It’s the most important time of the year. After fourteen long weeks of exciting Indiana high school basketball, it is time for the state tournament. It is an exciting time every year when massive favorites get upset and great underdogs can make a deep run into the tournament. I present to you my final rankings of the season along with my final statements about each team if anything important needs to be said. Also included are my sectional picks for every single sectional in the state along with a sleeper pick in each sectional.
Class 4A
Bloomington South (23-0) (-)
Finishing off the season strong and remaining undefeated keeps the Panthers at number one in my final rankings.
Lawrence Central (22-2) (-)
The bears are every bit as good as the two teams above them despite losing to Lawrence North twice many still have them ranked higher like Jeff Sagarin and John Harrell.
Lawrence North (22-2) (-1)
Ending off the season with a loss against Hamilton Southeastern, I had to move Lawrence North down a spot for a home loss against an inferior team. They are still a tough out in the tournament.
Culver Academy (16-4) (+3)
Easily the second hottest team in the state right now, behind HSE, rolling over teams including wins against Crispus Attucks and Cathedral. The Eagles are taking a lot of momentum into the state tournament.
Hamilton Southeastern (17-5) (NR)
HSE has been in a rhythm lately gathering big wins over Zionsville, Brownsburg, Carmel, Homestead, and Lawrence North. The royals are looking really tough to stop going into sectionals.
Munster (21-1) (+3)
The mustangs finish off the season in the midst of a 19 game winning streak with a lot of momentum going into sectionals.
Brownsburg (18-4) (-1)
Finishing off the season 18-4 the Bulldogs look to cap off their impressive season with a deep tournament run. The explosive guard Pierce Thomas has dealt with a sore hamstring recently sitting out during their loss to Hamilton Southeastern, but more recently playing against Center Grove.
Chesterton (21-2) (+3)
The Trojans finish an impressive two loss season off by going on a four game win streak heading into sectionals.
Lafayette Jeff (21-4) (-4)
I had to penalize them a little bit for losing their second to last game of the season, but the Bronchos have still looked very impressive throughout the season.
South Bend Adams (20-3) (-1)
The eagles are taking the momentum of a 5 game winning streak heading into the tournament.
Dropped Out: Indianapolis Attucks
Class 3A
Silver Creek (22-2) (-)
They have been the best squad all year in 3A so it’s fitting that they remain there at the end of the season.
Heritage Hills (20-3) (-)
The Patriots haven’t lost since December and have a lot of momentum going into the tournament.
Greensburg (21-2) (+2)
Greensburg was able to take care of business at the end of the season unlike Danville and Norwell so they jumped up to third.
Norwell (20-2) (-)
Ending the season on a bad note with a loss to Homestead, Norwell looks to regain their composure heading into the tournament.
Mishawaka Marian (18-4) (-)
The Knights are on a roll at the right time. After a 1-2 start the Knights have only lost two games to a very good Culver Academy and Hamilton Southeastern teams.
Delta (18-4) (+2)
Delta is playing their best basketball, and at the right time too as they head into the tournament on a seven game win streak.
Danville (19-4) (-4)
Danville is on a skid to end the season after losing each of their last two games. They look to right the ship in sectionals and get back to winning.
South Bend St. Joseph (17-5) (+2)
The Indians have struggled at times throughout the season but have a little bit of momentum heading into sectionals on a five game win streak. I expect this team to make a decent run in the tournament.
Sullivan (21-3) (-)
Sullivan has had an impressive season with only three losses but hasn’t garnered too much respect. They have a few good wins and only three losses so they deserve this spot in my rankings.
Evansville Bosse (17-6) (NR)
Evansville Bosse returns to my top ten after they went on a stretch of wins including one over Sullivan and they look to build on this momentum and make it to regionals.
Dropped Out: Hammond
Class 2A
Linton-Stockton (22-2) (-)
After dropping back to back games in the middle of the season the Miners have now won 14 straight and are my number one team in 2A going into the tournament.
FW Blackhawk Christian (20-3) (-)
It is hard to ignore what this team is capable of but picking up that third loss is what has them at two for me instead of one. It is worth mentioning that all three of their losses are against good teams in SIlver Creek, Homestead, and Crispus Attucks.
Shenandoah (20-2) (-)
The Raiders have been one of my top teams all season long and have proved why they belong only losing two games all season and blowing out many other teams.
South Decatur (21-2) (-)
I like what this Cougars squad has accomplished, and while I don’t see any wins on their schedule that really stand out to me they have beaten a lot of teams so they deserve a lot of credit for beating the teams on their schedule.
Westview (20-3) (-)
The Warriors started out the season with two losses in their first three games, but since then have looked very impressive. Their rematch against Prairie Heights, who won the first match in overtime, should be an exciting game to watch on Tuesday.
Dropped Out: None
Class A
Gary 21st Century (20-3) (-)
Having the Cougars ranked above Barr-Reeve might be a little controversial of an opinion, but to be frank I believe that Gary 21st Century has more good wins and only two more losses on a tougher schedule.
Barr-Reeve (22-1) (+1)
Barr-Reeve is a really good team but that close game against North Daviess and loss to Loogootee in the middle of the season are what worries me about this team. They do however have a very good win against my number one 2A school in Linton-Stockton.
Greenwood Christian (22-1) (-1)
Greenwood Christian is hungrier than ever after losing their last game of the season going into sectionals. The weight of being undefeated has been lifted from the Cougars so their sole focus is on winning the title.
