HIGH SCHOOL

Insider: Who gets the edge with IHSAA boys basketball sectional draw

There is no easy route out of Class 4A Sectional 10, but Sunday’s boys basketball sectional draw definitely had a winner.

Third-ranked Lawrence Central (19-3) not only drew a bye in the six-team field at Lawrence North, but will play the winner of the two teams with losing records – North Central (5-16) or Tech (6-14). Defending state champion Warren Central (20-2) also has a bye, but will have a much tougher semifinal opponent, the winner of Cathedral (17-5) and Lawrence North (14-6).

Warren Central Warriors forward Jesse Bingham (11) tries to stop a shot by Lawrence Central Bears Nijel Pack (24) in the first half of Marion County tournament finals at Southport High School in Indianapolis, Monday, Jan. 14, 2019. Warren Central won the title, 60-56.

Coach Al Gooden’s Bears, who ended Warren Central’s 46-game winning streak last month, have not won a sectional title since 2012. This could be the year, led by seniors Jacob LaRavia and Wes Jordan, and juniors Nijel Pack and D’Andre Davis.

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Here are the other winners of the 4A draw and some of those who didn’t fare as well (sectional week begins Feb. 26):

Winners 

Hamilton Southeastern: The Royals (14-7) do not necessarily have an easy route, but they are at least opposite of Carmel (19-1) and Fishers (15-7) in Sectional 8 at Carmel. HSE opens with Westfield (12-9) and then would meet Noblesville (13-9) in the semifinal. HSE defeated Westfield by 11 and Noblesville by 25 during the season.

Decatur Central: Trying to defeat Mark James and Perry Meridian in the postseason is not much fun (the Hawks defeated Perry Meridian 29-28 on Saturday). But the Hawks (13-6) have defeated Perry Meridian and Roncalli, the first two teams they would see in Sectional 11 at Perry Meridian. Decatur Central has not won a sectional game since 2013.

Mooresville: The Pioneers (14-7) received the best possible draw with a bye in Sectional 12 at Brownsburg, and a semifinal game against either Terre Haute North (11-11) or Terre Haute South (6-16).

Center Grove: The Trojans (15-7) might be thrilled to see Greenwood (9-11) in the first round of Sectional 13 at Center Grove. But coach Zach Hahn and Center Grove can learn from a 57-52 double-overtime win over Greenwood in January in the Johnson County tournament. No wakeup call necessary.

Losers 

Cathedral/Lawrence North: I guess the good news for coach Jack Keefer and Lawrence North is that the Wildcats get to play on the court that bears his name. But how about this path to a sectional title – Cathedral-Warren Central-Lawrence Central. That is about as tough as it gets. These teams also met in the opening round last year, a 71-63 Lawrence North win.

It should be a shootout. Lawrence North’s Jared Hankins and Tony Perkins can fill it up, as can Cathedral’s Armaan Franklin and James Franklin Jr.

Fishers: The Tigers (15-7) open with Anderson (7-15), but then would have get through Carmel to reach the championship.

Pike: Pike (13-8) is certainly capable of winning Sectional 11 at Perry Meridian, but will have to get through Southport (10-11) and rival Ben Davis (13-7) to reach the title game. The Red Devils have split two regular-season meetings with Ben Davis.

New Palestine: The Dragons (13-8) have a favorable opening game against Greenfield-Central (4-18) in Sectional 9 at Richmond, but then will have to get through Connersville (15-8) in the semifinal. New Pal, looking for its first sectional title in seven years, lost 50-49 to Connersville last week.

Plainfield: Coach Andy Weaver’s Quakers (17-5) have had a great season but will face Brownsburg (16-6) – a team it has lost to by 20 and 22 points – in Sectional 12 at Brownsburg. The winner will play Avon (12-9).

Looking at Class 3A 

Five-team battle highlights local 3A field: It is a one-year oddity because of the closing of Broad Ripple and Northwest as high schools, but the five-team Class 3A Sectional 27 field at Guerin Catholic will be a battle.

The beneficiary of the draw would appear to be Cardinal Ritter (13-8), which is led by senior Nate Soltis. The Raiders will meet Bishop Chatard (11-8), a team it defeated 82-54 last week, in the semifinal. In the same sectional, Crispus Attucks (14-7) will have to get through Guerin Catholic (11-10) to set up a rematch with ninth-ranked Brebeuf Jesuit (14-5) in the semifinal. Simon Banks and the Braves defeated Attucks 46-45 on Jan. 31.

