Prep Hoops Indiana 3A North Sectional Preview

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Believe it or not, it is nearly tournament time in Indiana. Here at Prep Hoops Indiana we will use this final week of the regular season to preview all 64 Sectionals that will take place beginning next Tuesday. There are 410 teams across four classes that are ultimately vying for a trip to Gainbridge Fieldhouse. As always, we will be your one stop shop for coverage throughout the 116th annual IHSAA Boys Basketball State Tournament. Let's now dive into our previews which are broken up between the north and south for each class. We will include each Sectional bracket, dive deeper into the toughest Sectional in each area while also discussing an under-the-radar Sectional field, highlight the players to watch, give our expert predictions, and more. Here is our official Prep Hoops Indiana Sectional Preview for the Class 3A North.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Sectional Matchups</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Sectional 17: Gary West Side</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Game 1: East Chicago Central vs Highland</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Game 2: Gary West Side vs Calumet</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Game 3: Hammond Bishop Noll vs Winner Game 1</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Game 4: Griffith vs Winner Game 2</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Championship</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Prediction: </strong>Gary West Side</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Sectional 18: Hanover Central</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Game 1: Hanover Central vs Iliana Christian</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Game 2: River Forest vs Lowell</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Game 3: Kankakee Valley vs Winner Game 1</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Championship</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Prediction: </strong>Illiana Christian</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Sectional 19: New Prairie</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Game 1: Culver Academies vs New Prairie</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Game 2: Glenn vs South Bend Washington</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Game 3: New Prairie vs Winner Game 1</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Game 4: Mishawaka Marian vs Winner Game 2</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Championship</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Prediction: </strong>Mishawaka Marian</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Sectional 20: Columbia City</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Game 1: Columbia City vs West Noble</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Game 2: Tippecanoe Valley vs Wawasee</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Game 3: Fairfield vs Winner Game 1</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Game 4: NorthWood vs Winner Game 2</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Championship</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Prediction: </strong>Columbia City</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Sectional 21: DeKalb</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Game 1: Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian vs Angola</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Game 2: DeKalb vs Garrett</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Game 3: East Noble vs Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Game 4: Fort Wayne Concordia Lutheran vs Leo</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Game 5: Winner Game 1 vs Winner Game 2</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Game 6: Winner Game 3 vs Winner Game 4</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Championship</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Prediction: </strong>Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Sectional 22: Bellmont</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Game 1: Norwell vs Heritage</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Game 2: Mississinewa vs New Haven</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Game 3: Marion vs Winner Game 1</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Game 4: Bellmont vs Winner Game 2</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Championship</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Prediction: </strong>New Haven</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Sectional 23: Logansport</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Game 1: Twin Lakes vs Northwestern</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Game 2: Western vs West Lafayette</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Game 3: Maconaquah vs Peru</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Game 4: Logansport vs Winner Game 1</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Game 5: Winner Game 2 vs Winner Game 3</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Championship </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Prediction:</strong> West Lafayette</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Sectional 24: New Castle</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Game 1: Jay County vs Yorktown</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Game 2: New Castle vs Hamilton Heights</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Game 3: Connersville vs Winner Game 1</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Game 4: Delta vs Winner Game 2</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Championship</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Prediction: </strong>Delta</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Toughest Sectional: </strong>Section 17 @ Gary West Side</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sectional 17 at Gary West Side is looking like a gauntlet. With three teams with 13+ wins and a fourth team with double digit wins, whoever comes out of this sectional will be battle tested. <strong>Gary West Side</strong> is 3-0 against Sectional opponents this season with every win coming by at least 9 points. From the talented senior trio of [player_tooltip player_id='1560995' first='Reggie' last='Hinton'], [player_tooltip player_id='1561005' first='Bryce' last='Cooper'], and [player_tooltip player_id='1560969' first='Tyler' last='Crews'] to the freshman dynamic duo of Deshawn Clay and [player_tooltip player_id='3033269' first='Prentiss' last='Gates'], Gary West Side could be primed to make a deep run in the state tournament. <strong>Hammond Bishop Noll</strong> is sitting with the bye on the top side of the bracket with a 3-2 record against sectional opponents has a trio of players averaging double