Kouts (21-2) (-)
The Mustangs have two losses on the season and one of them is to Gary 21st Century. Their season has been nothing short of impressive and they should be able to go somewhere in the state tournament.
Lafayette Central Catholic (19-4) (-)
LCC has fluctuated with their ranking throughout the year but settled in at the fifth spot in my rankings. The Knights have had a very good season and could make a big splash in the tournament.
Dropped Out: None
Sectional Predictions
Moving on from my final power rankings to the sectionals predictions section of the article.
Class 4A
Sectional 1: East Chicago Central
Teams: East Chicago Central, Gary West Side, Hammond Morton, Highland, Lake Central, Merrillville, Munster
My pick: Munster
Munster has been really good all season long losing only one game on the year, they have been clearly the best team from this sectional which makes this one a rather easy decision for me.
Sleeper pick: Gary West Side
While Munster is the clear favorite, if anyone could beat them it would be Gary West Side lead by 6’8 sophomore Jalen Washington. It normally takes a star player to make a deep run in a tournament and Gary West SIde has a star in Jalen Washington.
Easiest path: Munster
Fitting that the best team gets the easiest path, but that’s not always the case as you will see later. Being the only team in the sectional to get a bye makes their path significantly easier than anyone else in this sectional.
John Harrell’s pick: Munster 62.02% chance
Sectional 2: Valparaiso
Teams: Chesterton, Crown Point, Hobart, Lowell, Portage, Valparaiso
My pick: Chesterton
Another situation like the one before where one team has been better than the rest all season. However it is a little closer this time. Chesterton has only lost two games all year and have been looking good heading into the tournament.
Sleeper Pick: Valparaiso
As the host team they have a slight advantage over the rest of the competition by default, furthermore with the first round bye and not having to play Chesterton until the championship game increases their chances even more. The previous match between Valparaiso and Chesterton ended in a three point Chesterton win.
Easiest path: Valparaiso
The Vikings really lucked out with the draw on this one. Not only did they get a first round bye they also don’t have to deal with Chesterton or Crown Point until the championship match.
John Harrell’s pick: Chesterton 47.87% chance
Sectional 3: LaPorte
Teams: Culver Academies, LaPorte, Michigan City, Mishawaka, Plymouth, South Bend Adams, South Bend Riley
My Pick: Culver Academies
After starting off the season 4-4, senior leader Trey Galloway has his squad playing their best basketball off the season heading into the tournament. In my opinion, they are the hottest team in the state right now and I would be very scared to play them.
Sleeper Pick: South Bend Adams
This is the only other team I see that realistically has much of a chance to make it out of this sectional. South Bend Adams has had a pretty good season and could go on a run here and make it out of sectionals
Easiest Path: Culver Academies
They didn’t get a bye but getting to play Plymouth in the second round would essentially be a second round bye for them allowing them to cruise right into the championship game.
John Harrell’s pick: Culver Academies 56.53% chance
Sectional 4: Elkhart Central
Teams: Concord, Elkhart Central, Elkhart Memorial, Goshen, Northridge, Penn, Warsaw
My Pick: Northridge
Northridge has been on a roll lately winning 10 games in a row. A first round sectional game vs Concord shouldn’t be much of a challenge. Their hardest game will come in the second round against Elkhart Memorial.
Sleeper Pick: Elkhart Memorial
Elkhart Memorial has a pretty good shot at winning the sectional primarily due to the fact that they get to play one less game with their first round bye.
Easiest Path: Elkhart Memorial
I’ve already mentioned their first round bye which is the primary reason they have the easiest path. Despite having to play the best team in the second round, playing one less game is always a benefit.
John Harrell’s pick: Northridge 47.72% chance
Sectional 5: Carroll(Fort Wayne)
Teams: Caroll (Fort Wayne), DeKalb, East Noble, Fort Wayne North SIde, Fort Wayne Northrop, Fort Wayne Snider
My Pick: Carroll (Fort Wayne)
This is the only team I really know much about in this sectional, and losing to North Central by only one point proves that they are able to compete but a wide array of losses shows that they can be beat.
Sleeper Pick: Fort Wayne Snider
Despite having more losses and losing three of their last four, I still think Fort Wayne Snider has a decent chance of winning this. They actually split the season series 1-1 against Carroll (Fort Wayne) so they are clearly capable of winning the sectional.
Easiest Path: Carroll (Fort Wayne)
Getting a bye, being the best team in the tourney, and not having to play the second best team until the championship is what finds the Chargers on the easiest path to the championship. Snider’s path is similar but they won’t be the favorites in the title game making their route a little more difficult.
John Harrell’s pick: Carroll (Fort Wayne) 62.39% chance
Sectional 6: Huntington North
Teams: Columbia City, Fort Wayne South Side, Fort Wayne Wayne, Homestead, Huntington North, New Haven
My Pick: New Haven
This is my first pick that goes against John Harrell, but New Haven has a slightly better record and a much easier path to the championship than Homestead who is the other really good team in this sectional. I don’t think the higher strength of Homestead’s schedule makes them better than New Haven if Homestead didn’t win most of their harder games.
Sleeper Pick: Fort Wayne South
The other team with a first round bye, Fort Wayne South could be able to make their way to the championship game with a win over Homestead in the second round of the tournament.
Easiest path: New Haven
New Haven definitely has the easiest path getting a first round bye and not having to play either Homestead or Fort Wayne South until the championship game in the tournament.
