By Al Stilley
Editor
The 48th annual girls basketball state tournament begins Tuesday, Jan. 31 with six Southside teams in action on opening night.
Only four Southside teams – Decatur Central, Roncalli, Center Grove, and Whiteland – have winning records. All teams complete their regular season play this week.
Five Southside teams are joined by Pike and favored Ben Davis from the westside in the sectional at historic Southport Fieldhouse. Roncalli is in the opposite bracket.
Center Grove and Greenwood are just a few miles apart but travel to the Bloomington South Sectional to meet in the Tuesday nightcap. The winner would meet Bloomington North in a semifinal game Feb. 3. The 4A No. 12 Trojans are favored.
Whiteland journeys to the Shelbyville Sectional to meet the Franklin-Columbus North winner on Feb. 3. The Grizzly Cubs are favored.
In 3A, Beech Grove opens the Speedway Sectional Tuesday against the host Sparkplugs. Only one team, favored Purdue Polytechnic, has a winning record among the six teams.
In Class A, Greenwood Christian meets Tindley Tuesday, and Lutheran faces host and favored Eminence, the only team there with a winning record, Feb. 3.
All semifinal games are Friday, Feb. 3 with championship games Saturday night, Feb. 4.
Admission is $7 per session; $15 all sessions with children 5 years and under, free. High school pep bands are allowed.
Here’s the Southside team preview with MaxPreps statistics:
AT SOUTHPORT (4A)
DECATUR CENTRAL (12-7) – Hawks matching 12 wins of 2019-2020 campaign … 16 wins combined in last two seasons … opened season with four-game win streak with first-year coach Nic Carothers … won holiday tourney at Speedway … recently had five-game win streak snapped by Danville … points production comes from freshman Kamrah Banks, 17.5 points; soph Soriah Gouard, 12.2 points; and freshman Naja Winston, 9.8 points, 8.4 rebounds, 4.2 steals, 4.2 assists … finish regular season Saturday against visiting Plainfield … face Roncalli on Feb. 1.
FRANKLIN CENTRAL (5-15) winless against rugged Hoosier Crossroads foes … mired in third straight losing season … offense averaging 36.5 points … lost eight straight games at one point … team leaders: sophomore Lily Graves, 14.8 point, 5.5 rebounds; junior Carys Wilson, 10.0 points; senior Mattie Finney, 2.7 assists; and soph Emma McVey, 1.7 steals … close regular season Friday at Fishers … rematch against Perry Meridian Feb. 1, Flashes won earlier, 56-44.
PERRY MERIDIAN (3-15) – lean second-season for coach Amanda Davidson … opened season with 10 straight defeats … won two of last three games … scoring only 38.7 points, allowing 51.4 points …young team with only two seniors, 5-8 Maya Mundy and 5-5 Reagan Rhea … Mundy leads with 13.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 2.5 steals … Mundy leads all 4A teams in free throws made … some help comes from junior Izzy Egan 7.4 points, 5.4 rebounds … Shortridge visits Thursday to close regular season … meets Franklin Central in first game Feb. 1.
RONCALLI (16-4)– Slow start (3-2) under second-year coach Jason Sims … improved steadily … 13 wins in 15 games since then … Royals downed Chatard, 56-43 to go 5-0 for Circle City title for fourth season and 20-0 league record … Claire Lindsey led with 28 points against Chatard … seniors Sydney Horton, Josie Origer, Jordan Hendricks, and Anna Dressman never lost a league game in their four years … points come from Horton (12.8) and juniors Lindsey (12.0) and Taylor Turk (8.2) … Lindsey leads in rebounds (4.3), assists (3.4), and steals (1.7) … quality wins against Pike, Heritage Christian, Ben Davis, and New Palestine … host Columbus North Thursday … Royals meet Decatur Central on Feb. 1.
SOUTHPORT (10-10) – Cardinals went above .500 with back-to-back wins against Speedway and Beech Grove … fell Saturday to host New Palestine in thriller, 58-56 … averaging 47.9 points on offense … put together four-game win streak earlier … sixth-year coach Adam Morelock won dozen games in 2019-20 … Cardinals lost asst. coach Chris Quinn to 15-month cancer battle on Dec. 7 … won seven straight games after Quinn’s funeral … Mike Gehlert became interim asst. coach … top trio: soph Kassie McMasters, 14.2 points, and seniors Cece Mitchell, 12.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, and Lela Scott, 9.2 points, 7.2 rebounds. 3.1 assists … close out regular season Thursday against Greenfield … meets favored Ben Davis in opener Tuesday.
