication and perseverance of our former and current athletes who have firmly established us as a nationally competitive organization. Despite prevailing misinformation within the club basketball community, we stand confidently by our proven results. Here's a breakdown of our competitive levels:

Power 24 and Select 40: the newly formed Elite division within Select 40 events.  We are one of (2) Illinois Programs in the Power24, which consists of the top-performing programs of the Select 40 league.  The 2022 and 2023 Select 40 Champions are both a part of the Power 24 Division.

Select 40 is still the premier Girls AAU Circuit in the United States.  Illinois Lady Lightning was one of the first clubs invited in the 2022 inaugural season of the Select 40 Circuit.  Since then, the circuit has grown and is home to the top 40 AAU Clubs all over the country, the top tournament schedule and attracts the top college coaches.

The other premier platforms are:  Elite Youth Basketball League, commonly referred to as EYBL and Under Armour Association - commonly referred to as UAA and Adidas commonly referred to as 3SSB.

Contrary to a common misconception that playing for any program yields similar results and that college coaches will discover athletes regardless of the program, we've found this to be untrue.

While recruitment is possible in various programs, we strategically position our players to showcase their talents in front of a broad audience of college coaches, a unique advantage provided by Power 24. Exposure to top-tier competition and national attention from college programs is what sets us apart. Our commitment is to give players the opportunity to be seen coast to coast because becoming the best involves competing against the best.

It's crucial for players to align their tournament schedule with the NCAA coaches' "viewing period" (April 19-21, May 17-21, July 12-15, and July 19-22). Programs not competing in the top four national platforms face limitations. For Illinois Lady Lightning, competing in Power 24 means challenging the best programs and players in the country, providing a significant advantage to players aiming to impress college coaches.

Our reach extends from coast to coast, with players recruited across a variety of conferences. Mike Seberger and our coaches have cultivated strong relationships with coaching staffs, recruiters and others in the basketball community during Illinois Lady Lightnings 20+ years in existence.

Our commitment extends beyond preparing athletes for collegiate play; we aim to set them up for success at the college level. The transfer portal has added complexity to high school athlete recruitment. Earning a scholarship and playing as a college freshman is increasingly challenging, but our focus on accelerated skill development and competition at the Power 24 levels better prepares athletes for the daily competitiveness of college sports.

Each year we remain committed to playing at the highest levels. If you share the same aspirations, reach out to us. We have openings for players to join our teams participating in Power 24 and Select 40, specifically in the 2026 -2033 classes. To be the best, you must compete against the best.