The high school boys basketball sectional round begins on Tuesday with 404 teams competing at 64 sectional sites. Let’s take a closer look at the Class 3A field with the local matchups, players to watch and predictions (and find my statewide picks for Class 3A below):
Class 4A sectional preview: Pairings, players to watch and predictions for 4A sectional
Defending champion: South Bend St. Joseph (now playing in 4A due to tournament success factor)
No. 1 team: Silver Creek (25-1)
A true favorite: Silver Creek has been absolutely rolling since losing to Crown Point at the Hall of Fame Classic on Dec. 23. The Dragons have won 18 consecutive games since that loss, including wins over Plainfield, South Bend St. Joseph, New Albany and Bloomington South (twice). Silver Creek has four players – seniors Dane Caldwell (16.2 ppg, 8.0 rebounds), Kasen Daeger (14.7 ppg) and Dane Sprigler (10.9 ppg), and junior Brandon Hunter (11.5 ppg, 10.7 assists, 6.1 rebounds) – averaging in double figures. The Dragons have a bye to Friday’s semifinal in Sectional 30 at Madison. The winner of Tuesday’s Corydon Central (17-6) vs. Charlestown (16-7) game is probably toughest challenger.
Other contenders: The most talented 3A team outside of Silver Creek might be No. 2 Cathedral (18-5), which is in Sectional 26 at Broad Ripple. Cathedral has four losses to 4A teams and one to a top team out of Ohio (more on Cathedral below). No. 3 Princeton (20-3), No. 4 Northview (19-5) and No. 6 Columbia City (19-4) are among the other teams around the state to watch. The north half of 3A looks absolutely wide open. Columbia City, led by Landon Richmond (19.9 ppg, 8.0 rebounds) and Owen Marshall (13.6 ppg), could be that team that emerges. Columbia City is in Sectional 20 with No. 7 Fairfield (16-5), NorthWood (13-11), Wawasee (16-8) and others.
Top scorers: There are some big scorers in this class, including Crispus Attucks senior DeZhon Hall (27.7 ppg), Purdue Poly senior T.J. Williams (26.2 ppg), Speedway senior Drew Matelic (25.4 ppg), Western senior Carter Biggs (25.3 ppg) and Shortridge senior Elijah Wilson (22.9 ppg).
Here is a closer look at the sectional fields involving local teams:
Sectional 24 at New Castle
Matchups: Tuesday, Jay County (20-3) vs. Yorktown (14-8), 6 p.m.; New Castle (10-12) vs. Hamilton Heights (13-9), 7:30 p.m.; Friday, Connersville (14-9) vs. Jay County-Yorktown winner, 6 p.m.; Delta (13-10) vs. New Castle-Hamilton Heights winner, 7:30 p.m.; Championship, 7 p.m. Saturday
Team to beat: We will find that out in the first game of the sectional: Jay County vs. Yorktown. It is a rematch of a Jan. 23 game between the teams – a 45-31 Yorktown win. The Tigers had won eight consecutive games until losing the regular season finale against Mt. Vernon. Junior Mason Trammell averages 17.6 points for Yorktown, which has not won a sectional title in four years. Jay County’s only loss since Dec. 6 was that Yorktown game. Junior Jayden Comer (15.5 ppg) and senior Gradin Swoveland (15.1 ppg, 4.7 rebounds) are the Patriots’ top players. Jay County has not won a sectional championship in 15 years.
Sleeper: Delta. There is not a lot of difference here between the six teams. Delta beat Yorktown by five points during the season but lost to Jay County by six and New Castle by 11. But Mark Detweiler’s teams always seem difficult to beat this time of year, coming in with three consecutive sectional titles (and three regional crowns). Most of the Eagles’ top contributors will be back next year, including sophomore Ryan Lynch (10.0 ppg, 2.7 assists), junior Chase Phillips (9.1 ppg, 6.4 rebounds) and freshman Walker Johnson (8.2 ppg, 6.2 rebounds).
Three others: The New Castle-Hamilton Heights winner will have a shot against Delta, and Connersville, coached by Dave McCollough, has a chance on the other side. This is one of the more wide-open brackets in the state. Senior Rees Knapp (14.8 ppg, 3.9 rebounds) is the leading scorer for Hamilton Heights, which will bring back most of its team next season.
Prediction: Delta over Yorktown. Expect some close games and upsets here.
