Sectional Preview: 1A North
Now that the Sectional draw has taken place this past weekend, we are ready to preview each Sectional heading into next week and the beginning of the playoffs. Here is our breakdown for each Semistate pod. Sectional 49: Morgan Twp.…
Access all of Prep Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingNow that the Sectional draw has taken place this past weekend, we are ready to preview each Sectional heading into next week and the beginning of the playoffs. Here is our breakdown for each Semistate pod.
Sectional 49: Morgan Twp.
Champion Prediction: 21st Century
While 21st Century is 16-6, their schedule has been very difficult in the first half of the season as they played teams like Chesterton, Valparaiso, Griffith, Fishers, and Marquette Catholic. They have won their last 9 games and they are one of the top offensive teams in the state, scoring over 100 three times this year
Sleeper Pick: Kouts
Kouts has been very good this year, winning 19 games and having played well in every game this year. Their biggest loss was to 21st Century by 8 points. Like 21st, this is a team that knows how to put up points going over 100 three times and scoring 121 in a game against Oregon-Davis this year. Kouts can avoid 21st Century until the Championship game and have to get past only LaCrosse and Westville to meet there.
Best (Potential) Matchup: 21st Century vs. Kouts
While Washington Twp. and Kouts would be a really good matchup, the possibility of seeing 21st Century and Kouts go over 100 points each trying to catch the other would sound like a really fun way to spend a Saturday. This could end up being a blowout because of 21st Century’s upside but this was a really close game earlier in the year. Hopefully, they throw defense out the window and give a show.
Sectional 50: West Central
Champion Prediction: Covenant Christian (DeMotte)
There is only one team over .500 and that is Covenant Christian. They are 19-4 this season giving them 10 more wins than the next best team so there is a ton of separation. So, to keep this simple, not sure there is anyone else to seriously worry about here.
Sleeper Pick: Pioneer
Because we need to pick a sleeper, I’m going with Pioneer as they have an easy enough path if they can get past North White on Friday night. They have played a pretty tough schedule and might be a little more tested than others. Looking for a little bit of a path and this might be the best to challenge.
Best (Potential) Matchup: Pioneer vs. North White
These two teams just got done playing with North White winning by 1-point. There aren’t many that can compete for a Sectional Championship outside of Covenant Christian so this semifinal matchup could end up being the most entertaining. They are two teams that look pretty similar on paper and played like it. This might be the best of the bunch in a down Sectional.
Sectional 51: Triton
Champion Prediction: Argos
Argos is having a stellar season going 17-4 this year, their most wins since 2002-03. This is also a team that hasn’t won a Sectional since 2004-05. However, they have dominated this season and have a couple key wins over teams like Winamac, Jimtown, and North Judson. They are 5-0 against teams in their Sectional and 11-0 against 1A teams. They are poised to finally breakthrough and make that run to the second weekend.
Sleeper Pick: Triton
Triton is an interesting pick here because they are 4-1 against Sectional opponents, 7-1 against 1A teams but only 8-13 overall. Meaning they have played 13 games against larger teams. Add in the fact that they played Argos well enough and their draw isn’t too difficult in a down Sectional and they could get a rematch next Saturday.
Best (Potential) Matchup: Elkhart Christian vs. Argos
These are the two better teams in this Sectional, although Argos is clearly the best. However, with their schedule they will play each other twice in the span of 8 days so it will be a fun week to watch play out. This is also a little more of an impact because it would be for a Sectional Championship.
Sectional 52: Fremont
Champion Prediction: Blackhawk Christian
The pick here is probably the easiest of any Sectional in the state. Nothing against the other teams in the Sectional but Blackhawk Christian should be playing through the entire tournament. They are 21-2 overall, 5-0 against 1A teams and 3-0 against Sectional opponents beating two of those teams while scoring over 100 points. They are a team that is our pick for the 1A State Championship game.
Sleeper Pick: Fremont
Picking a sleeper is difficult here as it is tough to see one getting past Blackhawk Christian. However, the team we feel like has the best bet to get that opportunity is Fremont. They get a great draw on a side of the bracket that has three teams with a combined 11 wins. They also haven’t played Blackhawk yet so there is always a chance they come closer than anyone else has this year.
Best (Potential) Matchup: Blackhawk Christian vs. Lakeland Christian
Not sure there will be a great game in this Sectional as there are a ton of teams that just aren’t good at all and can’t produce on offense to be able to even make it interesting. However, Lakeland Christian is 10-13 and is averaging over 50 points per game which is better than most here.
