Regional Rundown: Class 4A

The featured image is of [player_tooltip player_id="97243" first="Teresa" last="Maggio"] of McCutcheon High School. As we enter Regional Saturday, we now have just 16 teams remaining in each of Indiana’s four school classifications. By Valentine’s Day, we will hopefully have our Final Four decided out of each grouping. Below is a look at each of the Regionals in Class 4A, brief analysis of the morning games, as well as a quick prediction as to who we think could advance to the Semi-State. This is one of Indiana’s best weekends when it comes to high school basketball, so be sure to attend (when & where possible) or watch online!!! (All times listed below are Eastern Daylight Time.)   LAPORTE REGIONAL 10:30 a.m. Merrillville (14-5) vs. Penn (20-3) After a rare pair of losing seasons in a row, the Merrillville Pirates have their second consecutive winning season, plus they’re back in the Regional for the first time since 2017. And they’ve done so with potentially their most talented prospect just returning from injury in mid-January. The Pirates began the season 0-3, but they have responded since. They are led by a pair of nice little guards. Senior point guard [player_tooltip player_id="130339" first="Torri" last="Miller"] (12.1p, 2.7r, 3.1a, 6.2s) has been a Varsity regular for a few years now. She is tough-nosed, quick, and crafty. Senior guard [player_tooltip player_id="245964" first="Cailynn" last="Dilosa"] (11.1p, 2.8r, 3.5s) is an extremely quick/fast playmaker who excels in transition. She has had a nice Senior season. Senior forward Shekinah Thomas (8.8p, 6.1r) brings skill, rebounding, toughness, and physicality to the frontcourt, while Junior forward Sa’Mya Miller (5.9p, 5.5r) is a solid rebounder and defender inside. Junior forward [player_tooltip player_id="97246" first="Davina" last="Smith"] (5.0p, 4.3r) is the player returning from injury, and she’s still trying to get back into the flow. But she’s long, wiry strong, and athletic at 5-11. The Pirates can go as many as eight or nine deep, if necessary. Penn, on the other hand, could probably play into their JV roster, if they really wanted to, and still match up with most Class 4A teams. They choose to play about nine deep in tougher games. Their losses include Crown Point (44-42), Newark of Ohio (61-59 in 2OT), and Lawrence North (51-41). They are battle-tested and looking to make a run to Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Senior guards [player_tooltip player_id="99357" first="Trinity" last="Clinton"] (14.5p, 5.0r, 2.5a, 2.6s) and [player_tooltip player_id="10705" first="Kaitlyn" last="Costner"] (11.5p, 3.8r, 2.9a, 3.1s) are their only two double-figure scorers, but again, they are very deep. Clinton is tough, strong, and plays with a great motor. Costner is an explosive athlete and a lockdown defender. Senior point guard [player_tooltip player_id="94969" first="Jordyn" last="Smith"] (8.3p, 3.0r, 4.5a, 3.0s) is a cerebral player who can make shots, but she looks to get teammates involved first. Junior forward [player_tooltip player_id="23787" first="Jada" last="Patton"] (8.4p, 4.4r) and Senior forward [player_tooltip player_id="209421" first="Grace" last="Adams"] (6.6p, 5.7r) round out the starting lineup, helping the Kingsmen inside. Patton is a strong athlete with a nice motor. She flies around the floor in all directions. Adams is a long, fluid, and skillful player who can play in the mid-post or around the perimeter comfortably. There are several more nice prospects on this roster, making them one of the favorites in the North in Class 4A. 12:30 p.m. Crown Point (21-1) vs. LaPorte (13-10) Crown Point probably isn’t quite as deep as they were a year ago, but they are still better than nearly everyone else in Class 4A. Their lone loss came at the hands of Class 3A Silver Creek, 53-49. The Bulldogs continue to be led by the Junior duo of guard [player_tooltip player_id="61030" first="Jessica" last="Carrothers"] (22.7p, 5.5r, 4.4a, 4.4s) and 6-4 forward [player_tooltip player_id="128115" first="Lilly" last="Stoddard"] (10.9p, 8.6r, 2.2b). Carrothers is a high-energy, tough, physical, attacking style of guard. She does a tremendous job of getting to the basket and the free throw line. Stoddard is long, fluidly athletic and extremely bouncy. She has gotten stronger and more physical