It is the day after the sectional draw for the IHSAA Boys’ Basketball Tournament, which means that people are going to analyze what the blind draw got right and what it got right.
We here at Outside the Huddle decided to examine some of the area sectional fields and how we would have seeded them if that was a thing. Our rationale? Overall record? Sagarin? Actually, no consistent formula, just what we think would make the most excitement over sectional week.
CLASS 4A HUNTINGTON NORTH SECTIONAL
ACTUAL DRAW
Tuesday, March 3
Columbia City (9-12) vs. Huntington North (6-14), 6 p.m.
Homestead (13-8) vs. Wayne (8-10), 7:30 p.m.
Friday, March 6
New Haven (15-5) vs. Columbia City/Huntington North, 6 p.m.
South Side (7-13) vs. Homestead/Wayne, 7:30 p.m.
OTH SEEDING
Tuesday, March 3
Wayne (8-10) vs. Huntington North (6-14), 6 p.m.
Columbia City (9-12) vs. South Side (7-13), 7:30 p.m.
Friday, March 6
New Haven (15-5) vs. Wayne/Huntington North, 6 p.m.
Homestead (13-8) vs. Columbia City/South Side, 7:30 p.m.
OTH RATIONALE: In our Huntington North Sectional field, the Tuesday games pit teams against each other who have yet to meet this season. Huntington North playing the 6 p.m. game makes sense due to the ability of Vikings fans to get to North Arena much easier than the other teams in the field. Columbia City and South meet in the second game at 7:30 p.m., allowing those fans to get to Huntington with time to spare.
Homestead and New Haven get the bye into Friday as the two best teams. The Spartans get the second game on Friday as the “top” seed.
CLASS 3A GARRETT SECTIONAL
ACTUAL DRAW
Tuesday, March 3
Bishop Dwenger (5-16) vs. Concordia Lutheran (10-10), 7 p.m.
Wednesday, March 4
Garrett (2-18) vs. Woodlan (13-9), 6 p.m.
Leo (14-7) vs. Bishop Luers (14-6), 7:30 p.m.
Friday, March 6
Angola (12-8) vs. Bishop Dwenger/Concordia Lutheran, 6 p.m.
Garrett/Woodlan vs. Leo/Bishop Luers, 7:30 p.m.
OTH SEEDING
Tuesday, March 3
Bishop Dwenger (5-16) vs. Garrett (2-18), 6 p.m.
Wednesday, March 4
Concordia Lutheran (10-10) vs. Woodlan (13-9), 6 p.m.
Angola (12-8) vs. Leo (14-7), 7:30 p.m.
Friday, March 6
Bishop Luers (14-6) vs. Bishop Dwenger/Garrett, 6 p.m.
Concordia Lutheran/Woodlan vs. Angola/Leo, 7:30 p.m.
OTH RATIONALE: Our Garrett Sectional field gives Bishop Luers the lone bye, putting the Knights into Friday’s semifinal against either Bishop Dwenger or Garrett, the two weakest teams in the sectional.
Meanwhile, Leo gets Angola to start, a team that the Lions held to 26 points earlier in February.
Woodlan would get Concordia Lutheran to start with an opportunity to prove itself against an SAC opponent.
CLASS 2A WESTVIEW SECTIONAL
ACTUAL DRAW
Tuesday, March 3
Prairie Heights (16-5) vs. Westview (18-3), 7 p.m.
Wednesday, March 4
Bremen (4-16) vs. Fairfield (9-11), 6 p.m.
Central Noble (18-4) vs. Eastside (8-12) 7:30 p.m.
Friday, March 6
Churubusco (13-6) vs. Prairie Heights/Westview, 6 p.m.
Bremen/Fairfield vs. Central Noble/Eastside, 7:30 p.m.
OTH SEEDING
Tuesday, March 3
Central Noble (18-4) vs. Bremen (4-16), 6 p.m.
Wednesday, March 4
Prairie Heights (16-5) vs. Fairfield (9-11), 6 p.m.
Churubusco (13-6) vs. Eastside (8-12), 7:30 p.m.
Friday, March 6
Westview (18-3) vs. Central Noble/Bremen, 6 p.m.
Prairie Heights/Fairfield vs. Churubusco/Eastside, 7:30 p.m.
OTH RATIONALE: The Westview Sectional is loaded with some top-quality NECC talent. The IHSAA draw is extremely top heavy, including a huge game between Prairie Heights and Westview to open the sectional on Tuesday.
OTH tried to break up the talent as much as possible. Westview gets the lone bye after winning nine straight entering this week and likely NECC co-champs (at least).
Meanwhile, Central Noble, Churubusco and Prairie Heights each get sub-.500 teams to start, setting up a huge semifinal Friday if the favorites all advance.
CLASS 2A MANCHESTER SECTIONAL
ACTUAL DRAW
Tuesday, March 3
Wabash (16-4) vs. Bluffton (14-7), 6 p.m.
Manchester (9-11) vs. Canterbury (10-11), 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, March 4
Adams Central (9-12) vs. South Adams (10-10), 6 p.m.
Whitko (8-12) vs. Blackhawk Christian (19-3), 7:30 p.m.
Friday, March 6
Wabash/Bluffton vs. Manchester/Canterbury, 6 p.m.
Adams Central/South Adams vs. Whitko/Blackhawk Christian, 7:30 p.m.
OTH SEEDING
Tuesday, March 3
Wabash (16-4) vs. Manchester (9-11), 6 p.m.
Bluffton (14-7) vs. South Adams (10-10), 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, March 4
Adams Central (9-12) vs. Canterbury (10-11), 6 p.m.
Whitko (8-12) vs. Blackhawk Christian (19-3), 7:30 p.m.
Friday, March 6
Wabash/Manchester vs. Bluffton/South Adams, 6 p.m.
Adams Central/Canterbury vs. Whitko/Blackhawk Christian, 7:30 p.m.
OTH RATIONALE: The IHSAA draw has Bluffton and Wabash facing off at 6 p.m. on a Tuesday, ouch.
The OTH seeding has Wabash and Bluffton separated, if only for one round. Instead, the two teams will meet in the semifinal with the reward likely meeting Blackhawk Christian in the final.
Have fun with that.
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