IHSAA basketball state tournament: Ranking the top 10 regional games this weekend

Let’s count down the top-10 IHSAA basketball regional games for this week (and five more below, for good measure):

No. 10: Sullivan (21-5) vs. Brownstown Central (24-4)

Class 2A Washington regional, 4 p.m.

Can anyone touch top-ranked Brownstown Central in Class 2A?

Sullivan will take its best shot after winning a tough sectional at Paoli with wins over Paoli, Linton-Stockton and South Knox, teams with a combined 47 wins between them. The Golden Arrows are a balanced team, led by sophomore Cooper Bock (12.5 ppg, 5.6 rebounds) and seniors Marcus Roshel (11.1 ppg) and Javyn Woodard (10.0 ppg, 3.8 assists).

Brownstown Central senior and Purdue commit Jack Benter went for 32 points, 11 rebounds and three assists in a 53-37 win over No. 4 Providence in the sectional championship. The Braves can keep teams honest with senior guard Parker Hehman, junior Colby Hall and junior Chace Coomer.

No. 9: Bethesda Christian (20-7) vs. Clay City (21-5)

Class A Washington regional, 1 p.m.

Bethesda Christian’s Sam Mlagan (16.3 ppg) and Luke Douglas (13.6 ppg) led the No. 8 Patriots into the regional for a second consecutive year. Bethesda came up two points short last year in the regional against Jac-Cen-Del.

Fifth-ranked Clay City is led by juniors Ethan Edwards, Zain Keller and Michael Tucker. The Eels are a sectional champion for the first time since 2015.

No. 8: Guerin Catholic (20-7) vs. Indianapolis Washington (14-12)

Class 3A Greenfield-Central regional, 4 p.m.

Guerin was the state runner-up a year ago and survived one of the wildest finishes you will ever see with a 75-74 double-overtime victory over Brebeuf Jesuit in Sectional 27. The Golden Eagles are led by senior Robert Sorensen (16.7 ppg, 4.5 rebounds), junior Bryson Cardinal (13.1 ppg, 7.9 rebounds) and senior Dylan Murans (10.0 ppg, 3.1 rebounds).

Washington is the underdog here, but did play Guerin close for a half in early February in an eventual 60-39 loss. The Continentals are riding high as sectional champions for the first time since 1995. Washington is a balanced group led by senior Dave Leye (11.7 ppg, 2.6 rebounds) and 6-11 senior Clem Butler (9.1 ppg, 7.9 rebounds, 1.8 blocked shots).

'Hard to believe that was me.' He hadn't played all game. Then made a play we won't forget.

No. 7: Evansville Bosse (14-10) vs. Southridge (19-6)

Class 3A Southridge regional, 1 p.m.

Bosse got through the sectional for the second time in three years, beating Evansville Memorial 72-63 in the championship game. Senior guard Taray Howell (20.6 ppg, 4.1 assists, 2.9 steals, 2.8 rebounds) rose to the occasion to lead coach Shane Burkhart’s Bulldogs. Bosse started the season 3-7 against a tough schedule.

First-year coach Southridge coach Ryan Haywood, after tenures at Princeton and Loogootee, is looking to lead the Raiders to their second regional championship in the class basketball era (the other was in 2021).  Southridge has just one senior. Juniors Tate Whiteland and Brock Thacker each had 18 points in the Raiders’ 53-43 win over Princeton for the sectional title.

No. 6: Avon (15-10) vs. Lawrence North (24-3)

Class 4A Greenfield-Central regional, 7 p.m.

Hard to know what to expect in this game.

Avon has struggled to score at times against top competition and shoots at just a 31.1% rate from the 3-point line. The Orioles are athletic, though, and this experience should be beneficial for a team that returns largely intact next season. Sophomore Jedidiah Minnett (13.0 ppg) and juniors DeAndre Lott-Hancock (10.7 ppg, 7.2 rebounds), Kendrick Dunmore (8.8 ppg, 7.0 rebounds) and Rashod Bentley (8.1 ppg) are the top offensive players for Avon.

Lawrence North is coming off an impressive run through Sectional 10 with wins over North Central, Crispus Attucks and Cathedral, rallying from behind in the latter two games to win the program’s first sectional title in three years. Junior guard Azavier Robinson (19.5 ppg, 4.6 rebounds, 3.4 assists) and senior Kobi Bowles (11.2 ppg, 2.9 assists) lead the backcourt with sophomores Kai McGrew (10.8 ppg, 7.0 rebounds) and Brennan Miller (9.6 ppg, 9.2 rebounds) up front.

This is just Avon’s fourth sectional title in program history.

No. 5: Jeffersonville (18-7) vs. Evansville Harrison (20-4)

Class 4A Southridge regional, 4 p.m.

These teams met during the season, a 49-46 Jeffersonville win on Dec. 16. Coach Sherron Wilkerson’s Red Devils might be a year ahead of schedule with juniors Michael Cooper (16.3 ppg, 4.6 rebounds), PJ Douglas (14.1 ppg, 5.9 rebounds) and Tre Singleton (14.0 ppg, 6.8 rebounds) as leading scorers.

Hard to believe, but Jeffersonville has not won a regional since 2013. The Red Devils lost to Bloomington South in the first game of the regional in 2019 and ’21.

Evansville Harrison is a sectional champ for the first time since 2013. Senior Malachi McNair (18.2 ppg, 10.7 rebounds) is a double-double machine and juniors Shane Sims (15.3 ppg, 5.5 assists) and Jay Summitt (10.5 ppg, 4.6 assists) can also score.