over the years, but she’s still great facing the basket in the mid-post. Senior point guard [player_tooltip player_id="62555" first="Alyna" last="Santiago"] (8.0p, 2.9r, 3.0a, 2.7s) is back and healthy this Winter, and she is enjoyable to watch. She likes to make plays for others offensively, and she can be an elite defender on the ball defensively. Junior forward [player_tooltip player_id="243580" first="Nikki" last="Gerodemos"] (6.6p, 4.6r), Junior wing [player_tooltip player_id="128172" first="Alyvia" last="Santiago"] (5.7p), and Senior guard Allie Govert (5.5p, 2.5r, 2.1s) have all seen their roles expand quite a bit this season. LaPorte has advanced to the Regional for the second year in a row and the fourth time since 2016. They are experienced and led by three Seniors, so don’t discredit them just because of their record. Senior wing [player_tooltip player_id="130315" first="Ryin" last="Ott"] is a real talent, as she can make plays at all three levels. She can act as a point forward, a shooter, a slasher, or however else she’s needed. 6-3 Senior post [player_tooltip player_id="209422" first="Lauren" last="Pollock"] just continues to get better and better. She is extremely long, fairly fluid North/South, and she has gone from being primarily a defensive presence, to contributing more at the offensive end this season. Senior guard Alanitiaza Biggers is an athletic playmaker who can go on scoring runs herself and defend multiple types of guards. They aren’t terribly deep, so that is a concern, but those three Seniors can get hot at times. Regional Predictions: In the morning contest, I think Merrillville will come out with energy, and their guards could cause a little trouble early, but I expect for the deep, experienced, poised Penn squad to start taking control early in this one. I would look for Penn to maybe lead by 10-12 at the half and win this one by 25-35 depending on how long they play their top players. The second game I would think is a heavy lean towards Crown Point. They are just too talented and too deep for LaPorte to match up with. Now, if Pollock does a decent job on Stoddard early, and the Slicers limit Carrothers to some degree, I could see an 8-10 point game at the half. Ultimately, though, everything has to work out perfectly for LaPorte just to be in the game, so I look for Crown Point to win by a final spread of about 25-30 points. The Regional Final could be epic, like it was a season ago. During 2019-2020, Crown Point won the regular season matchup by 12, but Penn returned the favor, winning the Regional by a single point with a late score. This year, the Bulldogs took the first game by a basket, so I am taking Penn in a revenge contest once again, however I think the Kingsmen win by 7-8 points this time around.   MARION REGIONAL 10:00 a.m. McCutcheon (13-5) vs. Carroll (Fort Wayne) (23-2) The McCutcheon Mavericks picked up their first Sectional title since 2015, and they knocked off rival West Lafayette Harrison to do so. They played a solid all-around schedule this year, so it should help them as they face off against Fort Wayne Carroll. The Mavericks have been a different team following the return of Junior point guard [player_tooltip player_id="97243" first="Teresa" last="Maggio"] (21.8p, 3.6r, 5.0a, 4.8s) last year during the state tournament. She is a quick/fast and feisty lead guard who plays with a great motor. She is a playmaker at both ends of the floor, and difficult for opponents to match up with. She gets help from fellow backcourt ’mate, Senior [player_tooltip player_id="99424" first="Daylynn" last="Thornton"] (15.6p, 2.7r, 2.8a, 2.3s). Thornton is a strong and physical combo guard, who can make plays off the bounce for herself or others. Junior guard Marya Farrell (7.2p, 3.6r) brings accurate perimeter shooting, while Sophomore wing [player_tooltip player_id="127230" first="Caitlyn" last="Miller"] (4.7p, 4.7r) and Senior forward [player_tooltip player_id="130372" first="Heather" last="Johnson"] (3.6p, 5.8r) round out the lineup. The Carroll Chargers are pretty consistent in how they do things, and it has worked splendidly this season. They play eight girls in their rotation, all eight contribute each time out, and they have nice balance between strong guard and wing play with a couple of solid forwards up front. Their only two losses came early in