figures in Senior Gabe Mobley (13.5 ppg), Senior Maddux Laurincik (11.8 ppg), and Sophomore JaRay Walker (11.5 ppg). <strong>East Chicago Central</strong> on the top side of the bracket 1-1 against sectional foes with also three players averaging double figures in Senior [player_tooltip player_id='1561120' first='Jamarie' last='Pollard'] (12.6 ppg), Senior [player_tooltip player_id='2625504' first='Joseph' last='Watkins'] Jr (10.2 ppg), and Freshman [player_tooltip player_id='2918106' first='Naji' last='Meux'] (10.1ppg). <strong>Griffith</strong> has the bye on the bottom side of the bracket with three double digit scorers led by Junior [player_tooltip player_id='2441743' first='Antonio' last='Hatch'] (15.8 ppg), Senior [player_tooltip player_id='2272829' first='Jalen' last='Wilson'] (13.8 ppg), and Junior Jaylan Rocket (10 ppg). <strong>Highland </strong>and <strong>Calumet </strong>looking to play spoilers in the tournament as they combine for just one win against sectional competition on the season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Under the Radar Sectional: </strong>Sectional 22 @ Bellmont</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sectional 22 at Bellmont is as intriguing as any sectional in the 3A North. The top side of the bracket with the matchup of 12-win Norwell against 14 win Heritage Game 1 is electric to get the tournament started. Despite winning just 5 games on the season, Marion sitting there waiting for these two teams on Friday night with the bye with arguably the best player in the sectional in 6'3” Senior Guard Tim Jones averaging 20 points per game, the Giants could very well shock everyone and play their way into Saturday nights championship where anything can happen in a one game scenario. The on-paper favorite in New Haven with 16 wins on the season and a perfect 3-0 record against sectional foes led by the trio of Tarvar Baskerville, [player_tooltip player_id='2892459' first='Jadrien' last='Ezell'], and [player_tooltip player_id='2837232' first='Lavell' last='Ledbetter'], the Bulldogs are clearly one of the teams in 3A North that has a chance to cut down the nets. In order to do that, they have to get past Mississinewa with sectional host Bellmont waiting for them on Friday night. Bellmont features high scoring Sophomore Guard [player_tooltip player_id='2560357' first='Daniel' last='Selking'] who has scored over 30 points in multiple games this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>3A North Top Players</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>[player_tooltip player_id='1981703' first='Stephen' last='Akase'] (Wawasee)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Charlie Bailey (Fort Wayne Concordia Lutheran)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Eli Baldwin (Logansport)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Tarvar Baskerville (New Haven)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>[player_tooltip player_id='2403758' first='Carter' last='Biggs'] (Western)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2813685' first='Lucas' last='Bragg'] (Delta)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Deshawn Clay (Gary West Side)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>[player_tooltip player_id='2503966' first='RJ' last='Clem'] (Logansport)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2411083' first='Jayden' last='Comer'] (Jay County)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>[player_tooltip player_id='1560969' first='Tyler' last='Crews'] (Gary West Side)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2892459' first='Jadrien' last='Ezell'] (New Haven)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>[player_tooltip player_id='3033269' first='Prentiss' last='Gates'] (Gary West Side)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>[player_tooltip player_id='2441743' first='Antonio' last='Hatch'] (Griffith)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>[player_tooltip player_id='1560995' first='Reggie' last='Hinton'] (Gary West Side)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>[player_tooltip player_id='1744047' first='Nolan' last='Hiteshew'] (Leo)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>[player_tooltip player_id='2394088' first='Prescott' last='Horvath'] (Mishawaka Marian)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2892488' first='Johnnie' last='Hudson IV'] (Calumet)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>[player_tooltip player_id='2958507' first='Walker' last='Johnson'] (Delta)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Tim Jones (Marion)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>[player_tooltip player_id='2791285' first='Niles' last='Knox'] (Angola)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>[player_tooltip player_id='2539827' first='Bryce' last='LaCross'] (Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>[player_tooltip player_id='2837232' first='Lavell' last='Ledbetter'] (New Haven)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>[player_tooltip player_id='2471421' first='Owen' last='Marshall'] (Columbia City)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>[player_tooltip player_id='2617849' first='Josh' last='McBride'] (Norwell)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1561071' first='Mason' last='Miller'] (New Castle)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Jude Nicks (Glenn)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>[player_tooltip player_id='1738845' first='Briggs' last='Pardon'] (Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>[player_tooltip player_id='1561120' first='Jamarie' last='Pollard'] (East Chicago Central)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>[player_tooltip player_id='2837583' first='Landon' last='Richmond'] (Columbia City)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>[player_tooltip player_id='2539823' first='Drake' last='Sefton'] (Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>[player_tooltip player_id='2560357' first='Daniel' last='Selking'] (Bellmont)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Justin Slaven (Highland)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>[player_tooltip player_id='2399010' first='Gradin' last='Swoveland'] (Jay County)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2413945' first='Mason' last='Trammell'] (Yorktown H.S.)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>[player_tooltip player_id='2297505' first='Jaece' last='Vogt'] (West Lafayette)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>[player_tooltip player_id='2882685' first='Carson' last='Waltke'] (East Noble)<br>Ben Werth (West Lafayette)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>[player_tooltip player_id='3164890' first='Andre' last='Wells'] (Mishawaka Marian)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2399009' first='Drew' last='Whitlock'] (West Lafayette)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list -->