1A Regional Preview
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The high school season is almost over and we are down to the final 16 teams in each state. It is time to take a look at the Regional previews across the state and see who has the best shot…
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Continue ReadingThe high school season is almost over and we are down to the final 16 teams in each state. It is time to take a look at the Regional previews across the state and see who has the best shot to take home the Regional title and advance to the final 4 in each class. With that, let’s take a look at the four Regional tournaments in 1A.
Triton Regional
The Teams: Fremont, Gary 21st Century, North White, Triton
Favorite: Gary 21st Century
Players To Watch: Ashton Williamson Ashton Williamson 6'2" | PG Gary 21st Century | 2023 State #287 Nation IN (2023) – Gary 21st Century
Prediction: All four of these teams were the favorites in their respective Sectional tournaments, and now, each of these teams looks to bring home a Regional title. #2 Gary 21st Century comes in as one of the top State title contenders, and they are the clear favorite to take home this Regional title. Ashton Williamson Ashton Williamson 6'2" | PG Gary 21st Century | 2023 State #287 Nation IN had an insane Sectional tournament, averaging 12 points, 7 rebounds, 12 assists, and 6 steals in their three wins. The Cougars are also led by a pair of juniors with Quintin Floyd Quintin Floyd 6'4" | SG Gary 21st Century | 2023 State IN and D.J. Moss D.J. Moss 6'4" | SF Gary 21st Century | 2023 State IN . North White comes in at 21-3 with a 16 game winning streak under their belt. They are led by a trio of players, Hunter Pogue Hunter Pogue 5'11" | PG North White | 2022 IN , Bentley Buschman, and Nate Miller, who are all averaging over 15 points per game this season. Fremont has won 10 of their last 12, and they had two very good wins over Bethany Christian and Elkhart Christian in the Sectional tournament. Triton comes in winning 7 of their last 9 including a thriller against Argos in the Sectional finals. I am going to take Triton to get past Fremont in a tight one thanks to their home court, but I don’t think that anyone can compete with Gary 21st who should advance to the Semi-State.
Frankfort Regional
The Teams: Blue River, Lafayette Central Catholic, Liberty Christian, Southwood
Favorites: Lafayette Central Catholic, Liberty Christian
Players To Watch: Adonis House Adonis House 6'7" | PF Liberty Christian | 2022 State IN (2022) – Liberty Christian
Prediction: Each of these teams is led by top scorers who are averaging over 15 points per game. The two favorites are led by their senior leaders with Clark Barrett Clark Barrett 6'5" | SF Lafayette Central Catholic | 2022 State IN for LCC and Adonis House Adonis House 6'7" | PF Liberty Christian | 2022 State IN and Zach Jeffers for Liberty Christian. The underdogs will have duos to watch with Brevin Hallatt Brevin Hallatt 6'6" | PF Blue River Valley | 2022 IN and Wyatt Thornburgh Wyatt Thornburgh 6'5" | PF Blue River Valley | 2023 IN for Blue River and Cole Winer and Nathan Lehner for Southwood. I would expect Liberty Christian to fairly easily take care of business against Blue River. Liberty Christian had wins over Muncie Burris by 49 and Daleville by 35 while Blue River lost to these teams by 15 and 3. On the other side, Lafayette Central Catholic should take care of business against Southwood. Again when looking at common opponents, LCC has a 10 point win over Lewis Cass while Southwood was beaten by 41 by Lewis Cass earlier in the season. Then, we will have a matchup of two 18 win teams in the Regional finals. This championship would be an absolute barn burner, and really a coin toss, so I will take Liberty Christian on a whim.
Martinsville Regional
The Teams: Bloomfield, Jac-Cen-Del, Indianapolis Lutheran, Indianapolis Metropolitan
Favorite: Bloomfield
Players To Watch: Omari Ferguson Omari Ferguson 6'3" | SG Indianapolis Metropolitan | 2023 IN (2023) – Indianapolis Metropolitan
Prediction: I will be here for the first two games of this Regional, and it should be a good one.
Indianapolis Lutheran has beaten three teams that beat Metro during the season with wins over Indianapolis Attucks, Indianapolis Tindley, and Perry Meridian. Metro is led by a pair of juniors in David Meriwether David Meriwether 6'10" | C Lawrence North | 2023 UT and Omari Ferguson Omari Ferguson 6'3" | SG Indianapolis Metropolitan | 2023 IN , and Lutheran is led by junior Kam Patterson. I am going to take Lutheran to win it, but it will be closer than people think. In the other game, a pair of 20-win teams battle it out. Jac-Cen-Del has yet to lose to a team smaller than 3A, while Bloomfield has lost two games to 1A teams (Loogootee and Barr-Reeve). Jac-Cen-Del is led by a pair of juniors with Wyatt Day Wyatt Day 5'11" | PG Jac-Cen-Del | 2022 IN and Caleb Simon, and Bloomfield is led by two senior guards with Christopher Royal Christopher Royal 6'4" | SG Bloomfield | 2022 IN and Baylin Graf Baylin Graf 6'4" | SF Bloomfield | 2022 State IN . I am going to take Bloomfield to win it thanks to their better schedule during the season, but Jac-Cen-Del will give them a game. Again in the finals, I am going to take Bloomfield off of gut instinct, but Lutheran will be looking for their first Regional title since their run to State in 2008.
Loogootee Regional
The Teams: Borden, Edinburgh, North Daviess, Springs Valley
Favorite: North Daviess
Players To Watch: Jaylen Mullen Jaylen Mullen 6'0" | PG North Daviess | 2023 State IN (2023) – North Daviess
Prediction: This Regional has three teams with 22 or more wins and 3 or more losses. The opening will be a game between two top-level scorers with Jaylen Mullen Jaylen Mullen 6'0" | PG North Daviess | 2023 State IN for North Daviess and Caleb Dewey Caleb Dewey 6'3" | SF Edinburgh | 2023 State IN for Edinburgh. North Daviess won at Edinburgh earlier in the year, and I would expect them to do the same on Saturday. Springs Valley comes in having won 18 consecutive games to end the season, and they are led by two 16 point scorers in Kannon Chase and Carter Crews. Borden has a ranked sophomore with Kasym Nash Kasym Nash 6'0" | SG Borden | 2024 State IN . Springs Valley took care of business against Eastern-Peking early in the year, and Borden has two losses to them. I am taking Springs Valley in a close one. In the finals, I am again taking North Daviess to take the title for the first time since 2011.