the season to Hamilton Southeastern and Penn, but they’ve bounced back with 20 straight wins, included victories against Homestead, South Bend Washington, Norwell, and Carmel. Their leader is Senior point guard [player_tooltip player_id="99373" first="Emily" last="Parrett"] (13.0p, 4.0r, 2.2a, 2.4s). She is a steady, poised, highly skilled guard who just has a great feel for the game. Sophomore guard [player_tooltip player_id="96079" first="Taylor" last="Fordyce"] (10.8p, 4.2r, 2.1s) has thrived this season as a starter. She is a strong wing, physical, and she plays with a nice motor. Twin Sophomore wings [player_tooltip player_id="59758" first="Saniya" last="Jackson"] (9.4p, 5.4r, 2.9a, 2.7s) and [player_tooltip player_id="59759" first="Nevaeh" last="Jackson"] (7.9p, 3.3r, 2.4a, 2.2s) are long, fluidly athletic, somewhat bouncy kids who can play around the perimeter, but who are really good in the mid-post. Also keep an eye on Freshman wing [player_tooltip player_id="177314" first="Alexis" last="Castator"] (5.8p, 3.1r). She has Division-I talent and has the potential to explode at any moment, but she has done a nice job of finding her role and helping Carroll win games. 12:00 p.m. Noblesville (21-4) vs. Homestead (19-5) What a Winter Noblesville is having. Following a pair of losing seasons, Noblesville has won 20 or more games for the first time since the 2015-2016 campaign. They began the year a modest 7-3, but they’ve won 14 of their last 15 and look hard to stop, especially following their Sectional #8 title. Sophomore guard [player_tooltip player_id="59773" first="Ashlynn" last="Shade"] (23.8p, 8.2r, 4.3a, 4.4s) is the real deal, and she has proven she can score with the best players in the state. She is aggressive to the basket, she has a nice pull-up jumper, but she can also create offense for her teammates, and she’s a tough-nosed defender. Freshman guard [player_tooltip player_id="177361" first="Reagan" last="Wilson"] (9.6p, 3.4r, 2.6a, 2.4s) has really figured things out as the season has worn on. She is a tough-nosed, high-energy, feisty player who flat out gets after it. She can play any role offensively, and she’s a ball-hawk defensively. Senior guard Mallory Miller (6.5p, 2.7r, 2.4a, 2.5s) averaged just 3.6 points over her first nine games, then averaged nearly 10.0 per game over the next 12 games. She can be a nice asset behind Shade and Wilson or play alongside them in smaller lineups. Senior forward [player_tooltip player_id="130360" first="Emily" last="Wood"] (4.9p, 2.5r), 6-3 Sophomore post [player_tooltip player_id="127235" first="Brooklyn" last="Smitherman"] (3.4p, 3.9r), and Sophomore forward [player_tooltip player_id="178230" first="Dani" last="Mendez"] (3.5r) will be counted on to give the Millers big minutes in the paint. Expectations for the Homestead Spartans are astronomical, considering they’ve won 20 or more games eight of the previous ten seasons. For whatever reason, I feel like they are being almost forgotten about this year because of their five losses, yet they continue to pile up wins on what’s considered to be the state’s 17th toughest schedule to date. One thing the Spartans can boast is having the state’s best mismatch in talented 6-3 Junior forward [player_tooltip player_id="10766" first="Ayanna" last="Patterson"]. She is incredibly long and athletic, and at her height, she just plays above any of her matchups. What’s scary for opponents is that she’s starting to figure out how to be more assertive. She poured in 43 points on January 28th, and she has the potential to erupt against anybody. Senior point guard [player_tooltip player_id="158392" first="Grace" last="Sullivan"] isn’t very big, but she’s incredibly feisty and competitive. She can defend just about any other guard, plus she has a really nice sense of where her teammates are and can find them for scores at any time. 6-0 Senior post [player_tooltip player_id="22675" first="Amber" last="Austin"] gives the Spartans an interior presence, allowing Patterson to play away from the basket. Austin is strong, hard-working, and has a nose for the ball. Junior forward [player_tooltip player_id="128134" first="Maggie" last="Keinsley"], Sophomore forward [player_tooltip player_id="59778" first="Alison" last="Stephens"], and Sophomore guard [player_tooltip player_id="127237" first="Molly" last="Stock"] are