Class A boys basketball preview: Lutheran defending state champs, Greenwood Christian loaded

Here is a look at the local Class A boys basketball sectional fields (teams ranked in order of finish, by sectional):

Defending state champion: Lutheran

Local sectional winners in 2022-23: Bethesda Christian, Lutheran

Sectional 58

Bethesda Christian (21-5) – Fourth-year coach Jon Grubaums loses his top two defenders but does bring back his top scorers in 6-2 seniors Sam Mlagan (16.9 ppg, 4.6 rebounds) and Luke Douglas (11.6 ppg, 4.0 rebounds, 1.5 steals). Other projected starters are 6-2 senior Isaac Mlagan (4.8 ppg), 6-7 senior Cooper Jackson and 6-2 senior BJ Johnson (1.9 ppg). Others in the mix for playing time are 6-foot guard Dion Payne, 6-2 junior Steven Tierney and 6-1 junior Kam Hines. The Patriots are the defending sectional champions, falling by two points to Jac-Cen-Del in the regional.

Metropolitan (9-15) – Lee Jackson goes into his eighth season as coach with an almost entirely new team. Projected starters are seniors Wesley St. Juste and John Shaffe and juniors Bruce Odom, Jason Powel and Jeremiah Atobatele.

Traders Point Christian (18-7) – All of the starting lineup is gone and the Knights have a new coach, Brendon Saget, who is excited about a young lineup of hungry players. Projected starters are 6-2 junior Andrew Hensley (Bethesda Christian transfer), 5-9 sophomore Kameron Reese, 5-8 freshman Josh Dafler, 6-2 freshman Gage Fisher and 5-8 freshman Quentin Jones. Coming off the bench will be junior guard Alexander Krygier and freshman Carson Mongeau.

Indiana Deaf (8-16) – Rusty Crace, who previously coached Indiana Deaf for 11 seasons in two separate stints, takes over a program that will be return seniors Dylan Puent (16.6 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.6 steals in five games), Jayden DeFalco (10.8 ppg, 2.4 rebounds) and Jamiroquai Pickney (4.4 ppg, 4.2 rebounds) and sophomore Matthew Saaty (5.3 ppg, 1.9 steals).

International (4-15) – The Gryphons return several key players, including seniors Philip Randolph (17.7 ppg, 6.7 rebounds, 3.5 steals, 3.1 assists), Nikhil Vyas (7.0 ppg, 1.7 assists) and Preston Slate (5.5 ppg, 3.2 rebounds), junior Sai Klobusnik and sophomore Michael Kreutz (3.2 ppg, 3.2 rebounds).

Indiana Math & Science (14-11) – New coach Michael Davis takes over a program that had some major defections but will return 6-3 junior Jasaum Sowell, 6-2 senior Jeremiah Oliver and 6-1 sophomore Kyven Smith.

MTI School of Knowledge (no record) – Coach Kenneth Martin leads a program that will be eligible for sectional play for the first time.

Sectional 59

Lutheran (20-7) – Coach Remus Woods led the Saints to a state championship last season, knocking off Greenwood Christian, Bloomfield and Loogootee in close games along the way. Projected starters are 5-10 junior LJ Ward (13.2 ppg, 4.0 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 3.8 steals), 6-3 junior Cayden Loescher (9.3 ppg, 3.8 rebounds, 3.3 assists), 5-10 junior Boss Jones (2.8 ppg, 2.4 assists), 6-6 junior RaiShaun McHaney (1.3 ppg, 2.1 rebounds) and 6-4 junior Reece Koomler. Adding depth will be 5-10 senior Isreal Bower, 6-1 senior Cole Hess, senior Armari Middlebrooks, sophomore TJ Clark, 6-foot sophomore Paire Loving and 6-foot senior Lee Demmings.

