Here are the three biggest storylines heading into tonight’s sectional semifinal games:
Columbia City and its pursuit of its first sectional since 2000
The Eagles are hosts in Class 4A Sectional 6 as they take on Huntington North tonight at 6 p.m. On Tuesday, Columbia City (21-2) cruised to a 68-38 win over the Wayne Generals (8-15) led by Kyndra Sheets’ 23 points and seven triples.
“We had many kids making the extra pass for a good shot and we limited our team turnovers to around six, I believe,” said Shearer about the Wayne victory. “Kyndra (Sheets) was warm, so the kids kept feeding her the ball. I was also happy that our kids coming off the bench, who are very important to our team, got some good minutes in a sectional atmosphere.”
Shearer said her team has been battle tested all season long, and she is hoping that their diversity and strength of schedule will result in success in this year’s sectional.
Huntington North is the challenger that separates Columbia City from another likely showdown with Homestead in the sectional final. While the Vikings have been tested with injuries all season long, Coach Matt Hinds’ teams always seem to be at their best in the postseason, and the Eagles expect that to be the same tonight.
Columbia City won the regular season meeting 66-48, but Shearer calls Marissa Trout one of the best players in the NE8 and their role players bring something different each game.
“They play fundamental team basketball and try to slow down the game and run time off the clock and try to get a clean shot typically for Trout,” said Shearer about the Vikings. “We will need to play solid defense and not give them easy looks at the basket, as well as rebound and not give them second chance opportunities.”
Homestead will face two-win New Haven in the second game of the doubleheader. The Spartans dominated South Side with a 82-24 win earlier this week, led by 28 points from Gabby Helsom. Homestead is in pursuit of its sixth straight sectional title despite having to play the last stretch of the season without Emma Reust.
Shearer and the team are excited to be playing in front of their hometown fans, stating that the kids have “poured their hearts into this season.”
“Win or lose, no one will be able to say that they didn’t give everything they had to earn a sectional championship,” said Shearer. “They know what is at stake, and they know they will need to execute.”
Can Jay County get past Hamilton Heights?
Assuming they win tonight against a .500 Delta team, Jay County will have the opportunity on Saturday to win its first sectional since 2006. It hasn’t been for a lack of trying as the Patriots have had multiple winning seasons and have played in multiple sectional title games over that span.
Jay County (21-2) began the season with questions on whether an Allen County Athletic Conference four-peat was even possible after the graduation of a strong senior class led by ACAC scoring queen Renna Schwieterman, as well as Gabi Bilbrey. It is still a veteran team, but at the time there were a lot of questions that Coach Sherri McIntire’s team had to answer.
The response has been emphatic. Jay County has won its last 19 games and dominated on the way to that league four-peat. Led by the balanced scoring trio of seniors Molly Muhlenkamp and Sophie Saxman and freshman Hallie Schwieterman, the Patriots found a way earlier this week to survive and advance with a 56-48 win over host Yorktown in a rematch from their regular season meeting in December.
A solid Delta squad out of Muncie stands in the way of a fourth-straight meeting with Hamilton Heights, a team that the Patriots have never beaten.
Hamilton Heights is led by Miss Indiana Basketball candidate Camryn Runner, who is averaging over 27 points per game and has received a Division I scholarship offer to play collegiately at Evansville. A bid to the finals is not a sure bet as Frankton (17-7), led by Grace College commit Emma Sperry, is a good opponent for the Huskies in the semis.
Bishop Luers looking to play add-on after football state title
Thanksgiving saw Bishop Luers win a football state championship in Class 2A. The excitement at the school has transcended into hoops where both the boys and girls’ teams have embarked on amazing seasons.
For the Lady Knights (14-6), Coach Mark Pixley and his team have experienced a great season and have learned a lot over the past several months.
“What the season has taught us is I have a team that can make adjustments on the fly on defense and offense, which goes to the depth we have on our bench,” said Pixley. “But throughout the season, we have seen many different defenses and strategies to try and stop us, so I believe we will be ready for anything due to the tough schedule we have played.”
Bishop Luers’ tough schedule has seen it play against a variety of teams that the SAC doesn’t always have: Class 2A competition, teams with grit and teams with contrasting styles. Bluffton (17-6) is no different under Coach Doug Curtis as the Tigers are physical and have talent to beat anyone, especially with their defense. Pixley has high praise for Curtis, who has a track record of success at several past stints at Angola, DeKalb, Northrop and Adams Central.
The key matchup for Luers with its two dynamic bigs: Huntington University commit senior Addie Shank and sophomore Miley Wareing. Pixley calls the two forwards “walking double-doubles” and when they are allowed to play off of each other, they are almost unstoppable. He also cites their importance on defense being a game changer.
The Knights will come in as sectional favorites, but that’s not what Pixley sees tonight or in this sectional. He expects the Bluffton game to be a “great basketball game and a dog fight” as he loves watching Bluffton play because of its cohesion, the commitment to sharing the basketball, playing for each other, and grit. Rebounding and turnovers are two huge keys tonight.
Luers has not repeated as sectional champions since 2013, a bit of a drought for a program that has won six state championships. Pixley said with the rich Bishop Luers’ history and high expectations, having success in the playoffs has been pivotal and the Knights expect to strive for excellence once again in hopes to get back to regionals.
“We talk a lot about what it means to wear that Luers jersey and getting a little taste of that last season has feuled this team to get back to that point again,” said Pixley.
This sectional has a variety of talent with Bluffton, but also an 18-win Whitko team that won just its second-ever conference title with a co-Three Rivers Conference crown and six kids that can score the basketball with confidence, led by 1,000-point scorer Kloe Krieg. Coach Justin Jordan’s Lady Wildcats play sectional host South Adams (7-15) and the school’s new all-time scoring leader Macy Pries, in the 7:30 p.m. game. Whitko has never won this sectional.
Post sectional – Using 2a Blackford as the comp catalyst… Blackford vs. Eastbrook, which is pretty equal… Lapel vs Blackford ended 35 to 33… Lapel vs. Eastbrook is going to be a very good game. Luers played up all season, and the loss to HN had a healthy Gracie Fields. Luers is really good… Best 3a schools Hamilton Heights and Norwell. Hamilton Heights defense will give Norwell shooters fits… Hamilton Heights and Norwell are as good as most top 5 4a teams… 4a is intense! Snider probably has the most athletic teams I have seen, but Lawrence Central smoked Noblesville, Bedford North Lawrence, and Northrop with Fort Wayne Snider game being one of the most competitive games… On a side note, take a look at 2a Blackford schedule, and the sectional championship game vs Eastbrook and a tight loss to Lapel… This team was extremely underrated and deserves high recognition.