With girls basketball postseason coming around quickly, Bounce is here to quick preview and discuss the area Sectionals, continuing in Class 2A.
FAIRFIELD SECTIONAL
Projected Winner: Fairfield
This is a team that has good depth from every grade and contributors ready to step up on multiple levels. Yes, Brea Garber is one of the area’s best players and she has lived up to the billing during her junior season. But down the stretch, when they needed help, others have stepped up a ton. Junior Morgan Gawthrop and senior Bailey Willard are both consistent second scoring threats and have emerged even more in the absence of Brooke Sanchez and her season ending injury.
Senior player you can’t miss: Kennedy Kugler, Prairie Heights
It feels like its a constant to say that Kugler is criminally underrated, but she has been a solid constant in the paint for multiple years now for the Panthers. Averaging 11.9 points and. 8.6. rebounds per game as as a s senior, Kugler is a double double threat every night. She is another senior that you want to make sure you get to see at least one more time. If the Panthers can get to the title game, they can get another shot. at a Fairfield team they lost to by just 8 points this season.
Don’t be surprised if: Bremen is better than expected
They have not lost to anyone in this Sectional or in Class 2A this season. Bremen holds two wins over LaVille and while having the second best record in this Sectional, may still be considered underdogs. They don’t have the toughest challenge to get to Saturday; if they can beat Prairie Heights on Tuesday, they get a winless team on Friday. Senior Ellia Foster (18.3 points per game) can fill it up and Bremen has to be the team most likely to upset Fairfield.
SCHEDULE
Tuesday
Bremen (14-9) vs. Prairie Heights (11-10), 6 p.m.
LaVille (10-12) vs. Fairfield (19-3), 7:30 p.m.
Friday
Career Academy (0-20) vs. Bremen/Prairie Heights, 6 p.m.
Westview (6-16) vs. LaVille/Fairfield, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday
Championship, 7:30 p.m.
BLUFFTON SECTIONAL
Projected Winner: Central Noble
Is this Sectional a toss up? There are probably five teams capable of winning it. What makes Central Noble tops in bounce’s eyes? Hunger. The Cougars have not had a losing season since winning state and going to semi state in back to back years in 2018 and 2019, but those seasons also sent them up a class. Now back in 2A, this Central Noble team is back in a comfortable place. They are 3-0 against Sectional teams while Madi Vice and Meghan Kiebel have solidified themselves as one of the best duos in the NECC and this Sectional with 26.9 points per game between them.
Senior player you can’t miss: Skye Kessler, Eastside
Kesslers are Eastside girls basketball go hand and hand and Skye has had a big role in that. She has often emerged as the top Blazer threat on offense this season, but it is her defensive effort and intensity that has made her a draw. Eastside’s best bet at winning this Sectional comes from Kessler’s ability to get stops and that is worth watching closely.
Don’t be surprised if: This whole thing gets wild
Like I said, a lot of teams could win this thing. Eastside and always dangerous host Bluffton open things up on Tuesday and that is intriguing. The Tigers are good in the postseason on their home court and have been in this sectional final each of the last four seasons.
Eastside is solid and they have a way of establishing pace and holding other teams to it. If they can control the inside and/or if Grace Kreischer has a good week, they are high contenders.
Central Noble? Well I answered that above.
Adams Central and South Adams are both in the running too. While Adams Central has had a down year for them, don’t count them out. They are the only team not named Bluffton to win this Sectional in the last four seasons. South Adams is led by one of the greatest coaches in the state’s history in Wayne Kreiger and he has held that up this season. The Starfires, led by a pair of Pries, are grossly underrated.
SCHEDULE
Tuesday
Eastside (13-9) vs. Bluffton (7-14), 6 p.m.
Canterbury (6-14) vs. Churubusco (7-15), 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday
Central Noble (13-8) vs. South Adams (13-8), 6 p.m.
Whitko (6-16) vs. Adams Central (8-12), 7:30 p.m.
Friday
Eastside/Bluffton vs. Canterbury/Churubusco, 6 p.m.
Central Noble/South Adams vs. Whitko vs. Adams Central, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday
Championship, 7:30 p.m.
These opinions represent those of Bounce and Outside the Huddle. No opinions expressed on Outside the Huddle represent those of any of our advertisers. Follow Bounce on Twitter at Bounce_OTH
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