With boys basketball postseason coming around quickly, Bounce is here to quickly preview and discuss the area Sectionals, now in Class 1A.
SECTIONAL 52 AT BETHANY CHRISTIAN
Projected winner: Canterbury
While Canterbury did fall to potential sectional foe Bethany Christian in late January, Bounce feels that the Cavaliers are the favorite. The draw was very friendly, with Hamilton and Fremont, a pair of teams with a combined six victories, all that stands between Coach Deric Adams’ team and a berth in the sectional title game.
Meanwhile, Bethany Christian will need to find a way to beat Lakewood Park Christian in the semis, a team that beat the Bruins during their four-game losing streak in mid-February.
Even with a handful of underclassmen leading the way offensively, Canterbury has what it takes to advance out of this field.
Player You Can’t Miss: Avery MacFarlane, Lakewood Park Christian
A double-double machine over the last three years for the Panthers, MacFarlane will enter the playoffs in his final go-around at the prep level. The 6-foot-4 senior portrays immense versatility on both ends of the floor. He is shooting over 50 percent from inside the arc and is averaging 19 points and 11.6 rebounds a game. He is also one of the team’s leading assist men.
MacFarlane set the program record for rebounds in a game with 23 against Elkhart Christian on Feb. 7. He followed that up with a 19-point, 20-rebound effort against Churubusco three days later. He would like nothing more than to help the team win its second-consecutive sectional championship.
Don’t be surprised if: We have a rematch in the finals
Last year at host Fremont, Lakewood Park captured its first sectional title since 2017 and only its second in program history with a 36-35 victory over Canterbury. The victory avenged a regular-season loss to the Cavaliers.
Once again, Lakewood Park has a manageable path to the finals, where it would likely need to beat Canterbury for its second-consecutive sectional title.
It could happen, and it may be as close as last season’s one-point thriller.
SCHEDULE
Tuesday
Canterbury (11-11) vs. Hamilton (2-20), 7 p.m.
Wednesday
Lakewood Park Christian (12-10) vs. Smith Academy (3-19), 6 p.m.
Bethany Christian (10-12) vs. Lakeland Christian (6-16), 7:30 p.m.
Friday
Fremont (4-16) vs. Canterbury/Hamilton, 6 p.m.
Lakewood Park Christian/Smith Academy vs. Bethany Christian/Lakeland Christian, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday
Championship, 7 p.m.
SECTIONAL 55 AT WES-DEL
Projected winner: Southwood
Let’s not overthink this here. There are just two teams with winning records in this field, and Southwood beat the other one, North Miami, by 13 points in early February.
This Knights team is arguably the program’s best since the 2017-18 season that saw the team win 25 games and advance to the state finals. And yes, current coach Christian Perry led Southwood to a state appearance in 2023, but that felt like a big surprise after they entered the playoffs with a 10-12 record.
This is a senior-laden team that has not lost to a Class 1A team all season long.
Player You Can’t Miss: Bryce Wilcox, Southwood
The best player on the sectional’s best team. The 6-foot-7 Wilcox fills the bucket at 21.4 points per game and is extremely tough to block out from the boards. He is also an effective shot blocker at 2.5 per game, but also disrupts many more shots merely because of his presence.
Wilcox is shooting 56 percent from the field and has been held in single digits just once this season. He has also rarely left the floor over the last three years, averaging 28 or more minutes per game in each campaign.
Don’t be surprised if: Southwood rolls
On paper, no one can match up with the Knights. Yes, North Miami battled and lost by 13 points at home on Feb. 7, but Southwood scored a season-high 80 points in that contest. So it wasn’t the Warriors slowing down the offense of Coach Christian Perry, far from it.
Southwood and North Miami are on opposite ends of the bracket and won’t meet up until Saturday’s final. In the meantime, Southwood gets six-win Cowan to open sectional play, then the winner of three-win Daleville and Wes-Del (6-15) in the semis.
It is tough seeing anyone other than the Knights capturing the hardware on Saturday night.
SCHEDULE
Tuesday
Southern Wells (4-16) vs. North Miami (13-8), 6 p.m.
Tri-Central (7-15) vs. Northfield (3-18), 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday
Daleville (3-17) vs. Wes-Del (6-15), 6 p.m.
Southwood (18-3) vs. Cowan (6-14), 7:30 p.m.
Friday
Southern Wells/North Miami vs. Tri-Central/Northfield, 6 p.m.
Daleville/Wes-Del vs. Southwood/Cowan, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday
Championship, 7 p.m.
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