As the basketball playoffs were set to begin, the Huntley girls basketball team appeared to be headed toward a quick exit.

The Red Raiders not only were riding their first losing streak of the season after dropping their final two regular-season games, but they were placed in a tough regional that featured three teams with at least 20 wins.

But four consecutive playoff wins later, Huntley is on the verge of advancing to the Class 4A state semifinals at Redbird Arena in Normal. With a win against Wheaton Warrenville South at 7:30 p.m. today in the Dundee-Crown Supersectional, Huntley would become the first local school to reach the state semifinals since Hampshire’s back-to-back appearances in Class A in 2003 and 2004.