4A Regional Preview
Sectionals are over and with it are gone some of the best teams and players in the state. This weekend brings those who survived and more top teams facing off. We finish off our look at the regionals across the…
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Continue ReadingSectionals are over and with it are gone some of the best teams and players in the state. This weekend brings those who survived and more top teams facing off. We finish off our look at the regionals across the state with Class 4A.
Michigan City (South Bend Riley vs. Warsaw & East Chicago Central vs. Crown Point):
Last year, South Bend Riley surprised nearly everyone by coming through this regional with two victories. This year, it opens against a Warsaw team that has implemented its style and controlled the pace en route to its gaudy record. No one is exactly sure how great the Tigers are, but they did beat Carroll and only lost to Carmel by three. The Tigers are the favorite in this year, but the other matchup has two intriguing teams in Central and Crown Point. Central has some great talent on its team and defeated Crown Point earlier in the season by seven points at home. Crown Point is likely the biggest surprise in all of 4A to make it to the regional level, and Grant Gelon could easily carry it to a regional victory. Look for Warsaw as the favorite but the Tigers are likely to be tested by whoever comes away the winner from the other matchup.
Logansport (Homestead vs. Carroll & McCutcheon vs. Carmel):
Talk about history repeating itself as this is the exact same four teams in the regional from last season. This time it is a toss-up in who comes away the winner. Homestead and Carroll have already split matchups earlier this season and the Spartans have shown they still know how to win without all the talent the team had last season. McCutcheon is likely the slightest of favorites overall in the regional, but Carmel is just as likely to win it. These are four teams that know their style and what it takes to win and all four could walk away with two more victories and a regional crown.
Southport (North Central vs. Terra Haute South & Connersville vs. Southport):
Don’t discredit South and Connersville. They are two good teams that have done well this season, but they aren’t Southport and North Central. Look for the two heavy favorites to win and set up a mammoth regional final. North Central has been tested plenty and Southport finally got over the Pike mountain. The question is if Southport is satisfied or hungry to keep go further because realistically, whoever wins that game becomes the favorite to be the last team standing in all of Class 4A by the end of the tournament. It’s a huge advantage to Southport to be at home, but if you want to see perhaps the best regional game in the entire state, get there Saturday evening.
Seymour (New Albany vs. Bloomington South & Franklin Central vs. Evansville Reitz):
Evansville Reitz deserves a lot of credit for doing what it has this season. Not many expected them to be in this position and it likely sees its season extend one more game. Franklin Central has a lot of good things going for its team, but Reitz is still the favorite. The other one is a great opening round game between New Albany and Bloomington South. The two teams matched up in a 4-point New Albany win in November. New Albany is favored in this one, and it could take a monster game from Tucker Blackwell for Bloomington South to get the win. Overall, look for New Albany as the favorite to take down Reitz in the final.