AT BLOOMINGTON SOUTH (4A)
CENTER GROVE (17-4) – First season as independent after leaving MIC … recovered from slow 4-4 start … sixth-year coach Kevin Stuckmeyer won 100th game at home against Avon … won own Carol Tumey Invitational against Linton-Stockton and Jeffersonville … 14 straight wins (played at Greenwood Tuesday, too late for deadline) … latest win against 3A power Heritage Christian, 55-33, led by junior Audrey Annee’s 20 points … team leaders: Annee (13.2 points), 6-3 junior Rachel Wirts (5.3 rebounds), senior Ella Hobson (3.8 assists, 1.7 steals) … faces Greenwood Tuesday.
GREENWOOD (8-12) – Second-best campaign in last five seasons … competitiveness on rise with fifth-year coach Justin Bennett … scoring 37.9 points, giving up 40.9 points … five wins by nine or less points … snapped five-game losing skid Friday by defeating Decatur Central, 41-38 … senior Lilly Howe (9.0 points, 3.3 steals) sparks team with classmates Emily Metzger (8.0 points) and Ella Stivers (7.8 points, 6.0 rebounds) … host Perry Meridian in season finale Friday … meets rival Center Grove Tuesday.
AT SHELBYVILLE (4A)
WHITELAND (12-8) – Second-year coach Kellie Kirkhoff and Warriors doubled number of wins from last season … won five games in row since Jan. 6 … offense improved to 54.8 points per game … challenged for Mid-State title … fell to league leader Franklin 51-32 Saturday after trailing only 18-17 at the half … inside-outside punch with freshman Carly Vondielingen (8.1 points, 7.3 rebounds) and junior Gwen Higdon (13.7 points) … soph Sukhman Bain has 3.4 assists … program’s only sectional title goes back to 2007 … lost opening sectional game five straight times … close regular season Friday at Mooresville … drew a bye but faces favorites Franklin or Columbus North in semi round Feb. 3.
AT SPEEDWAY (3A)
BEECH GROVE (9-10) - Hornets continue to improve under second-year coach Amy Selk ... four wins last year, only 26.8 points per game … this season, nine wins and 36.3 points … sophomore Mylee Boling put up her 11th double-double of season, 19 points, 13 rebounds, in loss to 4A Southport … Boling leads team in points (15.5 per game), rebounds (11.5), steals (3.1), and assists (1.2) … must find more support … senior Kylie Challis (3.7 points) and soph Emma Micks (3.5 points) help out … Challis and Ilysis Simmons (3.5 rebounds) only seniors … key wins against Perry Meridian and Scecina … lost five of last six games … finish regular season Thursday at Triton Central … rematch with Speedway Feb. 1, Plugs won 52-28 earlier.
CHRISTEL HOUSE MANUAL (0-18) – Combo Eagles winless … closest to winning game in 3-point loss at Victory College Prep, 31-28 … lack firepower on offense, averaging only 16.8 points, allowing 52.0 points … host Mooresville Christian in regular season finale Thursday ... faces Washington Tuesday.
AT EMINENCE (1A)
GREENWOOD CHRISTIAN (3-16) – Rough first season after end of coach Alan Weems (146-105, 11 seasons) era … new coach Tiffany Smith-Clements won opener against Riverside … second win against Phalen Academy … snapped nine-game skid Saturday in OT against visiting Herron, 32-28 … young team with lone senior Adeline Jolley … on road at Southwestern Thursday and Ritter Saturday … faces Tindley in Eminence Sectional opener Tuesday.
LUTHERAN (5-14) – Enjoyed three-game win streak before six-game losing skid … veteran coach Kathy Anderson has young team, only one senior Cora Deane … juniors Caitlyn Brooks (15.9 points, 3.7 steals, and 2.7 assists) and Grace King (13.8 points and 8.6 rebounds) lead Saints … defeated rival GCA, 56-51 Jan. 7 … close regular campaign Thursday against Morristown … Saints meet sectional host and favored Eels in Feb. 3 opener.
