2A Regionals: Breakdown

<p>Sectional play is over but we are still locked in for the State Playoffs. It is that time of year where we start looking ahead and previewing each and every Regional. Time to take a look at the pairings that make up the Class 2A Regionals. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><b>Regional 9: North Judson</b></p> <p><b>The Teams: </b>Boone Grove, Bowman Academy, Churubusco, Fort Wayne Blackhawk</p> <p><strong>Our Contenders: </strong>Fort Wayne Blackhawk, Churubusco</p> <p><b>Players To Watch: </b>[player_tooltip player_id="529561" first="Caleb" last="Furst"] (2021)</p> <p><b>Prediction: </b>This Regional is really a one-horse race as nobody outside of 4A has the firepower to keep up with this Fort Wayne Blackhawk team. With [player_tooltip player_id="529561" first="Caleb" last="Furst"], [player_tooltip player_id="569345" first="Zane" last="Burke"], and [player_tooltip player_id="874187" first="Marcus" last="Davidson"] at the helm, they should roll through Regional. Churubusco is led by [player_tooltip player_id="874125" first="Landen" last="Jordan"] and [player_tooltip player_id="874128" first="Jackson" last="Paul"], and they are going to need a better performance than they had when they upset Central Noble in the Sectional to win this one. On the other side of the bracket, Bowman Academy and [player_tooltip player_id="1077014" first="Koron" last="Davis"] should take down Boone Grove fairly easily. It is going to take something special for anyone to beat Fort Wayne Blackhawk this year, and I am not expecting it anytime soon.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><b>Regional 10: Lapel</b></p> <p><b>The Teams: </b>Blackford, Rochester, Rossville, Wapahani</p> <p><strong>Our Contenders: </strong>Blackford, Wapahani</p> <p><b>Players To Watch: </b>[player_tooltip player_id="647199" first="Luke" last="Brown"] (2021)</p> <p><b>Prediction: </b>Blackford should roll through Sectional 10 setting up the meeting with Blackhawk that we all expected, but Wapahani has some young guards that could prove to be a problem for the Bruins. <strong>Isaac Andrews</strong> and <strong>Aiden Franks</strong> kept Wapahani in nearly every game this season, and they played outstandingly to help them take home the Sectional title. Ultimately, however, Blackford is going to go as far as [player_tooltip player_id="647199" first="Luke" last="Brown"] can take them, and I think he is out for blood. On the other side, Rossville and Rochester are basically a toss-up, but I am not expecting either of them to be able to take down the Bruins. The biggest storyline of this Regional is going to be that Brown is 75 points from being the fifth 3,000 point scorer in Indiana history, and he has a chance to reach that mark with 2 very good games on Saturday.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><b>Regional 11: Greenfield-Central</b></p> <p><b>The Teams: </b>Covenant Christian, Parke Heritage, Shenandoah, Triton Central</p> <p><strong>Our Contenders: </strong>Covenant Christian, Parke Heritage, Shenandoah</p> <p><b>Player To Watch: </b>[player_tooltip player_id="935724" first="Christian" last="Johnson"] (2023)</p> <p><b>Prediction: </b>I am really looking forward to being in attendance in Greenfield this weekend for two outstanding opening games. To start it off, #2 Shenandoah takes on #7 Covenant Christian. Shenandoah is led by a group of 6 top-level seniors that have the ability to play at the next level. They play unselfish basketball and tight, physical defense that makes it tough on the opposing offenses. Covenant is led by a group of 9 seniors that are highlighted by [player_tooltip player_id="874168" first="Trey" last="Flatt"] and <strong>Bryan Lomax</strong>. Covenant Christian is 0-2 all-time in history, and even though this is possibly their best team ever, I am taking Shenandoah. Parke Heritage should take the second game, but Triton Central won their Sectional with upsets over Milan and South Decatur, so they know how to win. The winner of Shenandoah and Covenant Christian is definitely the favorite in the nightcap, but [player_tooltip player_id="935724" first="Christian" last="Johnson"] and [player_tooltip player_id="963920" first="Connor" last="Davis"] will put up a fight with Parke Heritage.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><b>Sectional 12: Southridge</b></p> <p><b>The Teams: </b>Linton-Stockton, Paoli, Southridge, Southwestern (Hanover)</p> <p><strong>Our Contenders: </strong>Linton-Stockton, Southridge, Southwestern (Hanover)</p> <p><b>Player To Watch: </b>[player_tooltip player_id="783142" first="Colson" last="Montgomery"] (2021)</p> <p><b>Prediction: </b>Southridge took down Mater Dei and South Spencer to win the Sectional title, and with home court, advantage, they should have no problem with Paoli. Paoli is going to keep in low-scoring, but [player_tooltip player_id="783142" first="Colson" last="Montgomery"] will be the difference-maker. Both Linton-Stockton and Southwestern (Hanover) come in having won 9 of 10, and this one should be tight all the way. This is going to be a battle of [player_tooltip player_id="783147" first="Lincoln" last="Hale"] and [player_tooltip player_id="868240" first="Joey" last="Hart"] vs. [player_tooltip player_id="963912" first="Matthew" last="Williams"] and <strong>Austin Kramer</strong>. I am going to take Linton-Stockton, but it could go either way. In the final, Southridge will again be on their home court against Linton-Stockton, so they always have a shot at winning. In the end, I am going to take Linton-Stockton, but if Montgomery has himself a game as he did in the Sectional finals, Southridge could easily be in the semi-state.</p>