With the boys basketball postseason coming around quickly, Bounce is here to quick preview and discuss the area Sectionals, starting in Class 1A.
SECTIONAL AT SOUTHERN WELLS
Projected Winner: Canterbury
In an area full of tough to pick Sectionals, this one has to be close to a no brainer. The only hold is that Canterbury is still trying to find traction, in ways, since their roster grew with the addition of four transfers that weren’t eligible at the beginning of the season. Tucker Day (11.3 ppg) has the chance to really take over physically in a Class 1A sectional and, as I said about the Cavaliers’ Sectional last season, I don’t know that anyone in this Sectional is as good as Devon Lewis (15.5 ppg, 2.1 spg). Canterbury is 13-9 and the last time they had a record this good was in 2016 when they were 16-11 and went to the semi state round.
Canterbury’s major strength is their depth and that is where it kind of pays off that Day, Jackson Davis, John Parent and Colin Burda were not immediately available this season. Senior Ashton Dressler, junior Reed Hayes and sophomore Alden Greider can all be pivotal pieces along with those others. With 6 wins in their last 7 games, we have to consider that Canterbury’s peak could be here or near and that is very concerning for the other teams in this Sectional.
Player you can’t miss: Chandler Oswalt, Southern Wells
Sitting at 8-14, you may think Southern Wells is a non factor in the postseason but don’t think that a losing overall record means much. The Raiders have 11 titles in the 2000s, most recently 2018 when they were 8-14 before winning three postseason games and a Sectional title. So if you are paying attention to the host team, you should be paying attention to Oswalt. The senior leads the Raiders at 13.1 points per game and also chips in with 3.2 rebounds per contest. He has scored well against quality opponents like 26 against Bellmont and 21 opposite Woodlan. If Oswalt gets going, Southern Wells could find some success at home
Don’t be surprised if: Southwood goes back-to-back
The Knights are 7-15, but have a 17 point win over first round opponent Southern Wells. Is this the best team in the Sectional? No. May not even be the second best, but they know how to win. They played in a tough Three Rivers Conference, but it certainly sharpened them for the postseason. 6-foot-5 sophomore Bryce Wilcox didn’t factor in a lot with last season’s Sectional championship team but he has exploded this season with 15.7 points as one of three Southwood players in double digit scoring on average. Joining him are Will Winer (13 ppg) and Maddox Marshall (11.3 ppg, 2.7 spg). It is a tough draw to get the home team and potentially Canterbury, but don’t be shocked if Southwood is more game that their current record shows,
SCHEDULE
SOUTHERN WELLS SECTIONAL
Tuesday
Southwood vs. Southern Wells, 6 p.m.
Friday
Smith Academy vs. Northfield, 6 p.m.
Canterbury vs. Southwood/Southern Wells winner, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday
Championship, 7 p.m.
SECTIONAL AT BETHANY CHRISTIAN
Projected Winner: Bethany Christian
If there was one specific reason, it is senior Tyson Chupp. Averaging 18.5 points per game, Chupp is by far the best scorer and best player in this Sectional and that is not to knock anyone else. Chupp is just a high level player for Class 1A and also averages 4.8 points and 4.3 assists per game. Bethany Christian is one of just two teams in this Sectional with a winning record but they do have a recent four point overtime win over Elkhart Christian, who just happens to be their first round opponent. If the Bruins can play steady and get some more scoring help for Chupp, they could be in really great shape. Second leading scorer Carter Miller averages just 6.7 points per game, but in the postseason they have several guys who could get hot shooting the ball.
Player you can’t miss: Nick Wadman, Lakewood Park
Wadman draws the interest here because of how the senior finished off the regular season with a career high 18 points and a program record for three pointers made in a game last week. Lakewood Park has showcased at times a depth in some scoring and they aren’t small at all, so one of the knocks on them has been their ability to consistently knock down threes at a time where that is such a big stat. Wadman showed a nice stroke with the basketball last week and he could be an important piece for Lakewood Park, because…
Don’t be surprised if: Lakewood Park pulls this one out
The Panthers luck out in the fact that probably the two favorites in this have to play each other on Tuesday and then a second game Friday while Lakewood Park pulls a fiesty, but not too deep Hamilton team in the semi final. Lakewood Park can space the floor well against these teams because of their height, coming from Mason Jolloff (15.4 ppg, 8.5 rpg) at 6-foot-7 and Avery MacFarlane at 6-foot-4 (12 ppg, 8.4 rpg). Having that kind of height at this point is a major strength especially when you know Lakewood Park has tested themselves against some really solid teams outside of 1A, even in losing efforts. Junior Rentaro Kondo is averaging seven points per game but has shown that he can score at a high level too with 24 points earlier this season in a win over Montpelier.
SCHEDULE
BETHANY CHRISTIAN SECTIONAL
Tuesday
Bethany Christian vs. Elkhart Christian, 6 p.m.
Friday
Hamilton vs. Lakewood Park, 6 p.m.
Lakeland Christian Academy vs. Bethany Christian/Elkhart Christian winner, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday
Championship, 7:30 p.m.
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