Senior staff writer
The Beech Grove Hornets will need all their stingers against visiting Pike in Tuesday’s first round of the Marion County girls basketball tourney.
The 3A No. 10 Hornets (6-0) meet the 4A No. 3 Red Devils (8-0) at The Hive at 7 p.m. – no doubt, Beech Grove’s stiffest test of the new season – and the only collision of ranked teams in the first round.
Coached by Krista Raker, Beech Grove has outscored its foes by 23 points per game. Those games were won against three 3A teams, one 2A team and two 1A teams. The Hornets visited Tech (1-8) Tuesday and travel to Franklin (2-4) Thursday in their first match-ups of the season against 4A teams.
The Red Devils are tourney favorites with unbeatens 4A No. 2 North Central and 4A No. 5 Lawrence North (7-0).
The Hornets rely upon a trio of seniors: Cameron Cardenas, 25.5 points, 4.3 rebounds; Katie Giller, 13.7 points, 9.7 rebounds; and Mallory Storms, 8.7 points, 8.3 rebounds. That trio has produced 73 percent of the Hornets’ total offense.
Beech Grove and Roncalli (4-2) are the only Southside teams with winning records in the tourney.
The Hornets tune up Thursday at 4A Franklin at 7:30 p.m., with Hauser at Lutheran and Heritage Christian at Roncalli; Friday, Franklin Central at Perry Meridian and 1A No. 1 Tindley at Manual; Saturday, Martinsville at Greenwood. Perry Meridian visits Greenwood tonight.
The Hornets tune up Thursday at 4A Franklin at 7:30 p.m., with Hauser at Lutheran, Heritage Christian at Roncalli and Perry Meridian at Greenwood; Friday, Franklin Central at Perry Meridian and 1A No. 1 Tindley at Manual; Saturday, Martinsville at Greenwood.
Per tourney bracket for first-round winners, only Roncalli among Southside teams would play at home Dec. 7; other Southside teams surviving the first round would be on the road.
The county tourney pairings:
Tuesday, 7 p.m.: Lawrence Central (0-7) at Perry Meridian (1-5); Franklin Central (1-6) at Park Tudor (2-5); Southport (1-6) at 4A No. 2 North Central (6-0); Speedway (3-3) at Ben Davis (5-3); Lutheran (2-4) at Brebeuf Jesuit (1-4); 4A No. 20 Warren Central (6-1) at Roncalli (4-2); 4A No. 3 Pike at 3A No. 10 Beech Grove (6-0); Decatur Central (3-2) at 4A No. 5 Lawrence North (7-0). Dec. 7, 7 p.m., quarterfinals (selected sites); Dec. 9, 10 a.m., semifinals, 7 p.m., championship, at Lawrence Central.