John Harrell’s pick: Homestead 47.05% chance
Sectional 7: Lafayette Jeff
Teams: Harrison (West Lafayette), Kokomo, Lafayette Jeff, Logansport, Marion, McCutcheon
My Pick: Lafayette Jeff
Lafayette Jeff has been dominant all season finding themselves in my top ten most weeks. They also received a favorable draw in sectionals receiving a bye and they are hosting the tournament. That sounds like a recipe for success to me.
Sleeper Pick: Marion
Marion’s hopes for this season were destroyed when star junior Jalen Blackmon got hurt for the rest of the season, but all hope might not be lost for them after all. Being placed on the opposite side of the bracket as Lafayette Jeff and Harrison gives them a decent shot at making it out of their sectional.
Easiest Path: Lafayette Jeff
They received a first round bye and are so far above the competition that they easily have the easiest path to win out of every team in their sectional.
John Harrell’s pick: Lafayette Jeff 65.17% chance
Sectional 8: Noblesville
Teams: Carmel, Fishers, Hamilton Southeastern, Noblesville, Westfield, Zionsville
My Pick: Hamilton Southeastern
HSE has been playing really well lately with wins over Carmel, Brownsburg, Franklin Central, Zionsville, and many others. The Royals haven’t lost a game since early January and are looking red hot coming into the tournament.
Sleeper Pick: Zionsville and Fishers
I felt like both of these teams were worth mentioning in this category because they have both had good seasons and play each other in the first round of sectionals. Zionsville is more of a heavy sleeper, not having too much recent success, but they do have an impressive win against Brownsburg. Fishers started off the season red hot but cooled off in the middle of the season. They have impressive wins against North Central and Hamilton Southeastern. Both these teams are capable of winning, but haven’t shown that type of play consistently throughout the season.
Easiest Path: Westfield
They got a first round bye and have to play the winner of Zionsville vs Fishers in the second round as opposed to playing the winner of Carmel vs HSE. This puts them in a good position to make it to the championship game because they don’t have a tough match in the first round, but still have the skill to win against anyone in the sectional.
John Harrell’s Pick: Hamilton Southeastern 25.35% chance
Sectional 9: Muncie Central
Teams: Anderson, Greenfield-Central, Mt. Vernon (Fortville), Muncie Central, New Palestine, Pendleton Heights, Richmond
My Pick: Richmond
The Red Devils have the most complete season out of the teams in sectional 9. Richmond is 4-0 on the season against other teams in their sectional and are sporting a 15-7 record which is far better than any other team in the sectional.
Sleeper Pick: Mt Vernon (Fortville)
They have an easy first round matchup against a 2-21 Anderson team and have already beaten New Palestine earlier this season which is who they would be playing in the second round. Not having a bye shouldn’t be an issue because I think they are better than everyone they will play until the final game.
Easiest Path: New Palestine
New Palestine undoubtedly has the easiest path to winning it all with their first round bye. In a field like this where there really aren’t any dominant teams having that bye might be able to push them over the edge because they have to play one less game than every other team in the tournament.
John Harrell’s Pick: New Palestine 30.28% chance
Sectional 10: Lawrence Central (AKA The Sectional of Death)
Teams: Indianapolis Arsenal Tech, Indianapolis Cathedral, Indianapolis Crispus attucks, Lawrence Central, Lawrence North, North Central (Indianapolis), Warren Central
My Pick: Lawrence Central
Lawrence Central, despite having two losses to Lawrence North, has been more impressive all season long. It takes star power to win a tournament and Lawrence Central has plenty of that with Deandre Davis and Nijel Pack.
Sleeper Pick: Indianapolis Crispus Attucks
They are my sleeper pick because they have one of the lowest chances to come out of this sectional, but I think they should have a better chance. They have one of the best offenses in the state lead by a high volume scorer in Sincere McMahon who can score 30+ on any given night. I think they could make the run necessary to win their sectional.
Easiest Path: North Central
North Central got the lone bye in the tournament and are on the opposite side of the bracket then the four best teams in their sectional. They have already beaten Lawrence North this season so they are perfectly capable of winning the entire sectional.
John Harrell’s Pick: Lawrence Central 37.36% chance
Sectional 11: Southport
Teams: Ben Davis, Decatur Central, Perry Meridian, Pike, Roncalli, Southport
My Pick: Pike
Pike has had a very polarizing season looking good at some points and bad at others making them a hard team to figure out. They have lost a lot of games but all of them have been to really good teams. I think they are the favorite here more because of their path to the sectional title than it is how good they are.
Sleeper Pick: Ben Davis
Ben Davis isn’t anywhere near as good this year as they were last year, but they seem to always find their way deep into the tournament. While they are missing some of their keys guys from last year I still think they could make a run and win the sectional title.
Easiest Path: Pike
Pike gets an easy first round matchup against Roncalli then an easy second round matchup against Perry Meridian. This makes their path to winning a lot easier than many of the other teams in this sectional.
John Harrell’s Pick: Pike 41.50% chance
Sectional 12: Mooresville
Teams: Avon, Brownsburg, Mooresville, Plainfield, Terre Haute North, Terre Haute South
My Pick: Brownsburg
Brownsburg has been really good all year and the return of Pierce Thomas helps them a lot going into sectionals. To me they are the clear favorite in this one with a better record and better wins than their competition.
Sleeper Pick: Mooresville
They have an easier path than most teams to win this sectional so that gives them a slight edge for me. They are capable of beating good teams with wins over Columbus North and Plainfield.
Easiest Path: Mooresville
Getting the first round bye and probably having to play a Plainfield team they beat earlier in the season gives them a good chance of making it to the final game and all they would have to do is getting lucky once and they win the sectional.
