10 Sectional Matchups to Watch on Tuesday Night
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Welcome to tournament time in Indiana. On Tuesday night Sectional action will tip-off across the great Hoosier state as teams will begin their quest to reach Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Unfortunately, this time of year also means that teams will see their…
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Continue ReadingWelcome to tournament time in Indiana. On Tuesday night Sectional action will tip-off across the great Hoosier state as teams will begin their quest to reach Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Unfortunately, this time of year also means that teams will see their seasons come to an end. Half of the teams that suit up this evening won’t have practice tomorrow. That is the exciting and heartbreaking dichotomy of this time of year. As always, Prep Hoops Indiana will be your one stop shop for everything you need to know throughout the 114th Annual IHSAA Boys Basketball Tournament. Let’s take a look at the 10 best matchups on opening night.
Chesterton vs. Portage (Sectional 2 @ Chesterton)
Tyler Parrish Tyler Parrish 6'3" | SG Chesterton | 2024 State IN and Justin Sims Justin Sims 6'6" | PF Chesterton | 2024 State IN against Michael Wellman Michael Wellman 6'6" | SF Portage | 2025 State IN and Jaelyn Johnson Jaelyn Johnson 6'5" | PF Portage | 2024 State IN . This will be a heck of a battle, but just a few weeks ago the Indians of Portage won this matchup 70-49. The Trojans will have revenge on their mind.
Penn vs. Northridge (Sectional 4 @ Elkhart)
Despite being rocked by graduation, including Indiana Mr. Basketball Markus Burton, Penn went 16-6 this season and will have a chance to three-peat as Sectional 4 championship. To do so, they will have to survive a first round test with Northridge who they beat 57-49 in overtime just over a month ago.
Carroll (Fort Wayne) vs. Fort Wayne North Side (Sectional 5 @ East Noble)
On paper, North Side is the Sectional 5 favorite when looking at their 16-8 record. However, Carroll beat them the first time around 66-60 back on February 6th. It won’t be easy overcoming the talented backcourt trio of Jaxon Pardon Jaxon Pardon 6'4" | SG Fort Wayne Carroll | 2024 State IN , Cannen Houser Cannen Houser 6'5" | SG Fort Wayne Carroll | 2024 State IN , Jaiyre Sampson Jaiyre Sampson 5'10" | PG Fort Wayne Carroll | 2025 State IN . Jaxson Fugate Jaxson Fugate 6'5" | SF Fort Wayne North Side | 2024 State IN and Eugene Young Jr certainly are capable of matching up with them though in terms of firepower.
Carmel vs. Fishers (Sectional 8 @ Noblesville)
Sectional 8 will have two great games in its loaded field this evening, but all eyes will be on the nightcap between Carmel and Fishers. The Greyhounds pulled the upset back on January 27th as part of winning eight of their last nine games. However, despite the loss, Fishers enters the postseason as one of the favorites to win the Class 4A state championship. Knocking off Keenan Garner Keenan Garner 6'6" | PF Fishers | 2024 State IN and company a second time won’t be easy for Carmel.
New Palestine vs. Mt. Vernon (Fortville) (Sectional 9 @ Greenfield-Central)
Luke Ertel Luke Ertel 6'1" | PG Mount Vernon (Fortville) | 2026 State IN is back and that has changed the ceiling for Mt. Vernon alongside fellow sophomores Julien Smith Julien Smith 5'10" | PG Mount Vernon (Fortville) | 2026 State IN and Elijah Parra Elijah Parra 6'0" | PG Mount Vernon (Fortville) | 2026 State IN . The Marauders made a statement down the stretch winning their final five games which included a decisive 66-44 win over New Palestine just last week. Can Julius Gizzi Julius Gizzi 6'3" | SG New Palestine | 2025 State IN , one of the state’s leading scorers, continue his magical junior season with a revenge victory in the opening round this evening?
Lawrence Central vs. Warren Central (Sectional 10 @ Lawrence North)
In a field featuring the likes of Lawrence North, Crispus Attucks, and Cathedral, these two teams won’t get mentioned as much. However, both are more than capable of knocking off anyone on a given night. Lawrence Central enters Sectional play having won seven of their last eight games while Warren Central has proven to be dangerous throughout the season.
Plainfield vs. Brownsburg (Sectional 12 @ Terre Haute South)
These two teams could not have been happy with their draw. However, that is part of the magic of the Indiana High School Basketball state tournament. Jordan Lomax Jordan Lomax 6'3" | SG Brownsburg | 2024 State IN and Grant Porath Grant Porath 6'1" | SG Brownsburg | 2024 State IN will look to lead the Bulldogs against a well-balanced Plainfield squad featuring Collin Schmidt Collin Schmidt 6'7" | PF Plainfield | 2024 State IN , Eli Ellis Eli Ellis 5'11" | SG Plainfield | 2024 State IN , and Noah Smith Noah Smith 6'7" | SF Plainfield | 2026 State IN among other. Despite being in the same county, these two teams did not play in the regular season.
Seymour vs. Jeffersonville (Sectional 15 @ Seymour)
Seymour hasn’t won a Sectional in 31 years. In order to do so, on their home floor, they will have to go through Jeffersonville who features a trio of talented juniors in Tre Singleton Tre Singleton 6'7" | PF Jeffersonville | 2025 State #225 Nation IN , Michael Cooper Michael Cooper 6'2" | PG Jeffersonville | 2025 State IN , and P.J. Douglas P.J. Douglas 6'4" | SF Jeffersonville | 2025 State IN along with senior Jeremy Rose Jeremy Rose 6'1" | SG Jeffersonville | 2024 State IN . The Owls already knocked off the Red Devils once, 40-39 back on December 8th, can they do so again tonight?
South Bend Washington vs. Mishawaka Marian (Sectional 19 @ South Bend Washington)
There are few teams that enter Sectional play as hot as Mishawaka Marian who has won 12 straight games. During that winning streak they dominated South Bend Washington 73-48 back on January 26th. However, the firepower of sophomore guard Steven Reynolds III Steven Reynolds III 6'5" | SG South Bend Washington | 2026 State IN will give Washington a shot in any game that they play. He is averaging 21.1 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game while freshman Dakori Parker Dakori Parker 5'9" | PG South Bend Washington | 2027 IN averages 14.9 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game.
Paoli vs. Sullivan (Sectional 47 @ Paoli)
Two of the best individual prospects in Sectional 47 will face-off right away as Paoli’s junior guard Fletcher Cole Fletcher Cole 6'0" | PG Paoli | 2025 State IN takes on Sullivan’s sophomore forward Cooper Bock Cooper Bock 6'6" | PF Sullivan | 2026 State IN . Both of these teams are 18-5 with sights set on cutting down the nets. The path won’t be easy though as whoever is lucky enough to survive this opening round matchup must then take on 18-4 Linton-Stockton.