Sectional 25 at Frankfort
Matchups: Tuesday, Brebeuf Jesuit (15-6) vs. Tri-West (14-9), 7 p.m.; Wednesday, Danville (9-14) vs. Crawfordsville (14-8), 6 p.m.; Guerin Catholic (19-5) vs. Frankfort (2-21), 7:30 p.m.; Friday, Lebanon (10-12) vs. Brebeuf-Tri-West winner, 6 p.m.; Other semifinal, 7:30 p.m.; Championship, 7 p.m. Saturday
Team to beat: Guerin Catholic. Not only are the Golden Eagles the favorite here but they have a favorable draw. Guerin, which has won 11 consecutive games, is 3-0 against the sectional field, although all three games (vs. Brebeuf, Tri-West and Lebanon) were close. Juniors Jake Grissom (21.0 ppg, 4.5 rebounds), Carter Murans (11.7 ppg, 3.7 rebounds) and Hayden Rogers (8.5 ppg, 7.0 assists, 4.2 rebounds) are top producers for Guerin, a three-time defending sectional champion.
Sleeper: Look to the top half of the bracket, where all three teams – Brebeuf Jesuit, Tri-West and Lebanon – have a chance to be that team. Brebeuf has won eight in a row since a 48-39 loss to Guerin on Jan. 23. The Braves defeated Shortridge, Park Tudor, Roncalli, Ritter and Tri-West (by 39 points), during that run. Junior Chace Ford (12.6 ppg, 2.6 assists), senior Austin Ford (12.1 ppg, 4.0 rebounds, 3.4 assists) and junior Dylan Logan (11.0 ppg) lead the Braves, who are looking for their first sectional title in four years. Brebeuf shot 65% in that win over Tri-West last week, including 12-for-22 from 3. Junior Ryan Miller (14.3 ppg), sophomore Daniel Thomas (10.6 ppg, 2.9 assists) and junior Jaxon Paris (10.3 ppg, 4.5 rebounds) led the Bruins.
Prediction: Give me Guerin Catholic over Brebeuf by a bucket. This would be an outstanding matchup in championship.
Sectional 26 at Broad Ripple
Matchups: Tuesday, Cathedral (18-5) vs. Shortridge (13-11), 6 p.m.; Purdue Poly Englewood (7-17) vs. Bishop Chatard (7-15), 7:30 p.m.; Friday, Herron (5-16) vs. Cathedral-Shortridge winner, 6 p.m.; Crispus Attucks (14-8) vs. Purdue Poly-Bishop Chatard winner, 7:30 p.m.; Championship, 7 p.m. Saturday
Team to beat: Cathedral. The Irish were knocked out last year by Attucks in the sectional, a loss coach Jason Delaney called one of the toughest of his career. Can Cathedral get back to the regional this year? The route starts with a tricky game against a quality Shortridge team. The Irish are an interesting team that is led by seniors and Division I recruits Keaton Aldridge Jr. (18.3 ppg, 8.0 rebounds, 5.3 assists) and Julien Smith (16.9 ppg, 4.7 rebounds, 2.1 assists). Junior Braylon Pippins (9.4 ppg, 3.9 rebounds) has also come on and played well this season.
Sleeper: A couple of options here. Shortridge is capable of giving Cathedral all it can handle in the first game of the sectional. Senior Elijah Wilson (22.9 ppg, 2.2 assists, 2.2 steals) can light it up and junior T.J. Davis (17.7 ppg, 9.3 rebounds) can create some issues on the interior. Junior point guard Jeremy Crowley (10.0 ppg, 5.9 assists) is a capable scorer and ballhandler. Attucks is the other team to watch. The Tigers received a good draw with the bye and have one of the top scorers in the state in senior guard DeZhon Hall (27.7 ppg, 6.2 rebounds, 3.4 assists), along with junior guard Blessed Thomas (10.9 ppg, 3.7 rebounds) and senior Jamier Davis (10.3 ppg, 3.1 assists). Attucks won the sectional last year and made the state finals, but this is a much different team.
Prediction: I like Cathedral to get through here over Attucks by 13.
Sectional 27 at Speedway
Matchups: Tuesday, Edgewood (10-11) vs. Owen Valley (2-21), 6 p.m. Washington (12-11) vs. Speedway (11-10), 7:30 p.m.; Friday, Cascade (14-7) vs. Edgewood-Owen Valley winner, 6 p.m.; Northview (19-5) vs. Washington-Speedway winner, 7:30 p.m.; Championship, 7:30 p.m. Saturday
Team to beat: Northview. This team could go a long way. The Knights have won the sectional each of the past two seasons, falling to Danville and Crispus Attucks in the regional. Northview has a veteran group led by sophomore Quinn Lewis (16.0 ppg, 6.0 rebounds), senior Brayden Goff (14.1 ppg, 6.9 assists, 4.7 rebounds), junior Trayven Buis (12.2 ppg, 3.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists) and senior Avery Perry (8.6 ppg, 5.0 rebounds). Northview’s only losses are to Mt. Vernon, Silver Creek, Parke Heritage, Plainfield and Terre Haute North.