The winner of Sectional 27 is capable of making a deep run.

Is this the year for Beech Grove? What a story it would be for the Hornets, who are playing in memory of coach Matt English, who died in December after a long battle with brain cancer. Beech Grove (12-7) has a beneficial draw with Manual (12-6), Danville (13-7) and Tri-West (10-10) on the opposite side of the bracket. Beech Grove has not won a sectional since 2008.

Elsewhere, defending state champion Culver Academy (16-3) and No. 7 Mishawaka Marian (16-3) could meet in the Sectional 19 championship game. Mishawaka Marian won 39-38 in December.

The state’s last undefeated team, Delta (22-0), resides in Sectional 24 at New Castle. The host Trojans (11-9) would have to get past Hamilton Heights (14-7), while Delta would have to tangle with Blackford (15-5) and the state’s leading scorer in sophomore Luke Brown.

One of the best first-round matchups in the state is in Sectional 32 at Boonville, where fourth-ranked Heritage Hills (20-1) will play Evansville Bosse (15-6).

Breaking down Class 2A 

Potential showdowns in 2A: Old rivals Frankton and Lapel are on a collision course for the Sectional 40 championship at Elwood. Sixth-ranked Frankton (18-3) will look to avenge a loss to Lapel, 77-71, in November. Coach Jimmie Howell and Lapel (14-7) won the 2016 title in 2A and Frankton took the crown in 2017 with now-seniors Kayden Key and Ryan Detling playing key roles.

Second-ranked Shenandoah (19-1) and No. 7 Howe (14-4) could meet for the Sectional 42 championship for the fourth consecutive year (Shenandoah has won the past two years). This year’s Sectional 42 field will unfold at Knightstown.

The top two teams in Sectional 43 at Speedway are fifth-ranked Heritage Christian (15-5) and Park Tudor (15-5). Park Tudor won the regular-season meeting, 53-47, in early December. Those teams would meet in the semifinal. Heritage Christian has a senior-led team that made a run to the semistate two years ago.

Monrovia could win its first sectional title since 2000 if it can navigate Sectional 44 at South Putnam. The biggest challenge would appear to be Covenant Christian (9-11), which is on the opposite side of the bracket.

Third-ranked Westview (Sectional 35 at home), No. 1 Southwestern of Hanover (Sectional 45 at South Ripley) and No. 4 Tipton (Sectional 39 at Eastern of Greentown) will all be favored and potential state title contenders in March.

Class A highlights 

Interesting storylines in Class A: There is no shortage of storylines in Class A, starting with defending state champion Morristown’s route to a potential repeat.

The sixth-ranked Yellowjackets (17-4) will open with Rising Sun in Sectional 60 at Southwestern of Shelbyville, though the biggest hurdle for Morristown could be Oldenburg Academy (14-5). The Twisters, led by junior Jake Johnson (20.4 ppg), defeated Morristown by 17 points in early December. Morristown and Oldenburg would meet in the sectional championship.

Also locally in Class A, Sectional 58 will be worth watching. Two teams with state title aspirations, third-ranked University (18-3) and Metropolitan (11-7), would meet in for the sectional title at University. Look out for Traders Point Christian (11-8), which could see Metropolitan in the semifinal.

In Sectional 63 at Loogootee, second-ranked Barr-Reeve (20-2) is clearly the team to beat. But look out for Shoals (13-8). The Jug Rox have wrapped up their first winning season since 1996-97 and are looking for their first sectional title.

Sectional 59 at Lutheran is wide open with six of the seven teams capable of taking the title. Lighthouse South (11-11) is playing in just its second sectional, but played Tindley and Eric Hunter tough in the championship last year and could be the favorite.

Elsewhere, title contenders Fort Wayne Blackhawk (Sectional 52 at Fremont) and Lafayette Central Catholic (Sectional 54 at Tri-Central) will be big favorites in their  respective sectionals. Gary 21st Century (15-6) and Kouts (18-3) could battle it out in Sectional 49 at Morgan Township in the championship game.

Call Star reporter Kyle Neddenriep at (317) 444-6649.