John Harrell’s Pick: Brownsburg 46.45% chance
Sectional 13: Shelbyville
Teams: Center Grove, Franklin Central, Franklin Community, Greenwood Community, Shelbyville, Whiteland Community
My Pick: Franklin Central
Criss Beyers brought this team from 3-20 last season to 13-8 and in a good position to win a sectional title for the first time in four years. He dominated in his tenure with Warren Central and now he is trying to bring another program into the limelight again.
Sleeper Pick: Center Grove
Despite the loss of Trayce Jackson-Davis from last season, this team has still done alright this season. They are sporting a sub .500 record for the year but if they can beat Franklin Central in the first round they might be able to win the sectional.
Easiest Path: Greenwood
Getting to play Whiteland in the first round and a less than stellar Shelbyville team in the second round sets Greenwood up for success in the tournament.
John Harrell’s Pick: Franklin Central 40.51% chance
Sectional 14: Columbus North
Teams: Bloomington North, Bloomington South, Columbus East, Columbus North, East Central, Martinsville
My Pick: Bloomington South
As the only undefeated team left in the state there isn’t too much to be said here. They are simply the best team in the sectional. However, they have one of the hardest paths to the championship of any team in it.
Sleeper Pick: Columbus North
Despite losing to both of the Bloomington schools, this Columbus North team has had a pretty good season and shouldn’t be slept on going into sectionals.
Easiest Path: Bloomington North
The Cougars definitely have the easiest path in the sectional. Not only did they receive a first round bye but they are also on the opposite side of the bracket from Bloomington South and Columbus North.
John Harrell’s Pick: Bloomington South 51.41% chance
Sectional 15: Seymour
Teams: Bedford North Lawrence, Floyd Central, Jeffersonville, Jennings County, New Albany, Seymour
My Pick: Jeffersonville
I’ve liked this team all season and thought they were always better than they were ranked. They have taken a really good Lawrence North team to overtime and have many other good wins and good losses.
Sleeper Pick: New Albany
New Albany hasn’t been talked about much this season but they are finally healthy going into sectionals and could make a run in the bottom half of their sectional bracket.
Easiest Path: Floyd Central
While they might have to play Jeffersonville in the second round, if you give a good team like Floyd Central a first round bye then they could easily win the whole thing.
John Harrell’s Pick: Jeffersonville 45.34% chance
Sectional 16: Evansville North
Teams: Castle, Evansville Central, Evansville Harrison, Evansville North, Evansville Reitz, Jasper
My Pick: Evansville Reitz
Having a star player in Khristian Lander gives the Panthers the edge over the field. Gathering some good wins over the season, they are the clear favorites for me in the Evansville sectional.
Sleeper Pick: Evansville North
They are the host team and received a first round bye so they are in a good position to possibly win the tournament.
Easiest Path: Evansville Reitz
They got a first round bye and have to play the winner of Evansville Harrison vs Jasper in the second round. They are heavily set up to succeed in this sectional.
John Harrell’s Pick: Evansville Reitz 43.76% chance
Now that we are done with 4A it is time to move on to 3A and below. I won’t be giving a sleeper pick from here on out unless there is another team that I thik is notable enough to mention.
Class 3A
Sectional 17: Hammond
Teams: Calumet, Griffith, Hammond, Hammond Clark, Hammond Gavit, Lighthouse CPA
My Pick: Hammond
Hammond is the clear favorite for me in this sectional because they have had a really good season and no one else in their bracket is very good. I would consider it a colossal upset if Hammond makes an exit in sectionals. (Easiest Path)
John Harrell’s Pick: Hammond 88.28% chance
Sectional 18: Hanover Central
Teams: Hanover Central, Kankakee Valley, Knox, New Prairie, River Forest, Wheeler
My Pick: Hanover Central
I don’t know too much about this team, but the Wildcats have only lost two games this season including multiple wins vs the field in their sectional which makes them my pick to win it this year.
Easiest Path: New Prairie
New Prairie definitely has the easiest path out of this sectional only having to go through a bad Wheeler team and then an equally bad River Forest team to make it to the championship game.
John Harrell’s pick: Hanover Central 56.84% chance
Sectional 19: Jimtown
Teams: Glenn, Jimtoan, Mishawaka Marian, South Bend Clay, South Bend St Joseph, South Bend Washington
My Pick: South Bend St. Joseph
South Bend St. Joseph has frequented my top ten 3A teams throughout the year. Their star player and Notre Dame men;s basketball commit JR Konieczny helps this team win a lot of their games and in my opinion will push them to the win. Even though I have them lower in my rankings than I have Mishawaka Marian at this point I think the easier path makes them the favorite to win. (Easiest Path)
Sleeper Pick: Mishawaka Marian
Mishawaka had started off the season kind of slow but they have been playing a lot better in these last few weeks and have a pretty good shot at winning this sectional. If star player Jaden Ivey didn’t transfer to La Lumiere in the off-season they might be in position to compete for a state title.
