Dayton 3 Sectional Preview
Photo Credit: Bryant Billing The Dayton 3 bracket is home to two of the top 5 teams in Dayton in Division I. Through the draw, we see the Springfield Wildcats drew an easy bracket and should have easier games against…
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Continue ReadingPhoto Credit: Bryant Billing
The Dayton 3 bracket is home to two of the top 5 teams in Dayton in Division I. Through the draw, we see the Springfield Wildcats drew an easy bracket and should have easier games against Tecumseh and Troy. In the bottom half of the bracket, we see some great matchups including Fairborn and Sidney. Below I preview every sectional matchup in the bracket.
Springfield over Tecumseh- The Wildcats arguably could have been the #1 seed in Dayton, but instead fell to the #2 slot. Regardless, their first matchup to be frank, is an easy one. Tecumseh does not have the athleticism or talent to compete with the likes of the Wildcats. Really not much of a discussion here.
Fairborn over Springboro- This is one of the tougher matchups to pick. On one hand, Springboro defeated the Skyhawks 72-55 earlier this season. On the other hand, the loss was Fairborn’s first game of the season, therefore it is easy to see why they would have struggled. In the end, I have to take Fairborn in this rematch. Springboro will have an advantage in the paint with Michael Berner (2019) and Garrett Powell (2019), but I think this Fairborn team led by Shaunn Monroe (2019) is going to be too much for the Panthers to defend on the perimeter.
Sidney over Carroll- The Yellow Jackets are fresh off a loss against Butler and I fully expect them to use this loss to their advantage. They open sectional play against a Carroll team that has been up and down so far this month. At the end of the day, although the Patriots have a strong senior class, none of their guys are at the same talent level as Virginia Tech signee Andre Gordon (2019). It will be difficult for the Patriots to defend the far athletic Yellow Jackets. Sidney should continue their tournament run.
Springfield over Troy- The Wildcats have another favorable matchup against a Troy team that will struggle to matchup with the Wildcats. In previous games with Trotwood and Sidney, the Trojans struggled protecting the basketball. Springfield’s intense defensive pressure will be too much for Troy to handle.
Sidney over Fairborn- This will be a revenge game for the Yellow Jackets as they lost 63-61 earlier in the year. The Yellow Jackets led by 10 going into the 4th quarter before Fairborn took over and finished the game off. I don’t expect Sidney to repeat this as they will take care of business in this sectional rematch. Containing and properly defending Monroe will be the key in this one.
Sectional Final- Springfield over Sidney- Springfield will face off against a talented Sidney team to advance to the District Final at UD Arena. I have seen both teams play this year, and I believe the Wildcats are the better defensive team. In addition, I believe when you look at both teams, the Wildcats have more weapons around their star RaHeim Moss (2019) and will be able to take advantage of a Sidney team needing more help then just Ratez Roberts (2019). Sidney will provide a tough game, but at the end of the day, Springfield will be too much on the defensive end for the Jackets to handle.