tough-nosed kids who do a little of everything. They are vital to Homestead’s success, as they all provide skill and versatility to the lineup. Regional Predictions: This will certainly be an entertaining Regional with what should turn out to be three fairly competitive games. In the morning contest, I think Carroll’s depth and ability to adjust to anything McCutcheon does will help them succeed. Now, Maggio can always go off for 30-40 points and turn the tables in their favor, but her matchup with Parrett will be interesting to watch. I’m assuming the Cougars won’t allow her to score more than 20-25 points without some defensive adjustments. Ultimately, I like Carroll by a dozen over McCutcheon. In the afternoon tilt, Noblesville fell to Homestead by eight points earlier this season, 55-47. But the Millers didn’t have a couple of their key ’bigs’ and look forward to playing with a full deck this time around. It was also early in Wilson’s career, and I’d expect her to be much steadier this time out. While I doubt they’ll defend each other much, Shade vs. Patterson would be a nice poster to hang. Whichever star can put their team on their back down the stretch and make big shots will help their squad to victory. I like Noblesville by five in what looks to be a top matchup this weekend. Carroll versus Noblesville might not be a beautiful game from an aesthetic point of view, but to those who appreciate good, hard-fought basketball, it could be highly entertaining. I expect this game to come down to the wire as well, and you might even see it in the 30s or 40s. I think I will take Noblesville over Carroll 41-38, and Shade’s ability to create her own shots will prove vital down the stretch.   DECATUR CENTRAL REGIONAL 10:00 a.m. North Central (Indianapolis) (24-2) vs. Brownsburg (14-10) One could argue that North Central might have the most talent top to bottom of any program in the state. At this point in the season, they seem to be showing that. The Panthers began the season 6-2, with losses to Bedford North Lawrence (65-57) and to Cincinnati’s Mount Notre Dame (59-56). If you aren’t familiar with MND, MaxPreps has them at 20-0 and the #9 team in the country. North Central’s average margin of victory in Sectional play was 52.0 points per game, with their closest matchup being an 82-42 dominance of 2020 Class 4A State Champion Lawrence North. The Panthers frontline is tough to match up with, as they can adjust to anyone they face. 6-3 Senior forward [player_tooltip player_id="130310" first="Meg" last="Newman"] is strong, athletic, and skilled inside and out. When she asserts herself, she can be the top Senior in the state and take over games as a face-up ’4’. Senior forward [player_tooltip player_id="130317" first="Nakaih" last="Hunter"] is a strong, physical, and tough-nosed interior player who rebounds and defends as well as anyone inside. She has really worked on her offensive game in the mid-post as well. Junior point guard [player_tooltip player_id="128118" first="Tanyuel" last="Welch"] is extremely long, quick/fast, and athletic. She is dynamic off the bounce and can also defend multiple positions at a high level. Sophomore wing [player_tooltip player_id="96077" first="Ava" last="Couch"] is a tough-nosed, high-motor, cerebral kid with a really nice skillset and feel for the game. 6-0 Junior forward [player_tooltip player_id="61043" first="Ramiah" last="Elliott"] has been highly effective this year after taking a season off. She is extremely long and athletic, and she can affect the game at both ends of the floor. There are just too many talented individuals to name everyone, but the Panthers go as deep as they want to go. The Brownsburg Bulldogs would probably admit to you that they haven’t had the best season in the world, by their own standards. But they are starting to figure things out, having won seven of their last eight games. They did knock off Bedford North Lawrence earlier in the year, and they’ve beaten Zionsville and Fishers more recently, so the potential is there for them this weekend. The Bulldogs have the versatility to play big or small, depending on what advantage they think it gives them. One thing is for sure, and that’s the fact they have one of the state’s top point guards in Senior [player_tooltip player_id="10665" first="Ally" last="Becki"] (17.1p, 8.0r, 2.9a, 