John Harrell’s Pick: South Bend St. Joseph’s 42.31% chance
Sectional 20: Twin Lakes
Teams: Benton Central, Maconaquah, Northwestern, Peru, Twin Lakes, West Lafayette, Western
My Pick: Western
I think their favorable draw with the first round bye, the only team receiving one, separates the Panthers from the rest of the equally skilled competition. (Easiest PAth)
John Harrell’s Pick: West Lafayette 33% chance
Sectional 21: NorthWood
Teams: Lakeland, NorthWood, Tippecanoe Valley, Wawasee, West Noble
My Pick: NorthWood
They are easily the favorites because they are not only the best team in the sectional but they only have to win one game to be in the finals. The Panthers are in the perfect position to win their sectional. (Easiest Path)
John Harrell’s Pick: NorthWood 70.25% chance
Sectional 22: Garrett
Teams: Angola, Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger, Fort Wayne Bishop Luers, Fort Wayne Concordia Lutheran, Garrett, Leo, Wood lan
My Pick: Fort Wayne Bishop Luers
This sectional came down to Luers and Leo for me which they happen to play in the first round so whoever wins that match will likely win the whole thing. I just think Luers has the slight edge in the match so I picked them. (Easiest Path)
John Harrell’s Pick: Fort Wayne Bishop Luers 36.68% chance
Sectional 23: Norwell
Teams: Bellmont, Eastern (Greentown), Heritage, Mississinewa, Norwell, Oak Hill
My Pick: Norwell
Norwell is a pretty big favorite in this sectional having only lost two games all season so they should be able to win through their field and make it to regionals. (Easiest Path)
Sleeper Pick: Mississinewa
Mississinewa has really come alive in the last few weeks of the season getting a few good wins over other top 3A teams so it is within the realm of possibility that they win their sectional tournament.
John Harrell’s Pick: Norwell 70.75%
Sectional 24: New Castle
Teams: Delta, Hamilton Heights, Jay County, Muncie Burris, New Castle, Yorktown
My Pick: Delta
Last year this team only lost two games, and they followed that up with another impressive season this year and are in a good position to win a sectional. (Easiest Path)
John Harrell’s Pick: Delta 62.10% chance
Sectional 25: Greencastle
Teams: Crawfordsville, Danville Community, Frankfort, Greencastle, Monrovia, North Montgomery, Tri-West Hendricks
My Pick: Danville
Danville are huge favorites here after putting together an impressive four loss season this year. If they didn’t end up winning this it would be a very big surprise, but they have lost two straight going into the tournament so they may be vulnerable to an upset. (Easiest Path)
John Harrell’s Pick: Danville 69.71% chance
Sectional 26: Edgewood
Teams: Brownstown Central, Brown County, Edgewood, Northview, Owen Valley, South Vermillion, West Vigo
My Pick: Edgewood
The Mustangs have been a lot better since the return of their star player Trevor Taylor, and they did not drop a single game to the other teams in their sectional all year.
John Harrell’s Pick: Northview 29.66% chance
Sectional 27: Indianapolis Shortridge
Teams: Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory, Guerin Catholic, Indianapolis Bishop Chatard, Indianapolis Emmerich Manual, Indianapolis Shortridge, Lebanon
My Pick: Brebeuf-Jesuit
They have had the most impressive season out of all the teams in this sectional and have actually made my top ten throughout the season. However the two teams with byes in Lebanon and Bishop Chatard could be able to beat them. In my opinion Brebeuf has the hardest path but I still think they come out on top of this sectional.
John Harrell’s Pick: Lebanon 30.46% chance
Sectional 28: Indian Creek
Teams: Beech Grove, Herron, Indian Creek, Indianapolis Cardinal Ritter, Indianapolis George Washington Community, Speedway
My Pick: Beech Grove
I think having the easiest path as well as being a top two team in this sectional will help them win the whole thing. A match between Indian Creek and Beech Grove in the championship game would be pretty exciting because those teams are neck and neck with each other in terms of skill. (Easiest Path)
John Harrell’s Pick: Indian Creek 48.8% chance
Sectional 29: Connersville
Teams: Batesville, Connersville, Franklin County, Greensburg, Lawrenceburg, Rushville Consolidated, South Dearborn
My Pick: Greensburg
They are definitely the best team in this sectional and are currently top three in my personal rankings. With the first round bye they should be able to breeze through the field in their sectional. (Easiest Path)
Sleeper Pick: Connersville
As the host team if they could upset a very good Greensburg team in the second round they will probably end up winning the whole thing making them a sleeper to win this sectional.
John Harrell’s Pick: Greensburg 52.74% chance
Sectional 30: Corydon Central
Teams: Charlestown, Corydon Central, Madison Consolidated, North Harrison, Salem, Scottsburg, Silver Creek
My Pick: Silver Creek
There is not much to say except that the Dragons are the best team in 3A and they are the clear favorites to win the state title for the second year in a row. Trey Kaufman and Kooper JAcobi should be able to lead this squad out of sectionals. (Easiest Path)
John Harrell’s Pick: Silver Creek 80.14% chance
Sectional 31: Vincennes Lincoln
Teams: Pike Central, Princeton Community, Sullivan, Vincennes Lincoln, Washington
My Pick: Sullivan
Sullivan has only been bested three times this year so they should be able to slide on past the competition in their sectional. Washington is a pretty good team too but I foresee a Sullivan victory. (Easiest Path)
John Harrell’s Pick: Sullivan 48.33% chance
Sectional 32: Boonville
Teams: Boonville, Evansville Bosse, Evansville Reitz Memorial, Gibson Southern, Heritage Hills, Mt. Vernon
My Pick: Heritage Hills
Heritage Hills is a really good team and the second best in Class 3A basketball. The first round bye a winning mentality should be enough to get through to the regional tournament. (Easiest Path)
Sleeper Pick: Evansville Bosse
Evansville Bosse being a sleeper to win the sectional shows just how good I think Heritage Hills is because Bosse is by no means a bad team. It would take a really good game by Bosse in the second round of sectionals to make it past Heritage Hills.