Info and complete pairings: www.ihsaa.org
Editor
The 48th annual girls basketball state tournament begins Tuesday, Jan. 31 with six Southside teams in action on opening night.
Only four Southside teams – Decatur Central, Roncalli, Center Grove, and Whiteland – have winning records. All teams complete their regular season play this week.
Five Southside teams are joined by Pike and favored Ben Davis from the westside in the sectional at historic Southport Fieldhouse. Roncalli is in the opposite bracket.
Center Grove and Greenwood are just a few miles apart but travel to the Bloomington South Sectional to meet in the Tuesday nightcap. The winner would meet Bloomington North in a semifinal game Feb. 3. The 4A No. 12 Trojans are favored.
Whiteland journeys to the Shelbyville Sectional to meet the Franklin-Columbus North winner on Feb. 3. The Grizzly Cubs are favored.
In 3A, Beech Grove opens the Speedway Sectional Tuesday against the host Sparkplugs. Only one team, favored Purdue Polytechnic, has a winning record among the six teams.
In Class A, Greenwood Christian meets Tindley Tuesday, and Lutheran faces host and favored Eminence, the only team there with a winning record, Feb. 3.
All semifinal games are Friday, Feb. 3 with championship games Saturday night, Feb. 4.
Admission is $7 per session; $15 all sessions with children 5 years and under, free. High school pep bands are allowed.
Here’s the Southside team preview with MaxPreps statistics:
AT SOUTHPORT (4A)
DECATUR CENTRAL (12-7) – Hawks matching 12 wins of 2019-2020 campaign … 16 wins combined in last two seasons … opened season with four-game win streak with first-year coach Nic Carothers … won holiday tourney at Speedway … recently had five-game win streak snapped by Danville … points production comes from freshman Kamrah Banks, 17.5 points; soph Soriah Gouard, 12.2 points; and freshman Naja Winston, 9.8 points, 8.4 rebounds, 4.2 steals, 4.2 assists … finish regular season Saturday against visiting Plainfield … face Roncalli on Feb. 1.
FRANKLIN CENTRAL (5-15) winless against rugged Hoosier Crossroads foes … mired in third straight losing season … offense averaging 36.5 points … lost eight straight games at one point … team leaders: sophomore Lily Graves, 14.8 point, 5.5 rebounds; junior Carys Wilson, 10.0 points; senior Mattie Finney, 2.7 assists; and soph Emma McVey, 1.7 steals … close regular season Friday at Fishers … rematch against Perry Meridian Feb. 1, Flashes won earlier, 56-44.
PERRY MERIDIAN (3-15) – lean second-season for coach Amanda Davidson … opened season with 10 straight defeats … won two of last three games … scoring only 38.7 points, allowing 51.4 points …young team with only two seniors, 5-8 Maya Mundy and 5-5 Reagan Rhea … Mundy leads with 13.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 2.5 steals … Mundy leads all 4A teams in free throws made … some help comes from junior Izzy Egan 7.4 points, 5.4 rebounds … Shortridge visits Thursday to close regular season … meets Franklin Central in first game Feb. 1.
RONCALLI (16-4)– Slow start (3-2) under second-year coach Jason Sims … improved steadily … 13 wins in 15 games since then … Royals downed Chatard, 56-43 to go 5-0 for Circle City title for fourth season and 20-0 league record … Claire Lindsey led with 28 points against Chatard … seniors Sydney Horton, Josie Origer, Jordan Hendricks, and Anna Dressman never lost a league game in their four years … points come from Horton (12.8) and juniors Lindsey (12.0) and Taylor Turk (8.2) … Lindsey leads in rebounds (4.3), assists (3.4), and steals (1.7) … quality wins against Pike, Heritage Christian, Ben Davis, and New Palestine … host Columbus North Thursday … Royals meet Decatur Central on Feb. 1.
SOUTHPORT (10-10) – Cardinals went above .500 with back-to-back wins against Speedway and Beech Grove … fell Saturday to host New Palestine in thriller, 58-56 … averaging 47.9 points on offense … put together four-game win streak earlier … sixth-year coach Adam Morelock won dozen games in 2019-20 … Cardinals lost asst. coach Chris Quinn to 15-month cancer battle on Dec. 7 … won seven straight games after Quinn’s funeral … Mike Gehlert became interim asst. coach … top trio: soph Kassie McMasters, 14.2 points, and seniors Cece Mitchell, 12.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, and Lela Scott, 9.2 points, 7.2 rebounds. 3.1 assists … close out regular season Thursday against Greenfield … meets favored Ben Davis in opener Tuesday.