4.2s). She is as tough as they come, extremely active, and she has a great sense of where her teammates are. She has needed to shoot/score it more this season, so she is capable of scoring 30 points or dishing out 15 assists at any time. Sophomore guard [player_tooltip player_id="59780" first="Kailyn" last="Terrell"] (7.2p) has followed up her rookie season with a nice second year scoring the ball. She’s another tough-nosed, gritty, physical guard, plus she’s a good perimeter shooter. Junior guard Miya Webb (6.0p) came to the Bulldogs from Illinois this season, and she has given them a third perimeter threat who is physical and tough-nosed. This could be a game where the trio of 5-11 Junior forward [player_tooltip player_id="128179" first="Novalee" last="Glass"] (3.8p, 2.4r), 6-0 Sophomore front-liner [player_tooltip player_id="127239" first="Quinci" last="Thomas"] (3.7p, 5.0r), and 6-0 Senior forward [player_tooltip player_id="158393" first="Leah" last="Yarbrough"] (2.8p, 2.2r) loom large because of their size and athletic ability. 1:00 p.m. Roncalli (20-4) vs. Mount Vernon (Fortville) (18-5) The newly renamed Roncalli Royals have kind of flown under the radar in a loaded Indianapolis area. They won their first nine games of the year, then went 2-4 in a stretch surrounding Christmas, but have bounced back with another nine-game win-streak heading into the Regional. Senior guard [player_tooltip player_id="62532" first="Madelyn" last="Bischoff"] (21.2p, 4.5r, 2.2a, 2.4s) has been spectacular all season. She can create offense for others, but she’s an exceptional shooter/scorer herself, and she plays with great toughness/feistiness. Sophomore guards [player_tooltip player_id="59729" first="Savanna" last="Bischoff"] (7.3p, 5.0r, 2.2s) and [player_tooltip player_id="96084" first="Sydney" last="Horton"] (7.2p, 2.8r, 3.2a) have teamed up nicely in the backcourt. The younger Bischoff has always enforced her will defensively, but now she’s starting to be much more aggressive at the offensive end of the floor. Horton is a strong, competitive, skillful guard who can run offense and be a traditional point guard, or she can knock down shots off the ball. Twin Senior forwards Sofie Carr (6.0p, 5.4r) and Abbie Carr (3.8p, 3.2r) give the Royals at least a little size along the frontline. After a 22-2 season last year, Mount Vernon’s 3-3 start to this season was a bit of a surprise to most onlookers from the outside. But they are currently on an 11-game win-streak and peaking at the right time. The top player for the Marauders is Senior forward [player_tooltip player_id="99416" first="Lexi" last="Shelton"] (15.0p, 5.5r). She is strong, tough-nosed, and physical, plus she’s a talented shooter with deep range. 6-0 Senior front-liner [player_tooltip player_id="130377" first="Olivia" last="Yeley"] (8.9p, 4.1r) brings more size to the lineup. She has length, some strength, and she’s a very nice athlete in most directions. Senior point guard [player_tooltip player_id="184235" first="Abby" last="Worley"] (7.7p, 2.9r, 4.2a, 2.5s) is a true floor general. She is tough and physical, she takes care of the basketball, and she has a great feel for the game and finds teammates on-time/on-target. The one youngster who has seen a great deal of playing time this year is 6-2 Freshman wing [player_tooltip player_id="177344" first="Ellery" last="Minch"] (7.4p, 2.6r). She can play a point forward role, she can attack the basket for scores, or she can play in the mid-post and knock down 15-foot jumpers consistently. She has a great deal of potential and should be their star the next three seasons. Regional Predictions: At 10:00 a.m., I really want to believe Brownsburg can compete and give the Panthers a run for their money. I know the Bulldogs won’t show any fear and will come out swinging, but I think North Central is just too talented, too deep, and too good at this point in time. They are just shredding elite competition. I look for this to be a close game for a few minutes, and maybe even the first half, but I think North Central will eventually jump out to a comfortable lead and win by 15-20 points. In the second game, I think this is an interesting matchup that is more about team play and structure than about superstars all over the floor. Now, I fully expect M. Bischoff and Shelton to play well and lead each of their teams, but this is going to be a game of adjustments and execution. I think Roncalli has the better backcourt at this point in time, so I look for them to grab a small lead late and use their ball skills to kill a lot of clock. I like Roncalli by three or four in this one. In the final, once again I think whoever plays North Central will have their hands full. I think by this point in the day, the Panthers will smell the Semi-State just 32 minutes away, and they’ll come out on a mission, much like they did in the Sectional Final against Lawrence North. I think North Central will defeat Roncalli by 20-25 points for the Regional Championship.   