John Harrell’s Pick: Heritage Hills 67.05% chance
Class 2A
Sectional 33: Bowman Academy
Teams: Andrean, Bowman Leadership Academy, Gary Roosevelt, Hammond Bishop Noll, Lake Station Edison, Marquette Catholic, Whiting
My Pick: Bowman Academy
While a 12-7 record might not seem very impressive, the Eagles have good wins over Gary West Side and Hammond. They have also played a brutal schedule playing against teams like La Lumiere, Gary 21st Century, and Culver Academy. (Easiest Path)
John Harrell’s Pick: Bowman Academy 61.78%
Sectional 34: North Judson
Teams: Boone Grove, Hebron, LaVille, North Judson-San Pierre, South Bend Career Academy, South Central (Union Mills), Westville
My Pick: LaVille
LaVille has a better overall body of work than any of the other teams in this sectional, but they are by no means unbeatable. They didn’t receive a bye so they have to win three games to make it through.
Sleeper Pick: North Judson-San Pierre
This North Judson team has already beaten LaVille once in the regular season so they could easily do it again if they got a rematch in the sectional finals.
John Harrell’s Pick: LaVille 39.95% chance
Sectional 35: Westview
Teams: Bremen, Central Noble, Churubusco, Eastside, Fairfield, Prairie Heights, Westview
My Pick: Westview
The Warriors probably couldn’t have asked for a worse draw after their three loss season because they will have to beat one of the three teams that beat them in both the first and second round. I’m going with my gut here and picking Westview to win because it’s hard to beat a good team twice and their overall body of work this season is better than the other two teams.
John Harrell’s Pick: Churubusco 32.95% chance
Sectional 36: Manchester
Teams: Adams Central, Bluffton, Fort Wayne Canterbury, Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian, Manchester, South Adams, Wabash, Whitko
My Pick: Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian
I don’t really need to explain myself about this one. Blackhawk Christian is a really good team and according to John Harrell they have a 45.60% chance to win the state title so the sectional should be a breeze. (Easiest Path)
John Harrell’s Pick: Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian 85.76% chance
Sectional 37: Winamac
Teams: Delphi Community, Lewis Cass, North Newton, Rensselaer Central, Rochester Community, Winamac Community
My Pick: Lewis Cass
This sectional seems to be a toss up between Lewis Cass, Rensselaer, and Rochester, but in the end I chose Lewis Cass because they are 3-0 against the field including wins against each of the other two teams i mentioned and they have a better overall record.
John Harrell’s Pick: Rensselaer Central 34.33% chance
Sectional 38: Western Boone
Teams: Carroll (Flora), Clinton Prairie, Fountain Central, Rossville, Seeger, Western Boone
My Pick: Clinton Prairie
Clinton Prairie is definitely the frontrunner for me because they have gone 6-0 against the other teams in their sectional beating each of them at least once. They also have a highly coveted first round bye so they only have to win two games instead of three.
John Harrell’s Pick: Clinton Prairie 49.65% chance
Sectional 39: Blackford
Teams: Blackford, Eastbrook, Madison-Grant, Sheridan, Taylor, Tipton
My Pick: Blackford
I’m going with the home team on this one over Tipton because I feel like the extra home court advantage is going to push Blackford to a victory over Tipton in the finals. This sectional is really just between Tipton and Blackford, both have similar records and have equally difficult paths to the championship game.
John Harrell’s Pick: Tipton 56.76% chance
Sectional 40: Alexandria Monroe
Teams: Alexandria Monroe, Elwood Community, Frankton, Lapel, Monroe Central, Wapahani, Winchester Community
My Pick: Wapahani
The Raiders are 5-0 against the other teams in their sectional and have an impressive 17-5 record on the season. Wapahani has only taken one loss against Class 2A schools and it was against Shenandoah so it wasn’t a bad loss.
John Harrell’s Pick: Wapahani 24.39% chance
Sectional 41: Hagerstown
Teams: Cambridge City Lincoln, Centerville, Eastern Hancock, Hagerstown, Knightstown, Northeastern, Shenandoah, Union County
My Pick: Shenandoah
As a mainstay of my weekly rankings, I obviously think this Shenandoah team is really good and I expect them to make a deep run into the tournament. Anything less than a Semi-state appearance would be a disappointing end to a great season. (Easiest Path)
John Harrell’s Pick: Shenandoah 82.35% chance
Sectional 42: Indianapolis Scecina
Teams: Covenant Christian (Indpls.), Heritage Christian, Indianapolis Howe Community, Indianapolis Scecina Memorial, Irvington Preparatory Academy, Park Tudor, University
Bracket:
My Pick: University
While they have a slightly harder path than another good team in Covenant Christian, I think that University will come out on top here. They are 4-0 against the field this season and have a nice 20-4 overall record this season. The tougher path shouldn’t be a problem for the Trailblazers to handle.
John Harrell’s Pick: Covenant Christian 36.27% chance
Sectional 43: Southmont
Teams: Cascade, Cloverdale, North Putnam, Parke Heritage, Riverton Parke, South Putnam, Southmont
My Pick: Parke Heritage
This one seemed like more of an obvious selection for me because the Wolves are undefeated against the field and are the only team above .500 in the sectional at 20-3. The next best record is 11-12 for perspective however North Putnam(11-12) has a 7-1 record against the field and only lost to Parke Heritage by four points. (Easiest Path)
John Harrell’s Pick: Parke Heritage 55.16% chance
Sectional 44: North Decatur
Teams: Milan, North Decatur, South Decatur, South Ripley, Triton Central
My Pick: South Decatur
This team is in my top five for a reason. The Cougars have only lost two games all season and have looked very good offensively all year. South Decatur averages almost 90 points per game, and while their defense may struggle at times, they make up for it on the offensive end.
