Prep Hoops Indiana Sectional Preview – Class 1A North

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We are just a week away from the beginning of the 114th Annual IHSAA Boys Basketball State Tournament. On Sunday evening we received brackets for the Sectional round as teams learned how their path to Gainbridge Fieldhouse would begin. We will spend the week here at Prep Hoops Indiana going in-depth across the state touching on all 64 Sectionals. Let's begin by taking a look at the eight Sectionals that make up the Class 1A North.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Brackets</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Sectional 49 (Kouts)</strong>: Hammond Science &amp; Tech vs. Demotte Christian, Washington Township vs. Kouts, Tri-Township vs. Winner Game 1, Morgan Township vs. Winner Game 2</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Sectional 50 (Triton)</strong>: Trinity Greenlawn vs. Marquette Catholic, Triton vs. Culver, Argos vs. Westville, Oregon-Davis vs. Winner Game 1</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Sectional 51 (Bethany Christian)</strong>: Bethany Christian vs. Elkhart Christian, Hamilton vs. Lakewood Park, Lakeland Christian vs. Winner Game 1</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Sectional 52 (Caston)</strong>: South Newton vs. Tri-County, West Central vs. North White, Frontier vs. Winner Game 1, Caston vs. Winner Game 2</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Sectional 53 (Southern Wells)</strong>: Southern Wells vs. Southwood, Smith Academy vs. Northfield, Fort Wayne Canterbury vs. Winner Game 1</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Sectional 54 (Fountain Central)</strong>: Faith Christian vs. Clinton Central, Rossville vs. Attica, North Vermillion vs. Winner Game 1, Fountain Central vs. Winner Game 2</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Sectional 55 (Tri-Central)</strong>: Liberty Christian vs. Anderson Prep, Daleville vs. Cowan, Tri-Central vs. Winner Game 1</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Sectional 56 (Blue River)</strong>: Randolph Southern vs. Tri, Blue River vs. Union City, Lincoln vs. Union (Modoc), Seton Catholic vs. Winner Game 1</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Toughest Sectional</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The northern half of the Class 1A bracket is completely wide open. Morgan Township is the only team currently ranked in the Prep Hoops Indiana Class 1A Poll at #6, though both Fort Wayne Canterbury and Liberty Christian should be considered serious contenders as well. It is hard to really separate one Sectional from another when it is this wide open, but Sectional 55 at Tri-Central features three teams that are above .500 plus a fourth in Cowan that has won four straight games and recently took Class 2A #4 Wapahani to triple overtime.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Under-the-Radar Sectional</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Morgan Township is the best team, on paper, not just in Sectional 49 at Kouts but likely in the entire Class 1A North. However, they've played close games with a couple of teams in the Sectional field. The host Kouts lost to the Cherokees by just two points earlier in the season while Washington Township played them within seven. Morgan Township will have to play one of those two teams in the semifinals.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Players to Watch</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2282453' first='Meryck' last='Adams'] (Daleville H.S. 2024), [player_tooltip player_id='1158187' first='Tyson' last='Chupp'] (Bethany Christian 2024), [player_tooltip player_id='1578423' first='Josiah' last='Cox'] (Tri H.S. 2024), Matthew Dawson (North Vermillion H.S. 2025), [player_tooltip player_id='1158215' first='Tucker' last='Day'] (Fort Wayne Canterbury 2024), [player_tooltip player_id='1275811' first='Cole' last='Duncan'] (Cowan H.S. 2024), [player_tooltip player_id='2414946' first='Tamarje' last='English'] (Liberty Christian 2027), [player_tooltip player_id='2379849' first='Isaac' last='Gayler'] (Fountain Central H.S. 2024), [player_tooltip player_id='1158185' first='Will' last='Harmon'] (Fountain Central H.S. 2024), [player_tooltip player_id='1275728' first='Mason' last='Harvey'] (Seton Catholic 2024), [player_tooltip player_id='1879419' first='Keagen' last='Holder'] (Morgan Township H.S. 2024), [player_tooltip player_id='1761696' first='Devon' last='Lewis'] (Fort Wayne Canterbury 2024), [player_tooltip player_id='2140408' first='Kendrick' last='Martin'] (Liberty Christian 2027)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Predictions</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sectional 49 - Morgan Township</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sectional 50 - Triton</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sectional 51 - Bethany Christian</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sectional 52 - Tri-County</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sectional 53 - Fort Wayne Canterbury</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sectional 54 - Fountain Central</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sectional 55 - Liberty Christian</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sectional 56 - Seton Catholic</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->