With girls basketball postseason coming around quickly, Bounce is here to quick preview and discuss the area Sectionals, continuing in Class 3A.
SECTIONAL 20 AT TIPPECANOE VALLEY
Projected winner: Columbia City
Columbia City enters the Sectional as the clear favorite because of its balance, experience, and semi star power, led by Torah Holler and Anisa Tonkel. Holler’s ability to control the game on both ends of the floor—scoring at all three levels while defending the opposition’s top perimeter threat—gives the Eagles a steady, confident presence in high-pressure moments. Tonkel complements that perfectly with her physicality, rebounding, and scoring. Together, they anchor a disciplined, well-coached Columbia City Eagles squad that understands its roles, executes defensively, and has already proven it can close out games.
Player You Can’t Miss: Madison Jones, Fairfield
Jones has emerged as one of the Northeast Corner Conference’s most dynamic players this season and a true player to watch in the postseason. She’s been recognized multiple times as a Player or Performer of the Week — showing her ability to take over scoring when her team needs it most. Her performances have consistently drawn attention, reflecting her impact on both ends of the floor and marking her as a key difference-maker for Fairfield deep into the postseason. Jones’ shot has always been a center of her game, but throughout this season she has become a more dynamic player.
Don’t be surprised if: West Noble fights in the opening round
West Noble basketball has had some struggles in recent seasons, coming off some really good ones. But the Chargers aren’t the same ol, same ol this season. They are 7-14 and have lost their last five, but take those five out and you have a team who was 7-9 for a reason. A win over Lakeland, a tight overtime loss to Sectional foe NorthWood…these are great things to build on. Beating Columbia City on opening night is going to be hard but that doesn’t mean the Chargers don’t have any fight.
SCHEDULE
Tuesday
Columbia City (14-7) vs. West Noble (7-12), 6 p.m.
Wawasee (7-12) vs. Fairfield (14-6), 7:30 p.m.
Friday
Tippecanoe Valley (15-5) vs. Columbia City/West Noble winner, 6 p.m.
Northwood (9-12) vs. Wawasee/Fairfield winner, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday
Championship, 7:30 p.m.
SECTIONAL 21 AT EAST NOBLE
Projected winner: East Noble
East Noble has positioned itself as a sectional favorite this postseason with a deep roster and momentum from recent wins — all made even more potent by the fact that they are the defending sectional champions and will host this year’s sectional in Kendallville. The Knights have shown they can close out tight games and handle pressure situations with poise. Last season they captured the Class 3A sectional title, proving they know how to win in this environment and giving them invaluable experience returning to postseason play.
The East Noble roster is deep and diverse with players who are among the best in the history of the program. That starts with four players averaging 9.7 points or more and the fact that scoring for the Knights can come from almost anywhere. Averi Amstutz’s 13.7 points leads the way, led in bigger scoring by Rian David, Addison Deming and Elli Will.
Player You Can’t Miss: Sarah DePew, Garrett
DePew has been one of the most productive and versatile players for Garrett in recent years and is definitely a player to watch in sectional play. As a senior, she’s been a team leader in multiple categories, averaging about 13.8 points and 8.5 rebounds per game while also contributing around 2 assists and 2.2 steals per contest, an all-around impact on both ends of the floor. Her ability to put up big numbers — like her 25-point, 7-rebound, 5-steal performance in a recent win — highlights just how dangerous she can be when she’s locked in. Her experience, physicality, and knack for making plays make her a matchup problem that opposing defenses will need to account for.
Player You Can’t Miss: Alivia Bolinger, Concordia Lutheran
Recently becoming the leader in single game scoring and three pointers made for the Cadets, Bolinger has been a standout senior for the Cadets. The 6’1″ wing has been the team’s primary scorer all year, consistently putting up big point totals and doing a bit of everything — from rebounding and defending to creating for others — that Concordia needs to stay competitive. Bolinger’s leadership and production have helped anchor Concordia’s offense, and she recently surpassed 1,000 career points, a major milestone reflecting her sustained excellence over her high-school career.
Don’t be surprised if: Angola shines and upsets the host defending champs
Angola have quietly built a competitive season, blending emerging talents with clutch performances that have kept them in the Sectional conversation against the host team in round one. One of the biggest reasons Angola has stayed competitive is sophomore transfter guard Kendall VanderWal, who has shown she can take over games and fill up the stat sheet against tough opponents. VanderWal has been a go-to scoring threat and floor leader, consistently pushing the tempo and attacking the rim while also showcasing her shooting ability from the perimeter. She has had multiple showings that underscored her scoring versatility and impact on both ends of the floor. Her presence gives Angola a foundation to build around this week.
SCHEDULE
Tuesday
Bishop Dwenger (8-12) vs. DeKalb (8-11), 7 p.m.
Wednesday
Garrett (11-9) vs. Leo (15-5), 6 p.m.
East Noble (16-4) vs. Angola (15-6), 7:30 p.m.
Friday
Concordia Lutheran (4-15) vs. Bishop Dwenger/DeKalb winner, 6 p.m.
Garrett/Leo winner vs. East Noble/Angola winner, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday
Championship, 7:30 p.m.
