Prep Hoops Indiana 2025-26 High School Preview – Class 4A (South)

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It is almost time to tip-off the Indiana High School Basketball season. The games begin on Monday, November 22nd which means we are in full season preview mode here at Prep Hoops Indiana headquarters. We have spent the last few weeks updating and expanding our prospect rankings so that they are nice and fresh for the 2025-2026 season. This week, along with class-by-class previews, we will unveil our Prep Hoops Indiana All-State teams plus Mr. Basketball candidates. Let's dive on in here with an overview look at the Class 4A South.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Field</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sectional 9 @ Greenfield-Central High School: Anderson, Greenfield-Central, Mt. Vernon (Fortville), Muncie Central, Pendleton Heights, Richmond</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sectional 10 @ Arsenal Tech High School: Arsenal Technical, Lawrence Central, Lawrence North, North Central, Warren Central</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sectional 11 @ Plainfield High School: Avon, Ben Davis, Brownsburg, Pike, Plainfield</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sectional 12 @ Mooresville High School: Center Grove, Decatur Central, Franklin Central, Mooresville, Perry Meridian, Southport</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sectional 13 @ Martinsville High School: Bloomington North, Bloomington South, Martinsville, Terre Haute North Vigo, Terre Haute South Vigo</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sectional 14 @ Columbus North H.S.: Columbus East, Columbus North, East Central, Franklin Community, Whiteland Community</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sectional 15 @ Seymour H.S.: Bedford North Lawrence, Floyd Central, Jeffersonville, New Albany, Scottsburg, Seymour</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sectional 16 @ Evansville North H.S.: Castle, Evansville F.J. Reitz, Evansville Harrison, Evansville North</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Toughest Sectional: Sectional 11 @ Plainfield High School</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sectionals 9 and 10 are a bit down this season leaving Sectional 11 at Plainfield as the toughest in the Class 4A South. Ben Davis, Pike, and Plainfield are all preseason Top 10-15 teams in the class while Brownsburg and Avon won't be pushovers by any means. Akron signee [player_tooltip player_id='2625235' first='JaShawn' last='Ladd'] at Ben Davis, DePaul signee [player_tooltip player_id='1561513' first='Noah' last='Smith'] at Plainfield, and the multiple nationally ranked prospects at Pike will make this Sectional a must-have ticket come tournament time.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">State Title Contenders</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Mt. Vernon (Fortville):</strong> Any team that enters the season with the Mr. Basketball front-runner deserves to be a state title contender. Whether or not the Marauders have the depth to truly push for a title remains to be seen, but they will typically have the best player on the floor in [player_tooltip player_id='1728587' first='Luke' last='Ertel']. [player_tooltip player_id='2252566' first='Elijah' last='Parra'] will help take some pressure off of Ertel in the backcourt as well. Last season, Mt. Vernon advanced to the Semi-State.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Lawrence Central/Lawrence North:</strong> Whoever survives Sectional 10 is going to have a shot at advancing further. Lawrence Central was the beneficiary of several incoming transfers, but returning senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='1561118' first='Doron' last='Harris'] is a big time player as well. Meanwhile, for Lawrence North SIU-Edwardsville signee [player_tooltip player_id='1729136' first='Brennan' last='Miller'] and senior guard Cam Webster will lead another very talented Wildcats team.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Pike:</strong> On paper, there isn't a more talented team than the Pike Red Devils. [player_tooltip player_id='2266896' first='Isaiah' last='Hill'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2194328' first='Jahari' last='Miller'], both juniors, are nationally ranked prospects as is sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='2538892' first='Landon' last='Lampley']. Then, you add in [player_tooltip player_id='2266897' first='Kenneth' last='Lampley'], Bethel commit [player_tooltip player_id='2477115' first='Brennan' last='Dokes'], and several other pieces. Coach Jeff Teague, a former NBA All-Star, has an embarrassment of riches to play with this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Top Players</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2267048' first='Harper' last='Baker-Lands'] (Plainfield H.S. 2027)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2140349' first='Derrick' last='Cross Jr']. (Bloomington H.S. North 2027)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1728587' first='Luke' last='Ertel'] (Mt. Vernon Fortville H.S. 2026)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2266896' first='Isaiah' last='Hill'] (Pike H.S. 2027)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2252551' first='James' last='Kalala'] (Southport H.S. 2026)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1561105' first='Brady' last='Klopfenstein'] (Terre Haute North H.S. 2026)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2625235' first='JaShawn' last='Ladd'] (Ben Davis H.S. 2026)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2266897' first='Kenneth' last='Lampley'] (Pike H.S. 2027)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2538892' first='Landon' last='Lampley'] (Pike H.S. 2028)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2399375' first='Keaton' last='Lawson'] (Columbus East H.S. 2026)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1729136' first='Brennan' last='Miller'] (Lawrence North H.S. 2026)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2194328' first='Jahari' last='Miller'] (Pike H.S. 2027)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1561513' first='Noah' last='Smith'] (Plainfield H.S. 2026)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2382148' first='Noah' last='Washington'] (New Albany H.S. 2028)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2243047' first='Caleb' last='Wells'] (Lawrence Central H.S. 2027)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Quick Hitters</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Down in Sectional 15, Jeffersonville is your reigning Class 4A State Champion. Their rival New Albany will be the favorite to cut down the nets in that Sectional this season.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>The state's #1 Class of 2026 prospect ([player_tooltip player_id='1728587' first='Luke' last='Ertel']), #1 2027 prospect ([player_tooltip player_id='2266896' first='Isaiah' last='Hill']), and #1 2028 prospect [player_tooltip player_id='2538892' first='Landon' last='Lampley'] are all here in the Class 4A South.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>It has been 30 years since Columbus East last won a Sectional Championship. The Sectional 14 host Bull Dogs of Columbus North are probably the favorite going into the year, but the Olympians will have their best team in a long time. </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list -->