BEDFORD NORTH LAWRENCE REGIONAL 10:00 a.m. Bedford North Lawrence (21-2) vs. East Central (19-4) Bedford North Lawrence has changed their style of play this year and succeeded with great guard play. They can hit you from all angles, and they have shown the ability to beat elite teams, with wins against North Central (Indianapolis) and Silver Creek. Any of four players can be the star for the Stars on Saturday. Talented Freshman guard [player_tooltip player_id="176409" first="Chloe" last="Spreen"] (14.4p, 5.6r) is the leading scorer, and she can do it off the bounce or by burying shots with range from deep. She plays with a great motor, and she is a nice athlete and a willing defender as well. Senior guard [player_tooltip player_id="62538" first="Chloe" last="McKnight"] (14.0p, 4.8r, 2.6a, 2.7s) is a seasoned veteran with four years of experience. She is the leader and an elite shooter with a quick release. Senior wing [player_tooltip player_id="130321" first="Irye" last="Gomez"] (12.2p, 3.1r, 2.5a, 2.8s) is a long and athletic slasher who can create offense for herself or others. Sophomore point guard [player_tooltip player_id="59766" first="Karsyn" last="Norman"] (9.4p, 2.7r, 3.4a, 2.0s) has probably sacrificed a little scoring this year to run the offense and find teammates, but she has shown the ability in the past to score 20+ points at any given time. She’s also a really nice defender. Bedford isn’t a great rebounding team, so they will need to make shots consistently. East Central, on the other hand, has typically prided themselves on their size and half-court play in the past. This year, they are a little smaller, but they aren’t necessarily a small team in general. The Trojans have played a tough schedule, and they beat three really nice teams to win their Sectional this year. 6-0 Sophomore forward [player_tooltip player_id="59784" first="Josie" last="Trabel"] (16.9p, 6.8r, 2.7a, 2.0s) is a strong but skillful kid who is exceptional in the mid-post. She can play on the block or around the perimeter as well, and she shows good balance and a nice motor. Junior guard [player_tooltip player_id="128165" first="Hope" last="Fox"] (14.7p, 5.1r, 2.8a, 3.0s) has shown the ability to score in the 20s on numerous occasions this year, she is a really nice perimeter shooter, but she too is well-balanced and versatile for East Central. Senior forward Kyla Maxwell (6.5p, 5.4r, 3.7a) handles the ball quite a bit for the Trojans, and with a strong frame, she can present some matchup issues because she can post smaller defenders and will get inside to rebound and defend. 6-2 Senior post [player_tooltip player_id="130362" first="Charsan" last="McCory"] (4.3p, 4.5r) has a strong frame, good hands, decent feet, but she also has touch around the perimeter and can knock down 3-pointers when left unattended. Sophomore guard Julia Tiemann (4.2p, 3.7r, 2.7a) has good length and an athletic frame, and she offers the Trojans another versatile player who can score it a little, pass and handle it a little, and who will pursue rebounds. 