Semistate basketball predictions from the Courier & Press sports staff
EVANSVILLE — There's no shortage of excitement around Semistate Saturday in Indiana. The games should be terrific, and there's no shortage of talk going into each matchup.
So who will win? We'll give the predictions again.
To recap previous weeks: Kyle Sokeland picked sectionals most correctly out of our staff while he, Pat Hickey and Chad Lindskog then each predicted all four local regional champions.
All times listed are CDT, the way it should be in Indiana.
Class 4A at Seymour
No. 1 WARREN CENTRAL (30-0) vs. No. 3 NEW ALBANY (25-1), 2 p.m.
Gordon Engelhardt: New Albany. The Romeo Express will not be denied. Langford, one of the most celebrated players in state history, is gonna win it all in his senior season.
Kyle Sokeland: New Albany. The game that many have been waiting for. Although I have not seen Warren Central, those in Indy can't stop raving about them. I just can't bring myself to bet against Romeo. Not in Seymour with what will be a very pro-New Albany crowd. He made 39 points look easy against Center Grove.
Chad Lindskog: New Albany. OK, so we don't cover these teams, but I have read a lot about them both from our IndyStar colleagues and scouting services. And I also think Seymour would support an NBA G-League team if Romeo Langford was on the roster.
Pat Hickey: Warren Central. I'll be that guy, although I'm not feeling handcuffed about taking the team that's beaten 16 of the top 25 teams in the state and hasn't lost a single game all year. It also seems the Warriors' style of play is suited for an "upset" in a state without a shot clock.
Ryan Reynolds: New Albany. I'm done picking against Romeo Langford.
Class 3A at Washington
No. 7 DANVILLE (22-4) vs. No. 3 BOSSE (24-4), 5 p.m.
GE: Bosse. Not to jinx ‘em, but if the Dawgs play the way they played in the Southridge Regional, they might just capture that elusive state championship. No. 3 Bosse simply found another level in the regional. Now, they’ll run into physically rugged No. 7 Danville, whom Bulldogs coach Shane Burkhart compares to Tri-West’s team two years ago that Bosse defeated 74-71 in double overtime in semistate. Danville, of course, lost to Memorial 28-7 in the football semistate last fall. Bosse is No. 13 in the Sagarin ratings while Danville is No. 29. The Bulldogs won their third and last state title in 1962.
KS: Bosse. No rematch with Crispus Attucks, but this will still be tough. The Warriors have good size and a talent in 6-6 senior Alec Burton. I truly believe this is the time for the Bulldogs to make it back to Indy. Mekhi Lairy is playing too well at the moment and Shane Burkhart now has Jaylin Chinn going.
CL: Bosse. If the Bulldogs would've won semistate last year, they would've been in 4A this season. Instead, 3A seems to be Bosse's for the taking with its recent play. 'Dawgs headed back to state
PH: Bosse. The Bulldogs are just too deep. So balanced with big-time playmakers that people sometimes forget about a guy like Jaylin Chinn, who scored a game-high 23 points in the regional championship.
RR: Bosse. The Bulldogs just seem to have this extra gear in the engine that few teams have found a way to handle. I'm not old enough to remember much high school ball before 1985, so for me, this team and the 2015 Reitz Panthers are the two best I've seen from Evansville.
Class 2A at Washington
INDIANAPOLIS SCECINA (19-9) vs. FOREST PARK (24-4), 3 p.m.
GE: Scecina. Kind of like Bosse, Forest Park found another level in its regional, after making its living on buzzer-beaters earlier in postseason. This one is a tossup. Forest Park is ranked No. 70 in the Sagarin ratings; Scecina is No. 74.
KS: Forest Park. The Rangers shook off the rust from the sectional to post two solid victories last weekend. Call it a gut feeling but I think they continue this run to state. Plenty of size with Sam Enlgert and Curt Hopf to go with reliable senior guards.
CL: Forest Park. I've seen the Rangers' last four games and came away impressed each time, without noticing true weaknesses. They haven't allowed 50 points yet in the postseason. A true all-around team from seniors to a standout freshman.
PH: Forest Park. I've quietly been beating the drum for the Rangers this season. From buzzer beaters to blowouts this postseason, there are just a lot of ways they can beat teams. They haven't played as tough of a schedule as Scecina but are far from inexperienced.
RR: Forest Park has one of those "team of destiny" vibes. I'm not going to pick against them again in the tournament. I think Scecina offers them a different look than they've seen so far in the tournament. They're certainly battle-tested coming out of the Indianapolis area, but the Rangers' defense wins the day.
Class 1A at Seymour
No. 4 MORRISTOWN (26-2) vs. No. 5 BARR-REEVE (24-4). noon
GE: Barr-Reeve. Instead of playing about 10 miles from home in the Washington Semistate, Barr-Reeve was shipped to Seymour. The Vikings hope to use that snub as fuel. After two years being bumped up to 2A, Barr-Reeve is happy to be back in Class A.
KS: Morristown. Playing the undercard to Romeo, the Vikings' luck might run out in Seymour. In four of their five postseason games, they needed comebacks in the second half. That can't happen again. Not against a Morristown team that averages 72 points per game, led by senior Hayden Langkabel (26.6). Barr-Reeve needs to keep this game in the 50s.
CL: Barr-Reeve. Homer mode: engaged. I have no real rationale behind this pick other than people are peeved the 1A game is in Seymour, thus impacting the Romeo Show attendance. Might as well have Bryan Hughes & Co. show out.
PH: Morristown. The Yellow Jackets have already beaten this class' No. 2, 6 and 8-ranked teams in a nine-day span this postseason. Langkabel, a Marian University recruit, will be a handful.
RR: Morristown, if for no other reason than Barr-Reeve has found itself playing catch-up the last few games of the tournament. How long can that continue before the VIkings find a team they can't run down from behind?