Mason’s State Playoff Predictions
The season is just a few days away and we are ready to announce our Playoff Predictions for this season. Each of our writers have put together their predictions. Here are mine for this season.
1A Regional Champs – Blackhawk Christian, Southwood, Indianapolis Tindley, Barr-Reeve
1A Semistate Champs – Blackhawk Christian, Barr-Reeve
1A State Champion – Blackhawk Christian
Breakdown: There are a few teams in the North that I thought about picking to win the two regionals. In the end I settled on Blackhawk Christian and Southwood. BC is loaded this year and will be huge. They could compete with almost any team in the state whereas Southwood didn’t really lose anyone and they were really good last year with four guys who could score 20+ a night. I was up in the air but I think BC’s size will wear down Southwood in semi-state. Tindley is an obvious pick with Eric Hunter Jr. at the helm. He has some other really good players around him too and that makes it much more scary. Barr-Reeve is always good and they always reload. They don’t score much but they do everything really well and we will see them win a lot of 40-34 games this year. Barr-Reeve is my pick to advance to state and then be defeated by BC. BC is just a little bit better than everyone in 1A and they have the scoring and height to win the championship.
2A Regional Champs – Marquette Catholic, Oak Hill, Indianapolis Howe, Forest Park
2A Semistate Champs – Oak Hill, Indianapolis Howe
2A State Champion – Indianapolis Howe
Breakdown: Marquette Catholic always seems to find a way to make a run in the postseason and this year will be the same. They have a lot of guys who will be really good and always seem to play well against tough opponents. Oak Hill has an easy road to regionals and I think that they are good enough they can take down Marquette Catholic without much problem. Oak Hill has a lot of good shooters and they are as experienced as any team in 2A. In 2A South, I really like Howe and have them getting through regional past Scecina. They are a really athletic team and no one in the state can really play with Tony Hopkins at the 2A level. My dark horse is Forest Park. They have to get past South Knox but I think they can because they return everyone from last year and had a good year last year where SK lost a few seniors. In the title game I have Oak Hill over Howe because I believe they are a bit more well rounded than Howe and in big games it really helps to be grounded in playing as a team.
3A Regional Champs – Culver Academies, New Castle, Crispus Attucks, Evansville Bosse
3A Semistate Champs – Culver Academies, Evansville Bosse
3A State Champion – Culver Academies
Breakdown: These four teams I think will be pretty much agreed upon to be the four remaining teams in 3A. Culver is really good and will be well tested come tournament time. Even though their record may not jump out at you, they are really, really good. New Castle has some forwards that will compete with anyone and they are still young. They had a good run last year and will look to build off that this year. Attucks and Bosse played in regional last year and this year they will again. No one can really play will Bosse down south as they play quick and have really good guards who can shoot the ball with the best of them. Attucks lost their best player but they still are really good. I wouldn’t be surprised to see them make it to state again but I think Bosse is just a bit better this year.
4A Regional Champs – South Bend Riley, Fort Wayne North, Cathedral, New Albany
4A Semistate Champs – Fort Wayne North, Cathedral
4A State Champion – Cathedral
Breakdown: There is not a single team in 4A that is head and shoulders above everyone else like we thought last year and the year before. This year SB Riley should make its way to the regional final with a much easier time that last year. Waiting for them will be Fort Wayne North who I think actually got better with some key players coming in. In the South, you have to think New Albany will make it to regionals once again with an easier path but Cathedral will be waiting for them. They have a deep roster and are talented all over. If Cathedral can put it together, they should easily be able to defeat New Albany. I think FW North wins the North in a close one and Cathedral uses their many weapons to close out on a state championship.