John Harrell’s Pick: South Decatur 37.13% chance
Sectional 45: Southwestern (Hanover)
Teams: Austin, Clarksville, Henryville, Providence, Southwestern (Hanover), Switzerland County
My Pick: Southwestern (Hanover)
I might’ve been inclined to pick Providence to win this one but Southwestern got a really good sectional draw as they have been placed on the opposite side of bot Providence, who has essentially the same record, and Switzerland County, who Southwestern lost to earlier in the season. They have had an alright season at 15-8 but the sectional draw really gives them the edge in my opinion. (Easiest Path)
John Harrell’s Pick: Southwestern (Hanover) 46.00% chance
Sectional 46: Crawford County
Teams: Crawford County, Eastern (Pekin), Paoli, Perry Central, Tell City
My Pick: Paoli
I think Paoli will run away with this one. They have by far the best record in the field going 18-5 on the season. The Rams also have a first round bye, but they need to be careful if they have a rematch with Crawford County in the finals because they lost by twenty to Crawford County in their last game of the season. (Easiest Path)
John Harrell’s Pick: Paoli 60.48% chance
Sectional 47: North Knox
Teams: Eastern Greene, Linton-Stockton, Mitchell, North Knox, South Knox
My Pick: Linton-Stockton
The Miners are my personal number one team in 2A so I have them easily advancing through this sectional. Lincoln Hale has been leading this team all season and I believe he will lead them to a sectional win and maybe a state title this year. Linton has a real shot at winning both the girls and boys 2A state tournaments with their girls already taking care of business last weekend. (Easiest Path)
John Harrell’s Pick: Linton-Stockton 75.35% chance
Sectional 48: Southridge
Teams: Evansville Mater Dei, Forest Park, North Posey, South Spencer, Southridge, Tecumseh
My Pick: Evansville Mater Dei
Although South Spencer has the better overall record, Evansville Mater Dei has a better record against the field at 5-0 including a win over South Spencer. I think that the Wildcats will make it out of the sectional, but it’s going to be very close.
John Harrell’s Pick: Evansville Mater Dei 36.40% chance
Sectional 49: Kouts
Teams: 21st Century Charter – Gary, Covenant Christian (DeMotte), Hammond Academy, Kouts, Morgan Township, Washington Township
My Pick: Gary 21st Century
I am really high on this team and while Kouts is not a team you can just ignore, I think Gary 21st Century should easily win this sectional. 21st Century has played well all season and are my number one team in Class A right now. (Easiest Path)
John Harrell’s Pick: Gary 21st Century 71.23% chance
Sectional 50: Triton
Teams: Argos, Culver Community, LaCrosse, Oregon-Davis, Triton, West Central
My Pick: Triton
I think Triton is the clear favorite here as the host and a 4-0 record against the field, but with a 12-10 overall record I can’t be completely confident in their ability to win it. Argos is realistically the only other team with a chance but their odds aren’t great either.
John Harrell’s Pick: Triton 61.07% chance
Sectional 51: Fremont
Teams: Bethany Christian, Elkhart Christian Academy, Fremont, Hamilton, Lakewood Park Christian
My Pick: Lakewood Park Christian
No one is exactly elite in this sectional with the best record being Lakewood’s 11-11 record on the season. While the Lakewood Panthers have a harder path to the finals than Elkhart Christian, I can’t justify picking a team to win who is 9-13 on the season.
John Harrell’s Pick: Elkhart Christian Academy 63.70% chance
Sectional 52: Caston
Teams: Caston, Frontier, North White, Pioneer, South Newton, Tri-County
My Pick: Pioneer
Pioneer has played well all season leading them to a 15-7 record on the year and the only team they lost to in their sectional, Caston, is on the other side of the bracket. (Easiest Path)
John Harrell’s Pick: Pioneer 33.81% chance
Sectional 53: Southern Wells
Teams: Lakeland Christian Academy, Smith Academy for Excellence, North Miami, Northfield, Southern Wells, Southwood
My Pick: Southwood
Another sectional filled with much less than great teams as Southwood has the best overall record with 9-13, but the Knights are 3-0 against the field and they received a first round bye so they should be the clear favorites. (Easiest Path)
John Harrell’s Pick: Southwood 61.42% chance
Sectional 54: Attica
Teams: Attica, Clinton Central, Covington, Faith Christian, Lafayette Central Catholic, North Vermillion
My Pick: Covington
Even though Lafayette Central Catholic has a better overall record than Covington, I’m going with the team in Covington who has already beaten LCC earlier in the season. The Champion of this sectional will most likely come out of the first round match between these two elite teams.
John Harrell’s Pick: Lafayette Central Catholic 55.08% chance
Sectional 55: Wes-Del
Teams: Anderson Preparatory Academy, Cowan, Daleville, Liberty Christian, Tri-Central, Wes-Del
My Pick: Tri-Central
I picked Tri-Central to win because they are undefeated against the field at 2-0 and have the best overall record in the sectional. They do have one of the hardest paths to the championship but they’ve already blown out one of the teams they would have to play and have already beat John Harrell’s pick as well.