AT BLOOMINGTON SOUTH (4A)
CENTER GROVE (17-4) – First season as independent after leaving MIC … recovered from slow 4-4 start … sixth-year coach Kevin Stuckmeyer won 100th game at home against Avon … won own Carol Tumey Invitational against Linton-Stockton and Jeffersonville … 14 straight wins (played at Greenwood Tuesday, too late for deadline) … latest win against 3A power Heritage Christian, 55-33, led by junior Audrey Annee’s 20 points … team leaders: Annee (13.2 points), 6-3 junior Rachel Wirts (5.3 rebounds), senior Ella Hobson (3.8 assists, 1.7 steals) … faces Greenwood Tuesday.
GREENWOOD (8-12) – Second-best campaign in last five seasons … competitiveness on rise with fifth-year coach Justin Bennett … scoring 37.9 points, giving up 40.9 points … five wins by nine or less points … snapped five-game losing skid Friday by defeating Decatur Central, 41-38 … senior Lilly Howe (9.0 points, 3.3 steals) sparks team with classmates Emily Metzger (8.0 points) and Ella Stivers (7.8 points, 6.0 rebounds) … host Perry Meridian in season finale Friday … meets rival Center Grove Tuesday.
AT SHELBYVILLE (4A)
WHITELAND (12-8) – Second-year coach Kellie Kirkhoff and Warriors doubled number of wins from last season … won five games in row since Jan. 6 … offense improved to 54.8 points per game … challenged for Mid-State title … fell to league leader Franklin 51-32 Saturday after trailing only 18-17 at the half … inside-outside punch with freshman Carly Vondielingen (8.1 points, 7.3 rebounds) and junior Gwen Higdon (13.7 points) … soph Sukhman Bain has 3.4 assists … program’s only sectional title goes back to 2007 … lost opening sectional game five straight times … close regular season Friday at Mooresville … drew a bye but faces favorites Franklin or Columbus North in semi round Feb. 3.
AT SPEEDWAY (3A)
BEECH GROVE (9-10) - Hornets continue to improve under second-year coach Amy Selk ... four wins last year, only 26.8 points per game … this season, nine wins and 36.3 points … sophomore Mylee Boling put up her 11th double-double of season, 19 points, 13 rebounds, in loss to 4A Southport … Boling leads team in points (15.5 per game), rebounds (11.5), steals (3.1), and assists (1.2) … must find more support … senior Kylie Challis (3.7 points) and soph Emma Micks (3.5 points) help out … Challis and Ilysis Simmons (3.5 rebounds) only seniors … key wins against Perry Meridian and Scecina … lost five of last six games … finish regular season Thursday at Triton Central … rematch with Speedway Feb. 1, Plugs won 52-28 earlier.
CHRISTEL HOUSE MANUAL (0-18) – Combo Eagles winless … closest to winning game in 3-point loss at Victory College Prep, 31-28 … lack firepower on offense, averaging only 16.8 points, allowing 52.0 points … host Mooresville Christian in regular season finale Thursday ... faces Washington Tuesday.
AT EMINENCE (1A)
GREENWOOD CHRISTIAN (3-16) – Rough first season after end of coach Alan Weems (146-105, 11 seasons) era … new coach Tiffany Smith-Clements won opener against Riverside … second win against Phalen Academy … snapped nine-game skid Saturday in OT against visiting Herron, 32-28 … young team with lone senior Adeline Jolley … on road at Southwestern Thursday and Ritter Saturday … faces Tindley in Eminence Sectional opener Tuesday.
LUTHERAN (5-14) – Enjoyed three-game win streak before six-game losing skid … veteran coach Kathy Anderson has young team, only one senior Cora Deane … juniors Caitlyn Brooks (15.9 points, 3.7 steals, and 2.7 assists) and Grace King (13.8 points and 8.6 rebounds) lead Saints … defeated rival GCA, 56-51 Jan. 7 … close regular campaign Thursday against Morristown … Saints meet sectional host and favored Eels in Feb. 3 opener.
Info and complete pairings: www.ihsaa.org
RSS Feed