Regional 4 Preview: Breakdown

The high school season is almost over and we are getting locked in for the State Playoffs. It is that time of year where we start looking ahead and previewing each and every Sectional. We continue today at the top. Sectional 13: Whiteland The Teams: Center Grove, Franklin Central, Franklin, Greenwood, Shelbyville, Whiteland Our Contenders: Center Grove, Greenwood Player To Watch: Tayven JacksonTayvenJackson6'3" | SGCenter Grove | 2022State#239NationIN (Center Grove; 2022)  Prediction: It is a under-the-radar tough opening round matchup between Center Grove and Franklin Central, but one I expect Center Grove to win. Up top, Greenwood, who won a sectional title last year, would face host Whiteland in the semifinal, assuming it takes down Franklin Community in the opener. When it’s all said and done, a sectional final with Center Grove, who is 5-0 against the field, and Greenwood is one I think will happen. Tayven JacksonTayvenJackson6'3" | SGCenter Grove | 2022State#239NationIN and Landin HackerLandinHacker5'11" | PGCenter Grove | 2021StateIN lead the Trojans and should be the favorite to come out of this sectional. Sectional 14: Bloomington South The Teams: Bloomington North, Bloomington South, Columbus East, Columbus North, East Central, Martinsville Our Contenders: Bloomington North, Bloomington South  Player To Watch: Nick KlaiberNickKlaiber6'1" | PGBloomington North | 2022StateIN (Bloomington North; 2022) Prediction: The Columbus North Bull Dogs and Bloomington North Cougars face off for the first team this season in an opening round matchup. Columbus has been in quarantine for the past two weeks, something that could play a role in this matchup. The winner of this will move on to the sectional final, barring a big upset against Columbus East in the semifinals. Up top, look for Bloomington South to move on to the finals. I would expect an all-Bloomington matchup in this one, where you can flip a coin on the result. Sectional 15: Seymour The Teams: Bedford North Lawrence, Floyd Central, Jeffersonville, Jennings County, New Albany, Seymour Our Contenders: New Albany, Floyd Central Player To Watch: Jake HeidbrederJakeHeidbreder6'3" | SGFloyd Central | 2021StateIN (Floyd Central; 2021) Prediction: It has been a sectional dominated by New Albany and Floyd Central for most of the past decade. The two teams have met in 7 of the last 8 sectional championships and I don’t expect that to change this year. The backcourt duo of Kaden StantonKadenStanton5'11" | PGNew Albany | 2022StateIN and Tucker BivenTuckerBiven6'1" | SGNew Albany | 2022IN for New Albany and Floyd’s Jake HeidbrederJakeHeidbreder6'3" | SGFloyd Central | 2021StateIN headline that matchup. I’ll take New Albany in a close one.  Sectional 16: Evansville North The Teams: Castle, Evansville Central, Evansville Reitz, Evansville Harrison, Evansville North, Jasper Our Contenders: Evansville Reitz, Castle, Harrison Player To Watch: Owen DeaseOwenDease6'7" | SFEvansville Reitz | 2021StateIN (Reitz; 2021) Prediction: A loaded up part of the bracket with Reitz, North and Castle, with the latter two facing in the first round, you could argue this is one of the toughest two-games in the tournament. Reitz holds the best record at 13-2 and get the reward of having the bye, so I’ll go with them coming out of the top half. On the bottom, look for Harrison to move on to face Reitz. I’ll take Reitz coming out of the sectional.