Bracket Busters: Class 3A
The lottery ball style of selection process used for the Indiana state tournament is somewhat unique to Hoosier hoops fans, but what isn’t unique is what comes next. Everyone anticipates potential matchups, Sectional winners, and possible upsets. In this article,…
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Continue ReadingThe lottery ball style of selection process used for the Indiana state tournament is somewhat unique to Hoosier hoops fans, but what isn’t unique is what comes next. Everyone anticipates potential matchups, Sectional winners, and possible upsets. In this article, it’s the latter that I’m most concerned with, so I took the top five teams in the Sagarin ratings in Class 3A (as of the morning of 1/31/20), and I found the one team and an individual or two from that team who could create chaos as we know it in regards to Regional advancement. Below is a look at the five top-rated teams in Sagarin’s Class 3A rankings, along with a description of what could disrupt them.
1. Salem (19-3)
Despite the loss of top Senior guard Leah Miller back in the Fall, Salem has continued down the path of an elite team and put together an impressive résumé. They finished the season 7-1 against Class 4A opponents, with a recent victory over perennial power Bedford North Lawrence. But staying focused on Sectional #30 and what could affect them there, I look at the transfers of sisters Alana (2021) and Kynidi Striverson (2022) from Louisville Male to Silver Creek over the Summer as being a major issue for Salem. Both are legitimate Division-I prospects, and they added to a Dragon backcourt that already included Jaclyn Emly (2021) and Emme Rooney (2022), among others. Alana is a strong, physical, and athletic off-guard who can get to the basket or knock down the occasional jumper. Kynidi is more of a point guard, with the ability to create offense for herself or others, but she’s also good attacking the paint off the bounce. If the sisters embrace their first Indiana state tournament and go on the offensive from the jump, they could definitely cause problems for a Salem team built more on patience and discipline.
2. Benton Central (21-3)
Benton Central went through the South Semi-State of Class 3A last season to make another appearance at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. But after Sectional realignments were done, they were back in the North for Class 3A, and now they must maneuver through Sectional #22. That shouldn’t be terribly difficult, but for argument’s sake, I wanted to address West Lafayette’s Alaina Omonodé (2020). The 6-0 post has been a double-double machine since she stepped onto a Varsity floor, and this season she has posted some ridiculous numbers at times, including recently joining the 1,000 point and 1,000 rebound club. If anyone has a chance at slowing Benton Central down and causing them issues in the Sectional, it would be her and the West Lafayette Red Devils. She will need help from her supporting cast, but a 20-point, 20-rebound performance is not out of the question from the Grand Valley State University Track & Field signee.
3. Evansville Reitz Memorial (19-3)
All they do is win. Following an incredibly long and successful tenure by Coach Bruce Dockery, Memorial has a new Coach at the helm in Lee Auker. With a roster of really nice small college prospects, the Tigers have put together another impressive season built on a system of efficiency, execution, and discipline. But Sectional #32 might not be so kind this year. With teams like Gibson Southern and Heritage Hills champing at the bit, Memorial will need to be on its toes. One player who can really be a pain for the Tigers is 6-0 forward Meredith Raley (2020) of Gibson Southern. The University of Southern Indiana signee is a unique blend of size, strength, and skill. She can post around the block and beat you with a variety of post moves and a soft finishing touch, or she can step outside and bury 3-pointers over defenders. Last year in the Regional, she put on a show against Vincennes Lincoln, scoring 31 points on 13-16 from the field, plus grabbing 11 rebounds in a 20-point win. Memorial will need to contain Raley in order to advance to this year’s Regional round.
4. NorthWood (21-3)
NorthWood has put together a strong campaign, headlined by a 15-game winning streak right in the middle of the season. With losses to only Class 4A power Penn, Class 3A power Norwell, and a strong Class 3A Mishawaka Marian squad, NorthWood has more than prepared itself for a long postseason run. But “not so fast” is being uttered in Akron, Indiana, as Tippecanoe Valley could provide some push-back this year. The Vikings have had a lot of success recently, and this year it’s Junior guard Sydney Wagner leading the charge. She has exploded onto the scene after being a role player one year ago, averaging 17.2 points, 8.0 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and 4.2 steals per game. She has the ability to affect a game at both ends of the floor, but she will need to come up huge if the Vikings are going to avenge a 49-23 loss at the hands of NorthWood back on January 14. Wagner was able to muster just nine points in that outing. But I can assure you she’ll have the attention of the Black Swish of NorthWood, should they meet again.
5. Heritage Christian (15-7)
With Heritage Christian dropping from Class 4A to Class 3A this year, everyone is very aware and scared of running into the Eagles. They have potentially three Division-I guards in their backcourt who make plays nonstop, plus they have a trio of 6-0 (or taller) girls able to grab offensive rebounds and keep possessions alive. But one team who I think presents an immediate obstacle for them in Sectional #27 is Bishop Chatard. The guard duo of Zakia Rasheed (2021) and Moira McGinley (2021) has the offensive firepower to go toe to toe with the Eagles. Rasheed is already verbally committed to the University of Akron, and she is averaging a respectable 14.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 2.2 steals per game. She plays with a tremendous motor and has a quiet toughness to her game. The surprise, though, has been how much McGinley has elevated her game this year. She is averaging 17.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 2.1 steals per game. She too has an incredible motor, and she puts her body on the line every game. If the two can put together a combined effort scoring somewhere in the high 30s or even 40s, Chatard could knock out Heritage Christian very early this season.