Greenwood Christian (19-7) – Jackson Williams goes into his third season as coach with four of his top seven players coming back. The starting lineup will be 6-2 senior Max Booher (15.4 ppg, 2.5 rebounds), 6-1 junior Evan McIntire (8.7 ppg, 2.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists), 5-10 senior Jordan Taulman (4.2 ppg, 2.1 rebounds, 1.2 assists), 5-11 junior Noah Reed (3.5 ppg, 4.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists) and 5-10 junior Ben Comerford, who is moving up from the junior varsity. Others in the mix are 6-7 senior Reid Smith and 5-9 guard Alieu Ceesay, a transfer.

Tindley (11-14) – Fifth-year coach Omar Dillard loses his top five scorers, but does have some talent in in a mix of classes. The projected starting lineup is 6-foot senior Damon Van Horn (13.9 ppg, 3.5 rebounds last year at Thrival Indy Academy), 6-2 senior Adonis Warfield (2.6 ppg, 2.0 rebounds), 6-6 freshman Kenneth Lampley, 6-6 senior Deon Richmond (6.0 ppg, 4.0 rebounds) and 6-7 junior Henri Maye (2.0 ppg, 2.4 rebounds). Others in the mix for playing time are 5-11 senior Macky Robinson (2.1 ppg), 6-1 junior Jett Turner (3.0 ppg) and 5-11 freshman Corde’ White.

Providence Cristo Rey (6-17) – Players to watch for coach Scott Miller, who coached Scecina for four seasons from 2018-22, are juniors Javion Newell and Andrew Murphy and sophomore Tavian Jasean. The Wolves were winless in 2021-22 prior to winning six games last season.

Central Christian – Central Christian gets back to playing a full schedule after not playing in the sectional tournament last year.

Eminence (3-19) – New coach Drew Dorsett takes over a program that graduated almost all of its players. The Eels have just three wins over the past two seasons.

Victory College Prep (3-19) – The Firehawks have won just six games over the past three seasons.

Sectional 60

Jac-Cen-Del (18-10)

South Decatur (13-12)

Edinburgh (13-10) – Devin Burton, who played at Edinburgh and previously coached on the staff, takes over as coach. The Lancers took some hits to graduation but will return 5-9 junior Connor Ramey (11.7 ppg, 4.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists), 6-foot senior Austin Brockman (5.1 ppg, 1.3 rebounds) and 6-1 junior Jackson Hartwell (3.4 ppg, 3.2 rebounds).

Waldron (12-12) – New coach Dave Corder is back in his home state after 36 years in Florida and South Carolina. He will look to 5-9 junior Parker Douglas (2.1 ppg), 5-11 senior Jacob Lindsey (3.2 ppg, 1.4 rebounds), 6-3 junior Lucas Shaw (6.6 ppg, 3.3 rebounds), 6-2 senior Sam Jones and 6-7 senior Keith Settles (4.4 ppg, 3.7 rebounds) to lead. Others in the mix for playing time are 6-1 senior Jacob Bennett (2.5 ppg), 6-2 junior Max Jones (3.5 ppg, 2.6 rebounds), 5-9 junior Jack Fischer, 6-1 junior Will Larrison, 6-4 junior Ray Wagner and 6-foot junior Clayton Randolph.

Morristown (1-22) – Cory Kreiger, in his second year as coach, expects improvement from the Yellow Jackets with seven lettermen returning and some newcomers. The starting lineup will likely be made up of 5-9 freshman Kellen Crim, 5-9 junior Jacob Hawk (1.5 ppg, 1.1 assists), 5-9 senior Mathew Carlton (5.6 ppg, 1.7 rebounds), 6-3 junior Colin Kieninger (6.9 ppg, 4.7 rebounds) and 6-3 senior Cade Mahin (8.1 ppg, 4.7 rebounds). Also in the mix are 6-2 sophomore Owen Rinzel, 5-10 junior Brayden Keithley, 6-1 sophomore Dalton McMichael, 5-9 senior Kane Snyder and 6-1 senior Boston Merritt.

Southwestern of Shelbyville (4-19) – Chris Ingels goes into his second season as coach with several key players returning, including senior Carter Snepp and junior Ben Kahler.

Oldenburg Academy (7-16)

Call Star reporter Kyle Neddenriep at (317) 444-6649.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Class A boys basketball preview: Central Indiana teams, players to watch