8 Players Who Can Take over a Sectional
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It is time for postseason basketball in the state of Indiana. The IHSAA State Tournament gets tipped off on Tuesday evening meaning that teams and players will quickly have their seasons ended in the coming days. Between now and Saturday…
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Continue ReadingIt is time for postseason basketball in the state of Indiana. The IHSAA State Tournament gets tipped off on Tuesday evening meaning that teams and players will quickly have their seasons ended in the coming days. Between now and Saturday night an overall field of nearly 400 teams will be whittled down to just 64 Sectional champions. When looking at each class, we have identified one prospect to the north and one prospect to the south who is capable of leading his team on a special postseason run. Let’s take a look at who you should be watching for over the course of the week.
In the backcourt, Devon Lewis Devon Lewis 5’10” | PG Canterbury | 2024 State IN leads the Cavaliers averaging 15.5 points and 2.8 assists per game. However, at the Class 1A level, 6’8″ big man Tucker Day Tucker Day 6’7″ | C Canterbury | 2024 State IN is who really will provide the difference for Canterbury. This team has won 11 of their last 13 games and is a legitimate contender to represent the Class 1A North at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. In order to make that run, they will need Day to be a dominant presence inside which he is more than capable of doing.
Highlights
Few players in the state of Indiana are more well-equipped to take over a game than Taray Howell Taray Howell 5’8″ | PG Evansville Bosse | 2024 State IN . The electric 5’7″ guard is one of the top scorers in southern Indiana and can get hot in a hurry to lead the Bulldogs to victory. Despite Bosse winning the regular season matchup 62-60 on December 12, it seems like Evansville Memorial enters Sectional 32 at Boonville as the favorite after winning nine straight and 14 of their last 15. However, if Bosse is to beat them against it’ll likely be because they have no answer for Howell on the perimeter.
Clinton Prairie is quietly 18-3 on the season and McGraw is quietly averaging 26 points per game to lead the Gophers into a well-balanced field at Sectional 38 hosted by Lafayette Central Catholic. They will need to avenge a loss to Carroll (Flora) in order to cut down the nets, but this 6’4″ guard certainly gives them an opportunity to win any game. McGraw is one of the more under appreciated prospects in Indiana’s Class of 2025.
Highlights
You could go a lot of different directions within Sectional 9 as it is arguably as balanced as any field in the state this season. In order to cut down the nets you’ll likely need your star player to lead you on a run. That could realistically be Damien King Damien King 6’4″ | SF Anderson | 2025 State IN at Anderson, Julius Gizzi Julius Gizzi 6’3″ | SG New Palestine | 2025 State IN at New Palestine, Cedric Horton Cedric Horton 6’4″ | SG Richmond | 2025 State #321 Nation IN at Richmond, or even Luke Ertel Luke Ertel 6’1″ | PG Mount Vernon (Fortville) | 2026 State IN back from injury at Mt. Vernon (Fortville). However, no star shines as bright as Braylon Mullins Braylon Mullins 6’6″ | SG Greenfield-Central | 2025 State #123 Nation IN at Greenfield-Central. The junior guard averaging 26.1 points per game for the undefeated Cougars will get a chance to win the Sectional on his home floor.
Highlights
Jamison Ousley
Jamison Ousley
It isn’t often that a player could average 20 points a game and enter Sectional play almost completely under-the-radar. However, that is the case for this 6’3″ senior guard at Twin Lakes High School. Ousley averaged 20.4 points and 4.3 rebounds per game while leading the Indians to a 17-6 record and 5-0 mark against Sectional 22 opponents. They have an advantageous path to the final, but in order to beat Benton Central or West Lafayette again, Twin Lakes will need their star to step up as he is uniquely capable of doing.
Sectional 60 at Edinburgh is absolutely wide open. The hosts, Edinburgh, is the only team above .500 and they are just 11-10. Five of the seven teams in the field have winning records against other Sectional competitors. However, a potential separating factor could be that only South Decatur has Jacob Scruggs Jacob Scruggs 6’1″ | PG South Decatur | 2024 State IN . The 6’0″ senior guard is a dynamic playmaker averaging 18.9 points and 4.3 assists per game. If the Cougars cut down the nets on Saturday it’ll likely be because Scruggs took over to get them there.
Sego hasn’t gotten the attention he deserves this season as one of the top sophomores in the greater Indianapolis area. Triton Central, led by head coach Mark James, are the favorite to cut down the Sectional 42 nets. However, battle-tested Scecina and red-hot Irvington Prep will provide potential roadblocks along the way. Look for Sego, who averages 17.3 points and 4.1 rebounds for the Tigers, to be the difference that leads them to a title.
Sectional 2 at Chesterton is wide open and features five teams with at least 14 wins. Portage and Chesterton will face-off in the opening round as will Crown Point and Kankakee Valley. Valparaiso got a more favorable draw, but still won’t have an easy path to cutting down the nets. However, if they do win it you can assume that dynamic junior point guard Jack Smiley Jack Smiley 6’2″ | PG Valparaiso | 2025 State IN played a roll in taking over a couple of games. Smiley is averaging 24.0 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 6.0 assists per game this season for the Vikings.