Sectional basketball: A look at local Class 2A and A fields
Sectional time is here. With the tournament set to begin Tuesday, here's a look at the Class A and 2A local sectional fields with the favorites, sleepers and predictions:
Class 2A
SECTIONAL 40, AT LAPEL
Schedule: Tuesday, Wapahani (12-9) vs. Muncie Burris (7-15), 6 p.m.; Winchester (13-9) vs. Shenandoah (12-10), 7:30 p.m.; Friday, Frankton (21-2) vs. Wapahani-Muncie Burris winner, 6 p.m.; Lapel (17-6) vs. Winchester-Shenandoah winner, 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, championship 7:30 p.m.
The skinny: The two best teams are clearly Lapel and Frankton and both have byes. Frankton beat Lapel 64-58 during the season. If anyone other than Frankton or Lapel wins, it'll be a big surprise.
The pick: It's tough to beat a team twice, especially a rival with similar ability. But I'm picking Frankton, largely because of 6-foot senior Austin Compton (16.5 ppg, 5.8 assists), who had a season-high 32 points in the first meeting.
SECTIONAL 42, AT SHORTRIDGE
Schedule: Tuesday, Broad Ripple (4-17) vs. Scecina (18-5), 6 p.m.; Park Tudor (19-2) vs. Shortridge (13-8), 7:30 p.m.; Friday, Howe (18-3) vs. Broad Ripple-Scecina winner, 6 p.m.; Heritage Christian (9-13) vs. Park Tudor-Shortridge winner, 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, championship, 7:30 p.m.
The skinny: It doesn't get any tougher than this in 2A. Park Tudor, the defending state champ and No. 1 team in 2A, has to be considered the favorite. But Howe, the City champ, and Scecina, the City runner-up, are right there as well. Scecina wasn't at full-strength in a 75-72 loss to Howe in the City championship but should be close to it for the sectional with senior Gary Bonds returning on Friday. Shortridge and Heritage Christian aren't pushovers, either.
The pick: It wouldn't be a shock to see any one of Park Tudor, Howe or Scecina advance. My pick is Park Tudor, in part because it'll only have to beat one of the other two top contenders and not both. But Howe's Harris Brown and Scecina's Zach Rutland are senior guards who won't let their teams go quietly. This should be a fantastic sectional.
SECTIONAL 43, AT WASHINGTON
Schedule: Tuesday, Manual (7-15) vs. Cardinal Ritter (8-15), 6 p.m.; Washington (11-9) vs. Irvington Prep (6-16), 7:30 p.m.; Triton Central (20-3) vs. Manual-Cardinal Ritter winner, 6 p.m.; Crispus Attucks (16-5) vs. Washington-Irvington Prep winner, 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, championship, 7:30 p.m.
The skinny: Another case where the best teams – Attucks and Triton Central – have a bye into the semifinals. Washington and Cardinal Ritter could be dangerous teams but it would take an upset for either Triton Central or Attucks not to play in Saturday's championship.
The pick: Triton Central is capable of giving Attucks trouble with its size, including 6-6 sophomore Sergiey Slaughter (18.5 ppg, 6.1 rebounds). However, Darrell Hutchison is back in the lineup for Attucks and has played well in his return from a foot injury. I'll take Attucks to repeat as sectional champs.
SECTIONAL 44, AT SPEEDWAY
Schedule: Tuesday, North Putnam (3-18) vs. Monrovia (5-17), 7 p.m.; Wednesday, Speedway (9-12) vs. Covenant Christian (14-8), 6 p.m.; Cloverdale (19-5) vs. South Putnam (3-18), 7:30 p.m.; Friday, Cascade (7-15) vs. North Putnam-Monrovia winner; other semifinal, 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, championship, 7 p.m.
The skinny: Cloverdale, led by coach Pat Rady (758 wins in 51 seasons) is 6-0 against the rest of the sectional field but isn't a huge favorite with Speedway and Covenant Christian capable of winning it. Cloverdale beat Covenant Christian 65-61 during the season. Speedway knocked Cloverdale and Covenant Christian out of the sectional last season and beat Covenant Christian 46-42 in February. Speedway and Cloverdale didn't play in the regular season.
The pick:Cloverdale. The Clovers will have to beat either Speedway or Covenant Christian on Friday night.
Class A
SECTIONAL 58, AT BETHESDA CHRISTIAN
Schedule: Tuesday, Fall Creek Academy (7-13) vs. Tindley (14-10), 6 p.m.; Bethesda Christian (7-15) vs. International (10-13), 7:30 p.m.; Wednesday, Metropolitan (12-11) vs. Indiana Deaf (16-7), 6 p.m.; University (15-9) vs. Indiana Math & Science (4-19), 7:30 p.m.; Friday, semifinals, 6 and 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, championship, 7:30 p.m.
The skinny: Led by freshman Eric Hunter (17.3 ppg), Tindley is a young and talented team and probably the favorite going in. Tindley beat University, the next-best team in the field, by nine points in January. Metropolitan also played Tindley within six points.
The pick:Tindley. It would be the first sectional title for the Tigers.
SECTIONAL 59 AT EDINBURGH
Schedule: Tuesday, Arlington (10-12) vs. Lutheran (6-15), 6 p.m.; Edinburgh (14-9) vs. Waldron (11-10), 7:30 p.m.; Wednesday, Greenwood Christian (7-15) vs. Baptist Academy (0-22), 6 p.m.; Southwestern of Shelbyville (9-14) vs. Morristown (6-15), 7:30 p.m.; Friday, semifinals, 6 and 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, championship, 7:30 p.m.
The skinny: Edinburgh is 8-0 against the rest of the field but five of those wins are by 10 points or less. It should be a very competitive sectional.
The pick: Edinburgh. The Lancers last sectional title was in 2012.