Sleeper: Cascade is probably flying under the radar a bit. The Cadets are 3-0 against the sectional field and 7-1 against other 3-0 opponents but did not play Northview. Several of the football state champions are part of this team, including senior Brady Trebley (13.8 ppg, 7.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists). Also, the winner of the Speedway-Washington game will have a serious scoring threat. Speedway’s Drew Matelic averages 25.4 points per game and Washington’s Roosevelt Franklin averages 22.1 points per game, along with 5.2 rebounds, 3.6 steals and 3.2 assists.
Prediction: Northview over Cascade by 12. Northview’s schedule – including an appearance at the Hall of Fame Classic – should have the Knights prepared.
Sectional 28 at Greenwood
Matchups: Tuesday, Greenwood (13-9) vs. Rushville (8-15), 6 p.m.; Wednesday, Indian Creek (3-19) vs. Beech Grove (8-16), 6 p.m.; New Palestine (13-11) vs. Roncalli (14-7), 7:30 p.m.; Friday, Shelbyville (19-5) vs. Greenwood-Rushville winner, 6 p.m.; Other semifinal, 7:30 p.m.; Championship, 7 p.m. Saturday
Team to beat: This is tough. I don’t think there is a right answer. Roncalli might be my selection by a slight margin. The Royals have played the toughest schedule of the teams in this sectional and have a veteran team with seniors Conner Kesler (15.2 ppg, 4.3 rebounds), Luke Feldman (12.7 ppg, 41% 3-pointers) and Joe Taylor (12.3 ppg, 8.1 rebounds) as their top players. Roncalli is 3-0 against the field but has not played Shelbyville. The Royals beat New Palestine 43-40 on a 3-pointer by Feldman with 1.9 seconds remaining.
Sleeper: More of a co-favorite situation for Shelbyville and Greenwood. I would also put New Palestine in the same category. Shelbyville, searching for its first sectional title in 25 years, could have the team to get it done. Seniors Caden Claxton (16.9 ppg, 5.8 rebounds, 4.2 assists) and Mar Nicholson (15.2 ppg, 4.2 rebounds) are both 1,000-point scorers and seniors Brody Runnebohm (10.3 ppg, 51% 3-pointers) and Gavin Reed (7.8 ppg, 3.3 rebounds) are also key contributors. Greenwood is also a difficult matchup, led by seniors Acen Swain (15.5 ppg) and Parker Doolin (14.4 ppg, 7.4 rebounds) and junior Braden Reynolds (13.6 ppg, 7.3 rebounds). New Palestine is a much different team than last year’s semistate team but is playing its best basketball, led by sophomore Will Davison (17.8 ppg, 5.3 rebounds) and senior Evan Darrah (14.0 ppg, 37% 3-pointers).
Prediction: I’m looking forward to this one. I’ll take Shelbyville by three over Roncalli for the championship.
OK, who wins around the state? My picks
Sectional 17 at Gary West Side: Gary West Side over East Chicago Central
Sectional 18 at Hanover Central: Illiana Chrisitan over River Forest
Sectional 19 at New Prairie: Mishawaka Marian over Culver Academy
Sectional 20 at Columbia City: Columbia City over NorthWood
Sectional 21 at DeKalb: Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian over Leo
Sectional 22 at Bellmont: New Haven over Marion
Sectional 23 at Logansport: West Lafayette over Logansport
Sectional 24 at New Castle: Delta over Yorktown
Sectional 25 at Frankfort: Guerin Catholic over Brebeuf Jesuit
Sectional 26 at Broad Ripple: Cathedral over Crispus Attucks
Sectional 27 at Speedway: Northview over Cascade
Sectional 28 at Greenwood: Shelbyville over Roncalli
Sectional 29 at South Dearborn: Batesville over South Dearborn
Sectional 30 at Madison: Silver Creek over Charlestown
Sectional 31 at Washington: Princeton over Gibson Southern
Sectional 32 at Boonville: Evansville Bosse over Boonville
Those results would lead to these regional matchups
Columbia City vs. Illiana Chrisitan
Gary West Side vs. Mishawaka Marian
West Lafayette vs. New Haven
Delta vs. Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian
Guerin Catholic vs. Cathedral
Northview vs. Shelbyville
Evansville Bosse vs. Princeton
Silver Creek vs. Batesville
Call Star reporter Kyle Neddenriep at (317) 444-6649. Get IndyStar’s high school coverage sent directly to your inbox with the High School Sports newsletter. And be sure to subscribe to our new IndyStarTV: Preps YouTube channel.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Class 3A basketball sectional breakdowns: Matchups, players to watch, predictions
Reporting by Kyle Neddenriep, Indianapolis Star / Indianapolis Star
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