12:00 p.m. Franklin Community (20-2) vs. Castle (14-4) With no 20-win seasons in the 2000s, and no winning seasons since the 2011-2012 campaign, the Franklin Grizzly Cubs continue their dream season this weekend in the Regional. They opened the year with a big win at Mount Vernon (Fortville), they knocked off Center Grove twice this season, and they won their first Sectional title since 2007-2008. Junior wing [player_tooltip player_id="61040" first="Kuryn" last="Brunson"] (16.5p, 5.0r, 5.1a, 2.6s) is a huge reason for this success, and it’s nice to see her play a full season completely healthy. She is a strong and physical wing, but she is tremendously skilled with the ball in her hands and plays with a lot of finesse. She has point guard skill offensively, she is making shots outside more consistently now, but she also gets inside and will rebound and defend the interior. Freshman guards [player_tooltip player_id="177336" first="Scarlett" last="Kimbrell"] (11.6p, 5.7r) and [player_tooltip player_id="176408" first="Lauren" last="Klem"] (11.6p, 3.1r, 2.2a) are two more reasons for this sudden outburst of success. Kimbrell has good size and is a knockdown shooter with range beyond 25-feet. She has played stronger as the season has gone on, and she’s rebounding the ball well. Klem is a diminutive point guard with good ball skill. She is crafty and quick/fast, but she too can knock down perimeter shots with great consistency. Senior point guard [player_tooltip player_id="99396" first="Kyra" last="Baker"] (9.0p, 3.5r, 2.8a) has also played healthy for a full season, and it really shows. She is a nice perimeter shooter, a heady lead guard, and she is very tough-nosed and competitive. At this point in time, the Castle Lady Knights are somewhat of an unknown. They struggled with quarantines and had to cancel many non-conference games this year, some against quality opponents. The Knights did nearly upset Crown Point around Thanksgiving, but they struggled with Bedford North Lawrence in early January, so it’s tough to say which team we’ll see come Saturday afternoon. Junior wing [player_tooltip player_id="128117" first="Natalie" last="Niehaus"] (13.8p, 5.3r, 2.3a, 3.7s) is a strong and fairly athletic kid who can make plays with the ball in her hands. She’s a capable perimeter shooter, an even better driver, plus she’ll rebound and defend multiple positions. Junior guard Jordan Coon (9.7p, 2.6r, 2.3s) is a wiry strong athlete with a nice motor. She can handle the ball at times and run offense, but she’s a very nice perimeter shooter who can also get to the basket and score. Junior guard [player_tooltip player_id="97258" first="Kyrisha" last="Hay-Swope"] (8.7p, 3.3r, 2.1a, 2.9s) is a quick/fast and explosive athlete. She makes a lot of plays with pure ability, but she does have solid instincts, and she can lock up defensively. Junior point guard Keira Moore (8.2p, 2.8r, 2.4a, 2.2s) and Junior wing [player_tooltip player_id="128142" first="Megan" last="Kain"] (6.3p, 2.5r) are yet two more nice players in Castle’s strong 2022 class. Moore is a great shooter outside who can make plays for others, while Kain is a nice all-around athlete with a motor, and she can defend multiple positions as well. A sophomore and two Freshmen complete the Knights’ eight-person rotation, but Castle isn’t overly big inside, so that’s a weakness. Regional Predictions: The first game of the day will be somewhat of a contrast of styles. Bedford won a low-scoring affair, 36-25, earlier this season. East Central will likely want to slow the game down, play in the half-court, and use their size and physicality to their advantage. Bedford will want to push tempo and look for early scores/jumpers in transition. They already played once and had a low-scoring outcome, so I think it’s going to be tough for East Central to flip the margin in their favor. I look for it to be a competitive game for as long as three quarters, but I think Bedford North Lawrence eventually pulls away and wins by eight to ten points. In the second contest, I feel like Franklin is rolling right along and will be a tough matchup for Castle. Now, neither of these teams have great interior play, and I’d anticipate seeing upwards of 20 or more made 3-pointers in this game. But, I feel like Franklin has better pure shot-makers outside, and they’ll just keep scooting back if you defend the 3-point line. I think Franklin gets hot early and wins this one by 12-15 points. In the Regional Final, I think it’s again a nice matchup of two teams with great perimeter play. The difference is, Bedford North Lawrence will have a great deal more experience and talent top to bottom than Franklin. The Grizzly Cubs are very good, and they have more good years in front of them, but I don’t think Bedford’s Seniors let them lose this game and they get to the Semi-State. I do think it will be close and hard-fought, but I’ll lean towards the Stars of Bedford North Lawrence over the Grizzly Cubs of Franklin Community, 57-52.