No. 4: Franklin (18-4) vs. Center Grove (20-4)

Class 4A Southport regional, 7 p.m.

Franklin knocked off Center Grove 65-64 in overtime way back at the end of November and would have met again in January, but Whiteland upset the Grizzly Cubs in the Johnson County tournament.

Center Grove has not lost in 2024, taking a 14-game winning streak into the game. The senior-laden Trojans are one of the best shooting teams in the state, hitting at a 47% clip from the 3-point line. A big reason for that is senior Joey Schmitz (17.1 ppg, 54% 3-pointers). Seniors Will Spellman (10.5 ppg, 6.0 rebounds) and Jalen Bundy (10.5 ppg, 5.2 assists) are other top scorers for Center Grove.

Franklin is led by senior and Eastern Kentucky commit Micah Davis (25.3 ppg, 4.5 assists). Senior Wyatt Nickleson (10.8 ppg) and junior Kolt Nelson (8.8 ppg, 6.1 rebounds) are other key players for coach Adrian Moss.

No. 3: New Palestine (22-5) vs. Ben Davis (20-5)

Class 4A Southport regional, 4 p.m.

The last time these programs met was in the 2019 regional championship (the two-game regional), a 63-57 Ben Davis’ win. That game featured a Windham (Jalen) vs. Gizzi (Maximus), though it was Dawand Jones that led the Giants with 24 points.

This game will also feature Windham (K.J.) vs. Gizzi (Julius). Windham, a senior Northwestern recruit, is averaging 16.3 points and shooting 42.3% from the 3-point line. Junior Mark Zackery (10.3 ppg, 3.8 assists) and junior Mark White (8.5 ppg, 2.8 rebounds) are also key players for the defending state champions.

New Palestine emerged from the tough Sectional 9 field at Greenfield-Central with victories over Mt. Vernon, Pendleton Heights and the host Cougars. The Dragons are led by the junior Gizzi (28.9 ppg, 8.1 rebounds) and juniors Moses Haynes (11.2 ppg, 6.8 assists) and Ben Slagley (9.5 ppg, 6.7 rebounds). New Palestine has 11 sectional championships but has never won a regional title.

No. 2: Wapahani (23-2) vs. Tipton (24-2)

Class 2A Lapel regional, 1 p.m.

This one will be fun. No. 2 (Wapahani) vs. No. 3 (Tipton) in what is certain to be a packed house in front of two tradition-rich programs with rabid fan bases.

Wapahani’s only two losses this season came to Class 3A Yorktown and Delta. The Raiders were not tested in winning a second consecutive sectional title, defeating Lapel, Wes-Del and Monroe Central by an average of 23.3 points per game. Senior Isaac Andrews (24.9 ppg, 6.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists) and sophomore Camden Bell (12.6 ppg, 3.8 rebounds) lead Wapahani, which is shooting 40.4% from the 3-point line as a team.

Tipton may add to program's legacy: 'Amazed every day at the things they can do.'

Tipton, looking for its first regional title since 2013, can also shoot it from deep. Coach Cliff Hawkins’ Blue Devils are led by senior Nolan Swan (19.7 ppg, 3.9 assists, 3.1 steals), junior Grady Carpenter (18.0 ppg, 8.2 assists, 7.5 rebounds) and senior Jackson Money (12.9 ppg, 3.0 rebounds). Tipton shoots 38% from the 3-point line, led by Swan at 42.3%.

Mike Crawford’s Tipton team in 2013 beat Wapahani 60-58 in the regional championship before falling to Bowman Academy the next week by three points in the semistate.

No. 1: Kokomo (25-3) vs. Fishers (25-1)

Class 4A New Castle regional, 4 p.m.

Top-ranked Fishers goes from the frying pan (The Mill for Sectional 8 at Noblesville) to the fire (New Castle Fieldhouse). Tickets are going fast for this matchup, which will not likely resemble Fishers’ 22-point win over the fourth-ranked Wildkats back in early December at Southport Fieldhouse for the FORUM Tipoff classic.

McDonald’s All American and Kansas recruit Flory Bidunga scored just four points in that game and took three shots in the first meeting. That is unlikely to happen again. The 6-9 Bidunga (18.9 ppg, 13.1 rebounds, 4.4 blocked shots) and 6-6 Karson Rogers (18.3 ppg, 8.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists) are capable of dominating a game up front for Kokomo, which has won 16 consecutive games.

Fishers’ strength, among many things, is its balance. Senior Keenan Garner (16.6 ppg, 7.9 rebounds, 3.8 assists) leads in scoring, rebounds and is second in assists, but the Tigers proved during its run to the sectional title that it can go nine deep, getting major contributions at some point from all of its regulars.

The Tigers had 21 assists in the previous meeting, including eight from freshman Cooper Zachary (along with 13 points). I expect this one will be much closer. And louder.

Five more …

Hammond Noll (20-7) vs. Fairfield (19-6), Class 3A Triton regional, 7 p.m.

Seton Catholic (19-7) vs. Liberty Christian (16-9), Class A New Castle regional, 1 p.m.

Wabash (20-5) vs. Westview (20-5), Class 2A Triton regional, 4 p.m.

Christian Academy (22-4) vs. Barr-Reeve (23-2), Class A Loogootee regional, 1 p.m.

Delta (21-6) vs. Fort Wayne Concordia (14-12), Class 3A Lapel regional, 4 p.m.

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

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana basketball state tournament: Top 10 regional games Saturday