Here are the IHSAA high school girls basketball sectional pairings for SW Indiana
We are now one step closer to Hoosier Hysteria.
The Indiana High School Athletic Association announced the high school girls basketball sectional pairings via its blind draw on Sunday. The state tournament begins the week of Jan. 29 and culminates on Feb. 24 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
What is the takeaway for teams in Southwestern Indiana? Let's dive in.
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Sectional 16 is arguably the deepest field in the area with five top-80 teams. It’s no surprise the bracket should yield multiple quality games. Central vs. Jasper might be the top first-round game around Evansville. The winner getting Castle makes that semifinal also circled on the calendar.
Reitz is a big winner here with a bye on the opposite side. A likely semifinal matchup with North, paired with the Castle vs. Central or Jasper, could make for an entertaining Friday at Harrison.
The Southridge-Washington-Princeton trio in Sectional 31 could be among the toughest brackets in the area. The No. 11 Hatchets are still the favorite, but the path for any of the three became tougher. The biggest winner here? Heritage Hills, if it can defeat Vincennes Lincoln in the opener.
Sectional 32 creates a potential No. 7 Gibson Southern vs. No. 8 Memorial showdown in the semifinal. Mater Dei stands in the way with a first-round matchup against the host Titans. The biggest winner from this draw is Boonville with a semifinal bye.
The Friday night session in Sectional 47 likely sold out instantly based on this draw. No. 1 North Knox and No. 2 South Knox on the same side of the bracket with a likely semifinal matchup? That not only has sectional but state tournament implications. North Knox-Sullivan is a good first-round game, but it was a 34-point win by the Warriors on Wednesday.
Crawford County is the favorite in Sectional 48 and its spot on the bottom half of the bracket helps a number of teams. South Spencer, Tell City or two-time defending state champion Forest Park could now earn momentum with a run to the final.
Sectional 64 also produced arguably a championship matchup in the first round. Wood Memorial and Tecumseh, the two highest-rated teams in the field, meet opening night with Northeast Dubois benefitting on the other side.
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Central vs Jasper (4A): This might be at the top. The Bears are the defending sectional champions with the potential Southern Indiana Athletic Conference Player of the Year in Maddy Shirley. Don't sleep on the Wildcats though. Jasper has won 16 games in Brittany Maners' second season.
Heritage Hills vs Vincennes Lincoln (3A): The Patriots are flying under the radar despite owning 16 victories. Vincennes might have the top player in this game with senior Ari Gerkin. The winner is the favorite to reach the final.
North Knox vs Sullivan (2A): Although it wasn't close when these teams met last week, Sullivan is the fourth-highest rated team in the field. North Knox has the look of a state-championship contender, if it survives sectional week with rival South Knox looming.
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Forest Park vs South Spencer (2A): Two different teams compared to a year ago but a rematch of last year's championship. South Spencer has won three of its last four including a nine-point victory over Forest Park.
Tecumseh vs Wood Memorial (1A): This might be the championship based on Sagarin Ratings. The Braves won the regular season matchup, but it took place way back on Nov. 14.
IHSAA girls basketball sectional pairings
Class 4A at Harrison
Game 1: Harrison vs. North
Game 2: Central vs. Jasper
Game 3: Reitz vs. Game 1 winner
Game 4: Castle vs. Game 2 winner
Game 5: Championship
Class 3A at Southridge
Game 1: Southridge vs. Washington
Game 2: Heritage Hills vs. Vincennes Lincoln
Game 3: Princeton vs. Game 1 winner
Game 4: Pike Central vs. Game 2 winner
Game 5: Championship
Class 3A at Gibson Southern
Game 1: Mount Vernon vs. Bosse
Game 2: Mater Dei vs. Gibson Southern
Game 3: Boonville vs. Game 1 winner
Game 4: Memorial vs. Game 2 winner
Game 5: Championship
Class 2A at North Knox
Game 1: Mitchell vs. Paoli
Game 2: Linton-Stockton vs. North Daviess
Game 3: North Knox vs. Sullivan
Game 4: Eastern Greene vs. South Knox
Game 5: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner
Game 6: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner
Game 7: Championship
Class 2A at South Spencer
Game 1: Forest Park vs. South Spencer
Game 2: Crawford County vs. North Posey
Game 3: Tell City vs. Game 1 winner
Game 4: Perry Central vs. Game 2 winner
Game 5: Championship
Class 1A at Barr-Reeve
Game 1: Washington Catholic vs. Vincennes Rivet
Game 2: Loogootee vs. Barr-Reeve
Game 3: Springs Valley vs. Shoals
Game 4: Orleans vs. Game 1 winner
Game 5: Game 2 winner vs. Game 3 winner
Game 6: Championship
Class 1A at Wood Memorial
Game 1: Tecumseh vs. Wood Memorial
Game 2: Evansville Christian vs. Northeast Dubois
Game 3: Cannelton vs. Game 1 winner
Game 4: Championship
This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: IHSAA girls basketball: Sectional pairings for the Evansville area