John Harrell’s Pick: Liberty Christian 33.23% chance
Sectional 56: Blue River Valley
Teams: Blue River Valley, Randolph Southern, Seton Catholic, Tri, Union (Modoc), Union City
My Pick: Blue River Valley
They are easily the favorites in this sectional despite not getting a first round bye. The Vikings have a full ten more wins than anyone else in their sectional and are sitting at 16-6 on the season including 6-0 versus the field. (Easiest Path)
John Harrell’s Pick: Blue River Valley 73.41% chance
Sectional 57: White River Valley
Teams: Bloomfield, Clay City, Eminence, North Central (Farmersburg), Shakamak, White River Valley
My Pick: Bloomfield
Even though Bloomfields best player has been injured they are still the clear favorites to win their sectional. They probably don’t have a great shout of getting any further but they should be able to make it to regionals. (Easiest Path)
John Harrell’s Pick: Bloomfield 78.39% chance
Sectional 58: Bethesda Christian
Teams: Bethesda Christian, Indiana School for the Deaf, Indiana Math & Science Academy, Indianapolis Metropolitan, International School of Indiana, Riverside, Traders Point Christian Academy
My Pick: Indianapolis Metropolitan
The Pumas have the best record in the sectional at 14-10 and are the only team above .500 on the season. They are also 3-0 versus the field, and have a pretty easy path to the championship game. (Easiest Path)
John Harrell’s Pick: Indianapolis Metropolitan 75.22% chance
Sectional 59: Indianapolis Lutheran
Teams: Central Christian Academy, Christel House Academy, Greenwood Christian Academy, Indianapolis Lutheran, Providence Cristo Rey, Tindley, Victory College Prep
My Pick: Greenwood Christian
Greenwood Christian only lost one game in the entire regular season and have a first round bye. The only team they have to worry about is Providence Cristo Rey who has a 19-4 overall record and is also 3-0 against the field this year, but any outcome other than a Greenwood Christian sectional seems unlikely. (Easiest Path)
John Harrell’s Pick: Greenwood Christian 66.88% chance
Sectional 60: Southwestern (Shelbyville)
Teams: Hauser, Jac-Cen-Del, Morristown, Oldenburg Academy, Rising Sun, Southwestern (Shelbyville), Waldron
My Pick: Oldenburg Academy
Their 5-0 record against the field in their sectional is what puts them ahead of all the other teams in the sectional especially because none of the games were particularly close. Morristown has an easier path but I think Oldenburg will make it out of the sectional.
John Harrell’s Pick: Morristown 38.74% chance
Sectional 61: Borden
Teams: Borden, Christian Academy, Lanesville, New Washington, Rock Creek Academy, South Central (Elizabeth)
My Pick: Christian Academy
The Warriors have had the best season top to bottom out of the field and have won all five matches between other teams in the sectional this year. Their overall record is 16-7 which is the best out of the field. The first round bye also increases their chances to win in my opinion. (Easiest Path)
John Harrell’s Pick: Christian Academy 67.84% chance
Sectional 62: Edinburgh
Teams: Crothersville, Edinburgh, Medora, Shawe Memorial, Trinity Lutheran, West Washington
My Pick: West Washington
West Washington is 4-0 against the field and 15-7 overall. They have a very easy path to the championship getting to play a 2-21 Medora team in the second round. The main source of competition for them probably comes from Crothersville who got a bye on the other side of the bracket.
John Harrell’s Pick: West Washington 51.90% chance
Sectional 63: Loogootee
Teams: Barr-Reeve, Loogootee, North Daviess, Orleans, Shoals, Washington Catholic
My Pick: Barr-Reeve
I have to go with Barr-Reeve here because they have been the best team in this sectional and have the most complete season out of anyone else in this sectional. Their one loss however came from Loogootee who is the host team and they would have to play in the second round if Barr-Reeve gets past North Daviess. That game could also be interesting because North Daviess played Barr-Reeve within six points and beat Loogootee earlier in the season.
John Harrell’s Pick: Barr-Reeve 51.85% chance
Sectional 64: Springs Valley
Teams: Cannelton, Evansville Day, Northeast Dubois, Springs Valley, Vincennes Rivet, Wood Memorial
My Pick: Northeast Dubois
Northeast Dubois has the easiest path to the championship game getting to play the two worst teams in the sectional in rounds one and two. They also have one of the best records in their sectional sitting at 13-10 only behind Evansville Day’s 12-9, and they are tied for best record against the field at 4-1 with Evansville Day. In the end I think the easier path to the finals will help them prevail and win the sectional.
John Harrell’s Pick: Northeast Dubois 69.44% chance
If you made it through all 64 sectionals I applaud you and want to share a few conclusions I came to after thoroughly looking at all 64 sectional fields. Firstly I found out that I have way too much time on my hands to write a 25 page article that only a handful of people are going to read. Secondly, Southern Indiana is in general better at basketball. I found that most of the time there were a few good teams in the first eight sectionals of each class, but in the second eight some of those sectionals had two or three solid teams in them. Lastly, the skill gap between the good teams and everyone else is much larger in the smaller schools in 2A and 1A. With the bigger schools in 3A and 4A most average teams can still compete with the good teams, but in 1A and 2A it is very clear who the real contenders are and is very unlikely that many of those schools even have a chance to compete. As always these are the most accurate rankings and predictions you will find anywhere so please share this so more people can know everything they need to heading into the state tournaments.
Big thanks to John Harrell for running the website that gave me all of the stats and records of all these teams and to MaxPreps for having all of the sectional brackets for me to look at and use!
