Ihsaa Boys Sectional Draw 2018
EVANSVILLE – The path to Indianapolis has been laid out.
Boys basketball teams around the state hunkered around televisions and laptops to see who they would face first in the state tournament. The Indiana High School Athletic Association announced the sectional draws Sunday afternoon.
The state athletic association still uses a blind draw to determine the initial matchups in its crown jewel tournament. And a few teams did get the short stick.
Let's start in Class 3A at Boonville where everyone was worried about a first-round matchup between Bosse and Memorial. Although that (fortunately) did not happen, one of those teams in this loaded sectional got blessed.
The Bulldogs (17-4, ranked No. 4) avoid the rest of the top squads in the bracket until the finals. The defending sectional champions face USI recruit Glen Rouch and Boonville (5-15) in the first round. The winner plays Mount Vernon (1-22) in the semifinal.
But Bosse can't overlook anyone. One off night and -- poof -- the season would be over.
"You have to win two games to get to the championship game," said Bosse coach Shane Burkhart. "Whoever is in front of you is the people that you have to take care of. The sectional is a great time of year but starts on a Tuesday and doesn't end until Saturday night at around 8:30 p.m.
"In order to get to that Saturday night game, you have to take care of a lot of stuff."
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If we're being honest, someone in Sectional 32 was bound to be unhappy with the draw. Heritage Hills (19-2) perhaps has the most right to that claim with a first-round date against Memorial (16-4, ranked No. 5).
The Tigers defeated the Patriots 71-69 on Dec. 22, but both teams have been on a roll in the second half of the season. Heritage Hills clinched a share of the Pocket Athletic Conference title, while Memorial could do the same in the Southern Indiana Athletic Conference on Tuesday.
Gibson Southern (11-9) drew the bye and faces the winner. Bosse was the favorite coming into the year and most likely remains so after the draw.
"For us, it is what it is," said Burkhart. "We have had that target on our back all year long. We have played a tremendous schedule to prepare us for this time. We won't take anyone lightly."
The Boonville Sectional winner faces the victor from Greensburg in the regional semifinal at Southridge.
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The Class 4A sectional at North also features a top-heavy bracket. Harrison (13-9) drew Jasper (12-8 and the Big Eight champions) in the opener. The Warriors defeated the Wildcats in the regular season, 64-62. But it came all the way back in the season opener.
Whoever survives that first round meeting will get Castle (15-6) in the semifinal. Harrison beat the Knights during both regular season meetings.
"People ask you what kind of draw you want, but what can you do," said Harrison coach Nathan Fleenor. "You have to beat good teams and everybody in our sectional is good. We have a good Jasper team starting off and hopefully we play well."
The Warriors have played seven top-10 teams this year in preparation for a draw like this. And Castle has been surging as of late, winning seven of its last eight games.
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The team that advances to the championship from that side will have earned it.
"You hope that you are prepared for the tournament," said Fleenor. "We are a completely different team (from the opener against Jasper) and have played much better since that day. And they have as well."
In the bottom half of Sectional 16, rivals North (9-11) and Central (5-14) meet in another rematch. Reitz (10-11) received the semifinal bye. The Panthers beat both the Huskies and Bears in conference play, but Central topped Reitz meeting during the SIAC Tournament.
The winner of this sectional will play the winner from Greenwood in the regional semifinal at Seymour.
In the Class 2A sectional at Castle (hosted by Tecumseh), the sectional bracket appears heavy to one side. Defending champion Forest Park (17-4) faces South Spencer (7-15), while Mater Dei (7-13) plays Tell City (14-8) in the bottom half of the bracket.
The Rangers remain the favorite but would need to go through a tough Tell City team or Mater Dei to make the final, presuming they get by the Rebels. And Mater Dei does seem to hit a second gear once the postseason comes and it gets away from the SIAC.
North Posey (10-11) takes on Tecumseh (8-14) in the opener, while Perry Central (4-18) received the bye in that half. The sectional winner advances to the regional at Paoli.
All times are in CST.
IHSAA BASKETBALL STATE TOURNAMENT
CLASS 4A
Sectional 16 at North
Tuesday, Feb. 27: Harrison (13-9) vs. Jasper (12-8), 5:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 27: North (9-11) vs. Central (5-14), 7 p.m.
Friday, Mar. 2: Castle (15-6) vs. Game 1 winner, 5:30 p.m.
Friday, Mar. 2: Reitz (10-11) vs. Game 2 winner, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Mar. 3: Championship, 7 p.m.
CLASS 3A
Sectional 31 at Southridge
Tuesday, Feb. 27: Pike Central (9-11) vs. Sullivan (16-5), 5:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 27: Princeton (17-4) vs. Vincennes Lincoln (15-7), 7 p.m.
Friday, Mar. 2: Southridge (9-12) vs. Game 1 winner, 5:30 p.m.
Friday, Mar. 2: Washington (9-12) vs. Game 2 winner, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Mar. 3: Championship, 6:30 p.m.
Sectional 32 at Boonville
Tuesday, Feb. 27: Heritage Hills (19-2) vs. Memorial (16-4), 6 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 27: Boonville (5-15) vs. Bosse (17-4), 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Mar. 2: Gibson Southern (11-9) vs. Game 1 winner, 6 p.m.
Friday, Mar. 2: Mount Vernon (1-22) vs. Game 2 winner, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Mar. 3: Championship, 7 p.m.
CLASS 2A
Sectional 47 at North Knox
Tuesday, Feb. 27: South Knox (13-8) vs. Linton-Stockton (19-3), 5 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 27: Eastern Greene (12-10) vs. North Knox (1-20), 6:30 p.m.
Friday, Mar. 2: North Daviess (10-12) vs. Game 1 winner, 5 p.m.
Friday, Mar. 2: Mitchell (8-11) vs. Game 2 winner, 6:30 p.m.
Saturday, Mar. 3: Championship, 6 p.m.
Sectional 48 at Castle (hosted by Tecumseh)
Tuesday, Feb. 27: North Posey (10-11) vs. Tecumseh (8-14), 6 p.m.
Wednesday, Feb. 28: Mater Dei (7-13) vs. Tell City (14-8), 5:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Feb. 28: South Spencer (7-15) vs. Forest Park (17-4), 7 p.m.
Friday, Mar. 2: Perry Central (4-18) vs. Game 1 winner, 5:30 p.m.
Friday, Mar. 2: Game 2 winner vs. Game 3 winner, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Mar. 3: Championship, 6:30 p.m.
CLASS 1A
Sectional 63 at Loogootee
Tuesday, Feb. 27: Barr-Reeve (17-4) vs. Shoals (9-12), 5 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 27: Vincennes Rivet (7-12) vs. Washington Catholic (1-20), 6:30 p.m.
Friday, Mar. 2: Orleans (11-11) vs. Game 1 winner, 5 p.m.
Friday, Mar. 2: Loogootee (10-11) vs. Game 2 winner, 6:30 p.m.
Saturday, Mar. 3: Championship, 6:30 p.m.
Sectional 64 at Springs Valley
Tuesday, Feb. 27: Wood Memorial (15-6) vs. Northeast Dubois (12-8), 6:30 p.m.
Friday, Mar. 2: Day School (9-10) vs. Springs Valley (15-6), 5:30 p.m.
Friday, Mar. 2: Cannelton (6-17) vs. Game 1 winner, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Mar. 3: Championship, 6:30 p.m.
Source: https://www.courierpress.com/story/sports/high-school/2018/02/18/ihsaa-annoucing-sectional-draw-boys-basketball/345996002/
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