With girls basketball postseason coming around quickly, Bounce is here to quick preview and discuss the area Sectionals, finishing in Class 4A.
NORTHRIDGE SECTIONAL
Projected Winner: Northridge
Warsaw beat Northridge during the regular season, 65-52, and that is something we shouldn’t ignore. And the Raiders have lost 2 of their 5 in a season where they ran their record to 21-3.
Is all of that out of the way now? Smashed between losses to Homestead and Warsaw, Northridge won 17 straight games, one of the best winning streaks in the entire state this season. Warsaw fans, I am sure, will be up in arms by this pick, but something feels like Northridge is going to come out as strong as they can be for this game in front of their home crowd.
They aren’t a top heavy team, but all of their top seven average at least 5.5 points per game and they are still the 20th best offense in the state and are also 20th in the state in average margin of victory. Led by a 14.9 steal per game effort, the defense is something that can really change games for the Raiders versus a solidly capable offense. Both Rielyn Goodwin (3.4 spg) and Morgan Cross (3) are tremendous defenders on ball and away from it and their movement and defensive prowess will be important this week against very strong shooters across this Sectional.
Player you can’t miss: Brooke Winchester, Warsaw
Winchester is part of a three headed monster, averaging a team third best 15.1 points per game. Yeah, that is the best scoring average on almost any other team and it is third for the Tigers. Winchester too averages nine rebounds, 2.3 assists and a pair of steals per game.
She is one of the area’s most multi-dimensional talents on both ends of the floor. While Warsaw can get really hot all around, Winchester is one to watch closely as a fan. Joslyn Bricker came into the season with the most hype of the Warsaw players and Brooke Zartman has been a sniper, but that is what makes Winchester a crazy threat. Its not that nobody is paying attention to her, its that you have to keep your head on a swivel at all times against Warsaw and Winchester is so good at making you pay when you turn your head away from her for a split second.
Don’t be surprised if: The title is determined Tuesday night
If it wasn’t clear above, my focus is really only on Tuesday here. Penn is a 16 win team, Elkhart can be dangerous, Goshen has some intrigue but Warsaw and Northridge are hands down the two best teams in this bracket and we will get to see them go at it Tuesday night. Is that good? Is that bad? Everyone has their opinion but it is very likely that the winner of this bracket comes from the very first game at 6 p.m. on the opening night of the Sectional.
According to John Harrell, ya know the foremost expert when it comes to numbers, these two teams have a combined 71.61 likelihood of one of them winning the Sectional title and its not a lie.
As mentioned, Warsaw did beat Northridge in the regular season.
SCHEDULE
Tuesday, Jan. 30
Warsaw vs. Northridge, 6 p.m.
Concord vs. Penn, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 2
Elkhart vs. Warsaw/Northridge, 6 p.m.
Goshen vs. Concord/Penn, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 3
Championship
CARROLL SECTIONAL
Projected winner: Snider
There is no more complete team in the area than the SAC champion Panthers. With a Miss Basketball candidate leading the way the drop off is never harsh in this Panther lineup and it is why they end the season as arguably the best team in the area and maybe the north half of the state.
Lets look at Snider 1-6, shall we?
Jordyn Poole is unstoppable when she gets going, averaging 17.2 points and is one of the most crafty players we have seen in recent seasons anywhere around here. Ciara Sims has always been solid in roles for the Panthers but has had a breakout senior season, averaging 14.2 points per game. Johnea Donahue hasn’t scored as much this season basically because she hasn’t had to but her 5.1 steals per game is an astronomical number and its why she’s likely the areas best defensive player. Tia Phinezy’s return to the lineup gave Snider such an important rim protector in the high octane SAC. Zyann Phinzey has been a high percentage scorer as she etched out a spot for herself. Kyra Parker has become an ultimate Swiss army knife that can do a bit of everything Snider needs when they need it.
Behind those six, Saniah Sandlin, Brie Barnes and Samantha Baughman have all appeared in all 21 games. To be able to say you are essentially nine deep is a testament to this program and also to the fact their starters can overpower teams so much that Snider can get players into key roles that they need to grow for the future of the program. So, in short, Snider is pretty good.
