Boys basketball’s regular season has come to an end and that means that Sectional play starts this week.
How far teams in the area may be able to go this season is yet to be seen. But what we do know is that champions will be crowned on Saturday night and Bounce is here to tell you who he thinks hoists those trophies, who they beat to win the hardware and how they got there in the first place.
See a complete list of area Sectional games here
CLASS 1A HAMILTON SECTIONAL
Lakeland Christian is the only bonafide power in this field and one of two area teams in the field draw them first. It won’t be an easy outing for Lakewood Park, who lost to that team (Lakeland Christian) by 20 earlier this season. Lakewood Park has not won more than three games in a row this season, but their area competition isn’t bad at all, including a two-point loss to Eastside earlier this season. Senior Mason Posey has had a really strong year and leads three Panthers in double figure scoring averages while Mason Jolloff sits right outside the group with 8.1 points and seven rebounds per game.
Seth Martin (22.5 points per game) paces the 18-win Lakeland Christian team.
Another team to keep an eye on is Bethany Christian, who isn’t so shabby either at 12-10. Tyson Chupp and his 17.9 points per game is arguably the best player in this Sectional.
Those, to me, are the only three teams with a shot to win the whole thing and Bethany Christian has the easier road to a final game.
What I want to say about this Sectional is that I like that it is held at Hamilton. It is no surprise to anyone that the Marines have struggled in recent years and they go into the postseason at 0-17. But hosting a Sectional can hopefully drum up some excitement in and around Hamilton for basketball season now and into the future.
FINAL PREDICTION: Lakeland Christian beats Bethany Christian
CLASS 1A SOUTHWOOD SECTIONAL
I’m going to start and finish this preview with the same thing: nobody in this Sectional is better than Devon Lewis.
That said, a Lewis-led Canterbury will tip things off Tuesday against Southern Wells. And while both teams sit at six wins, these two are not the same. While the Raiders limped through a not so great overall ACAC, the Cavaliers have battled in four games each against the SAC, NE8 and NECC while coming oh so close to beating North Side, Bishop Luers, Central Noble, Northrop and Fremont. The average margin of those five losses: 2.8 points.
Lewis averages 17.6 points per game and Will Russell has chipped in 12.4 per game for the Cavaliers. After Southern Wells, they’d then be matched up with seven win Smith Academy in the semi final. Again, Canterbury doesn’t have a win advantage but we kind of have to ignore that because Canterbury has the 144th toughest strength of schedule in the state compared to Smith Academy’s 39th.
Southwood is probably the projected winner most places but they are also the only team with more than seven wins as they sit at 10-12 going into the postseason. They have a good balance in scoring with four guys in double figures, led by Nathan Lehner’s 15.7 points per game. Southwood should handle Northfield on Friday and set up an expected final opposite Canterbury.
Oh, and nobody in this Sectional is better than Devon Lewis.
FINAL PREDICTION: Canterbury beats Southwood
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