Sectional 53: North Vermillion
Champion Prediction: North Vermillion
North Vermillion is the best team here on paper at 17-7. They get a bye game against Parke Heritage and look the part of a sneaky good team in the tournament. They have guards that can score and they have won 9 of their last 11 games and have won two games this year already against Parke Heritage, the team the open up with.
Sleeper Pick: Parke Heritage
The reason to pick Parke Heritage here is that they have faced North Vermillion twice and I believe that beating a team three times in a year is difficult. Parke Heritage has a really good guard and a really good post player and in 1A sometimes that is enough. They are just 8-15 this year but their schedule has been littered with difficult games like Paoli, Bedford, Central Catholic, Edgewood, and Greencastle, Covington. Parke Heritage has beaten Crawfordsville which looks like a better win than any of North Vermillion’s.
Best (Potential) Matchup: Attica vs. North Vermillion
North Vermillion has the best record at 17-7 but they dropped an earlier game against Attica who beat them by 3 points. Attica also gets a nice road with a bye game and then the winner of Faith Christian and Riverton Parke. North Vermillion could look to get back at them or Attica could beat them and be a team under .500 in the Regional.
Sectional 54: Tri-Central
Champion Prediction: Central Catholic
Central Catholic looks the same as they do every year heading into the tournament and could be on a path back to the 1A State Championship. They are 18-4 this year, tested very well and pulled off some wins against teams like Harrison, Andrean, Lafayette Jeff, Guerin Catholic, Crawfordsville, and Hamilton Heights. No matter the draw, this team was going to be the heavy favorite.
Sleeper Pick: Southwood
The one team to fear here for Central Catholic is Southwood. This is a team that knocked them out of Sectionals in the first game last year as Southwood went on a run to the State Championship. Southwood is in a full rebuild this year but it looks like they have things figured out as they are now winners of 8 of their last 9 games and have been the only team to beat Northwestern this season. They are hot at the right time.
Best (Potential) Matchup: Southwood vs. Central Catholic
This rematch is guaranteed as they drew each other in the first round yet again. Them going to battle should be interesting. Southwood is kind of playing with house money as they shouldn’t be this good right now coming off losing their senior class so a lot of the pressure is on Central Catholic but they are by far the more talented team. Either way, this won’t be a game either would or should take for granted.
Sectional 55: Wes-Del
Champion Prediction: Wes-Del
This is a Sectional that has a lot of parity. Wes-Del has the best record but also has the worst record against teams in their Sectional. But with very few teams with quality wins or any sort of traction, you kind of go with the best of the bunch on paper. Wes-Del could win the Sectional but could get blown out early on. Tough, tough Sectional to pick.
Sleeper Pick: Daleville
Daleville gets the bye game here which is huge. No team has been able to really put multiple wins together here so a bye team that only needs to win two games is a bit better. Really, you could pick Daleville here and I’m not sure anyone would be able to argue strongly against it. They are only 8-14 but have beaten Wes-Del by 2 points and there isn’t another team with a record above .500 to worry strongly about.
Best (Potential) Matchup: Liberty Christian vs. Wes-Del
These two teams have yet to face each other yet but they are quite interesting as the two best records in the Sectional. Liberty is the hot team here as they have won four in a row and 6 of their last 7 granted none of those wins are really strong but in this Sectional it still qualifies as a strong run. The first game of the Sectional will likely be the most intriguing because it will really dictate how the rest of it will go.
Sectional 56: Tri
Champion Prediction: Seton Catholic
Seton Catholic has had a pretty good season at 14-9 on the year. They have had a few winning streaks here of five games and four games in the first and second half of the season. They have also been able to get through some tough parts of the season playing teams like Oldenburg, University, Northeastern, and Lapel, getting some seasoning in. They are 4-1 on the season against Sectional opponents and get to start against a Randolph Southern team they beat by 19 earlier in the year.
Sleeper Pick: Blue River Valley
There is only one other team here to really worry about and that is Blue River Valley. They are having a very under-the-radar season at 11-10 but have wins over Seton Catholic, Rushville, and Knightstown. They get a very easy path having to play 3-17 Tri and then 4-17 Union City before maybe having to play Seton Catholic in the championship, again, a team they have already beaten.
Best (Potential) Matchup: Seton Catholic vs. Blue River Valley
With those being the two best teams, these are the two to worry about here and it would line up on Saturday for a Sectional Championship on the line. Seton Catholic has been the better team on paper but BRV has the regular season win. Should be a good one if it happens.