Player you can’t miss: Ashley Cox, DeKalb
Here is the one apology: Bounce had Ashley Cox ranked too low in the preseason.
She has had a really good season and her scoring has helped pushed DeKalb to a solid 14-7 record while people still aren’t really paying attention to their ability to try and play spoiler this week. Cox is undeniably one of the best scorers in this Sectional.
Cox has an incredible first burst move to the basket that frees her up and creates space for teammates. She is tenacious as a high end rebounding guard and had a 24/20 game earlier this season.
Don’t be surprised if: Carroll looks to play the spoiler role
Speaking of playing spoiler, should we be more focused on the host team?
Carroll coach Mark Redding has won 371 games in his career, among them 10 Sectional titles. So with Carroll at 7-14 and a team we’ve considered to have underachieved a bit this season, do we look at the micro sample or do we look at the bigger picture.
Carroll is still very much among the top programs in the area and even last season when they were down a bit they found their way back to the Sectional finals. They should be the favorite to get back there this season on their side of the bracket. East Noble has had a good season and own an early season four point win over Carroll but early non conference and postseason are so vastly different. If Carroll can win Tuesday, it is likely they punch their ticket to the finals against North Side, a team they just beat by 44.
Once they are in the finals, nothing will be easy. But what if?
SCHEDULE
Tuesday, Jan. 30
East Noble vs. Carroll, 6 p.m.
Northrop vs. Snider, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 2
North Side vs. East Noble/Carroll, 6 p.m.
DeKalb vs. Northrop/Snider, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 3
Championship
COLUMBIA CITY SECTIONAL
Projected winner: Columbia City
The favorite to win the Class 4A state title right now according to John Harrell’s rankings. The Eagles have done almost everything right this season. They struggled during a couple of important stretches in a shocking 10-point overtime loss to Bishop Luers and they battled as we knew they would in a one point loss to Norwell that kept them out of the NE8 title.
That, and last year’s loss to Homestead in the opening night of Sectional play, places a lot of chips on Columbia City’s shoulders. They look much more efficient and ready to handle those chips this season. They have finished each of the last two seasons with 20 wins, which they sit at currently as well. It shouldn’t be hard to break 20, but this Eagle team has their eyes on 25 or more and their first Sectional crown since the year 2000.
Being at home with the crowd that Whitley County has shown capable of putting in that gym isn’t a bad thing either. If things go according to expectations, that crowd could come in very handy come Saturday night.
Player you can’t miss: Sydney Gorman, Wayne
Tuesday night is likely your only chance this week to see Gorman unless there is a major upset for her and the Wayne Generals opposite one of the state’s best Class 4A teams.
A senior, Gorman is averaging 9.2 points per game but has really had a special career for Wayne as she has been a major part in that program going from the bottom of the SAC to a team that can consistently give most in the SAC a hard time. Wayne may not be a conference juggernaut but Gorman has helped them become someone to talk about over the 88 games she has played for them the last four years.
Over those 88 games, she has hit 224 three pointers (2.5 per game) and even this season had nine games where she has put in four or more triples.
Don’t be surprised if: Saturday night produces the game of the year…again
Who is more hungry than two of the top 3-4 teams in the area, neither which was able to secure a conference title this season?
Remember last year when Columbia City and Homestead got together at Huntington North? It was one of the most epic games in recent memory for the northern half of the state and of course, with raised stakes of a postseason game, it was one that will live in lore for a long time.
Rematch on Saturday night?
Last season, the game was so seesaw and Myah Epps dropped a trio of free throws with 0.5 left in regulation to give Homestead a 46-45 win over Columbia City on Sectional Tuesday. It was a great game and as I wrote back then, everything right with high school Sectional basketball. If we get it again this year but in the title game, it could be better even. The battles of Addison Baxter/Kyndra Sheets versus Epps/Gabby Helsom, on paper, could be the best of the year.
SCHEDULE
Tuesday, Jan. 30
Wayne vs. Columbia City, 6 p.m.
Homestead vs. South Side, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 2
Huntington North vs. Wayne/Columbia City, 6 p.m.
New Haven vs. Homestead/South Side, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 3
Championship
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