SECTIONAL 22 AT MISSISSINEWA
Projected winner: Bellmont
Bellmont has risen into one of the area’s most efficient and dangerous 3A squads, posting a strong 19-3 regular-season mark and locking down wins with a suffocating defense and balanced scoring. Behind sophomore standout Marianne Bleke, the Braves have surged over the last 10 or so days of the regular season; Bleke posted a 21-point double-double in a big road victory at Angola, finishing 6-for-13 from the field and showcasing her ability to score inside and from the line while anchoring Bellmont’s frontcourt. Her consistent impact — alongside contributions from teammates like Ashley Bleke, Kaitlyn Barton, and Oni Krueckeberg — has helped Bellmont play with confidence and continuity as the postseason nears
Player You Can’t Miss: A’lanah Webb, New Haven
Webb has been a standout and one of the few bright spots for New Haven this season, and she deserves recognition as a truly elite player despite her team’s struggles. Webb is leading New Haven in nearly every major statistical category, averaging around 19.5 points, nearly 6 rebounds, and almost 3 steals per game — numbers that put her well above her teammates and on the radar across the region. Even in lopsided losses, she’s shown an ability to take over a game; in one recent matchup she scored 31 points and grabbed 8 rebounds while accounting for over 70 % of her team’s scoring, underscoring how central she is to New Haven’s offense. Perhaps most impressively, Webb has etched her name into the program’s history by becoming New Haven’s all-time leading girls basketball scorer, a testament to her consistent excellence over her career. One of the unfortunate parts of when a team struggles so much is that high-level individual performances like Webb’s can be overlooked — but season after season she has been one of the best players in the history of New Haven basketball.
Don’t be surprised if: The Braves don’t break a sweat
A big reason Bellmont has become a team to respect this season is the culture that head coach Andy Heim has built over the last decade. When Heim took over the program, Bellmont was often an afterthought in Northeast Indiana girls basketball, but his emphasis on intensity, teamwork, and disciplined defense has turned the Braves into a perennial contender with an identity that opponents must prepare for every night. Consistently strong league performances and regular winning records reflect how he’s transformed Bellmont into one of the area’s most well-oiled machines, blending experienced leaders with emerging young talent and high energy on both ends of the floor.
SCHEDULE
Tuesday
New Haven (2-18) vs. Marion (11-11), 7 p.m.
Friday
Mississinewa (4-15) vs. Heritage (6-12), 6 p.m.
Bellmont (17-2) vs. New Haven/Marion, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday
Championship, 7:30 p.m.
SECTIONAL 24 AT YORKTOWN
Projected winner: Connersville
Connersville has enjoyed a strong 2025–26 season, putting together some impressive wins against a range of opponents. Connersville has shown offensive firepower throughout the year, scoring 55 or more points in several games and maintaining momentum with a multi-game winning streak at different points in the season. They cruised to lopsided victories — including a dominant 62-11 win over Muncie Central and a 58-13 rout of Rushville — and have won eight games by 21 points or more.
Lead contributors like Kendyl Bottomley (11.7 ppg), who had a 19-point night with five rebounds and five steals in a blowout win, and Serenity Pennington (12.8 ppg), just show how the Spartans are getting strong individual performances within a cohesive unit, and Connersville’s ability to share the ball — evidenced by their team posting double-digit assists on average — has been a big factor in their success.
Player You Can’t Miss:
Hallie Schwieterman has been the engine of the Jay County Patriots offense this season, emerging as one of the area’s most productive and dynamic players. She’s led the team in scoring averaging 19.8 points per game — tops on the roster — while also contributing 2.5 assists and nearly 3 steals per game, showing her all-around impact on both ends of the floor. Schwieterman’s scoring isn’t just volume — she’s one of the area’s most frequent threats from three, knocking down 36 three-pointers this season, and she’s also a reliable playmaker who creates chances for teammates. Beyond the box score, her leadership and consistency have been key as Jay County has built a competitive campaign.
Don’t be surprised if: Jay County does championship things…again
Blending efficient scoring and home-court strength to build a competitive resume ahead of postseason play, Jay County is still very much a championship level team. The Patriots were particularly dominant at home, including lopsided wins like 76-21 over Heritage and 77-28 against Southern Wells, and they’ve strung together winning streaks that reflect their scoring balance and defensive effort. Jay County’s roster features key contributors like above mentioned Hallie Schwieterman, who scored 23 points in the Heritage rout — her fourth straight game with at least 15 points — and the team’s mix of experience and youth has helped shape a season marked by resilience and growth. The youth proves to be exciting, headed by freshman Karsyn Schwieterman, who’s 18.7 points only trails Hallie’s 19.8 points per game.
SCHEDULE
Tuesday
Jay County (14-7) vs. New Castle (13-7), 6 p.m.
Hamilton Heights (14-6) vs. Connersville (15-6), 7:30 p.m.
Friday
Delta (15-7) vs. Jay County/New Castle winner, 6 p.m.
Yorktown (9-10) vs. Hamilton Heights/Connersville winner, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday
Championship, 7:30 p.m.
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