Sectional Preview – Lapel Regional
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It is officially almost time for Indiana High School Basketball to enter into the most exciting time of year. We have made it through over three months of regular season action and now culminate with a win-or-go-home state tournament. Here…
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Continue ReadingIt is officially almost time for Indiana High School Basketball to enter into the most exciting time of year. We have made it through over three months of regular season action and now culminate with a win-or-go-home state tournament. Here at Prep Hoops Indiana our staff will be previewing all 64 sectionals around the state over the next several days. Let’s dive on in beginning with Sectionals 37-40 which feed into the Lapel Regional.
Sectional 37: South Adams
The Teams: Adams Central, Bluffton, Fort Wayne Luers, Fort Wayne Blackhawk, Manchester, South Adams, Whitko
The Contenders: Adams Central, Fort Wayne Blackhawk, Manchester
Players to Watch: Gavin Betten Gavin Betten 6'7" | PF Manchester | 2025 State IN (Manchester 2025), Josh Furst Josh Furst 6'6" | C Blackhawk Christian | 2023 State IN (FW Blackhawk 2023), Kyler Krull Kyler Krull 6'5" | SF Whitko | 2024 State IN (Whitko 2024), Trace Maller Trace Maller 6'0" | SG Adams Central | 2025 IN (Adams Central 2025), Kellen Pickett Kellen Pickett 6'9" | PF Blackhawk Christian | 2025 State #108 Nation IN (FW Blackhawk 2025), Isaac Schultz Isaac Schultz 6'7" | C Adams Central | 2024 State IN (Adams Central (2024), Gage Sefton Gage Sefton 6'4" | SG Blackhawk Christian | 2023 State IN (FW Blackhawk 2023), Nick Thompson Nick Thompson 6'2" | SG Bishop Luers | 2023 State IN (FW Luers 2023), Cadell Wallace Cadell Wallace 5'10" | PG Fort Wayne Southside | 2024 State IN (FW Luers 2024), Isaac Zay Isaac Zay 6'0" | PG Bishop Luers | 2024 IN (FW Luers 2024)
Prediction: Adams Central comes out of the draw on top with games against 5-16 Whitko and 9-14 Fort Wayne Luers on their way to the final. On the other side of the draw, Fort Wayne Blackhawk and Manchester have a battle on tap in the semifinals. Blackhawk comes in at 19-3 with a six-point loss to Adams Central. The battle between Blackhawk and Manchester will be decided in the paint with Betten and Furst going back and forth. I am taking Blackhawk due to their unmatched success and history, but this is the best shot that anyone has had to beat them in Sectional in a while.
Sectional 38: Delphi
The Teams: Carroll (Flora), Clinton Prairie, Covington, Delphi, Lafayette Central Catholic, Seeger
The Contenders: Carroll (Flora), Clinton Prairie, Lafayette Central Catholic, Seeger
Players to Watch: Chase Almager (Delphi 2024), Owen Duff Owen Duff 6'2" | SG Carroll (Flora) | 2023 State IN (Carroll-Flora 2023), Tanner Fields Tanner Fields 6'1" | PG Lafayette Central Catholic | 2023 IN (Lafayette Central Catholic 2023), Chris Huerta Chris Huerta 5'10" | PG Carroll-Flora | 2024 IN (Carroll-Flora 2024), Ben Mazer (Lafayette Central Catholic 2023), Jake McGraw Jake McGraw 6'3" | PG Clinton Prairie | 2025 State IN (Clinton Prairie 2025), Jake Skinner Jake Skinner 6'4" | SF Carroll (Flora) | 2023 State IN (Carroll-Flora 2023), Owen Snedeker Owen Snedeker 6'3" | SF Seeger | 2023 IN (Seeger 2023), Austin Stein Austin Stein 5'8" | PG Covington | 2025 IN (Covington 2025)
Prediction: Sectional 38 has all six teams with double digit wins, so it is hard to pick a favorite in this one. Lafayette Central Catholic and Carroll (Flora) would probably have the best odds, but realistically, all four teams could win the title. Carroll (Flora) comes in at 18-4, but they fell to Clinton Prairie earlier in the season. Lafayette Central Catholic hasn’t played any of the other contenders but played the toughest schedule of any of them. Clinton Prairie beat Carroll (Flora) and fell to Seeger, and Seeger beat Clinton Prairie but fell to Lafayette Central Catholic. I am going to take Carroll (Flora) on the best player strategy with Duff and Skinner, but this one is wide open.
Sectional 39: Taylor
The Teams: Blackford, Eastbrook, Eastern (Greentown), Elwood, Madison-Grant, Taylor, Tipton
The Contenders: Madison-Grant, Taylor, Tipton
Player to Watch: Grady Carpenter Grady Carpenter 6'5" | PG Tipton | 2025 State IN (Tipton), Jase Howell Jase Howell 5'8" | PG Madison-Grant | 2023 State IN (Madison-Grant), Dawson Hundley Dawson Hundley 5'10" | PG Blackford | 2023 State IN (Blackford), Mekhi McGee (Taylor), Baris Moore Baris Moore 5'11" | PG Kokomo | 2026 State IN (Taylor), Jay Patterson Jay Patterson 6'3" | SG Taylor | 2023 IN (Taylor), Nolan Swan Nolan Swan 5'10" | PG Tipton | 2024 State IN (Tipton)
Prediction: Sectional 39 is a three-team race with Madison-Grant, Tipton, and Taylor. Taylor fell by 4 at Madison-Grant and by 13 against Tipton, but the Titans are the hosts of the Sectional. The hosts also got the best draw of the tournament with Blackford and Elwood, a pair of 8-win teams, on their way to the final. Tipton and Madison-Grant should both win their opening round games setting up a blockbuster on Friday night with the winner getting the hosts. I am taking Tipton as their duo of Swan and Carpenter averages over 33 points per game and can score at will down the stretch of tight games, but Taylor will give them a game.
Sectional 40: Monroe Central
The Teams: Alexandria, Lapel, Monroe Central, Muncie Burris, Wapahani, Wes-Del, Winchester
The Contenders: Wapahani
Players to Watch: Isaac Andrews Isaac Andrews 6'1" | SG Wapahani | 2024 State IN (Wapahani), Jamison Beshears (Winchester), Aidan Franks Aidan Franks 6'2" | SG Wapahani | 2023 State IN (Wapahani), Bode Judge (Lapel), Brode Judge Brode Judge 6'5" | SG Lapel | 2025 State IN (Lapel), Josiah Love Josiah Love 5'11" | SG Wes-Del | 2025 IN (Wes-Del), Adam Moore Adam Moore 6'3" | SF Winchester | 2024 IN (Winchester)
Prediction: Sectional 40 is no doubt 20-1 Wapahani’s to lose at this point. Lapel and Winchester would be the only other two teams with double digit wins, and the Raiders won by 33 and 21 against those two teams. Their lone loss this season came in the season opener to Muncie Central. They will more than likely have to play the three teams with the next most wins to reach the title, but I really don’t think Monroe Central, Lapel, or Winchester have a real chance to match the skill level of Andrews and Frank.