2024-25 Season Preview: Class 4A, Sectionals 15 & 16

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As we enter the second week of official IHSAA practices, I wanted to take the time to preview the season Sectional by Sectional. In the past, I have typically started in Class 1A and moved up, but this season I am starting with Class 4A instead. Additionally, during the Spring, the IHSAA moved to a traditional enrollment-based format, realigning all classes with hard enrollment cutoff lines per class instead of taking nearly 400 schools and simply dividing them into four equal classes. With that said, each class should be more competitive, but the bigger classes will have fewer teams than the smaller classes. This article serves as the 8th of many, previewing each Sectional in the state. In this specific article, I will take a look at Sectional #15 and Sectional #16. Below is a look at the teams in each of those Sectionals, along with some general comments and analysis.<br><small>(<em>SAG = Final 2023-2024 Multiclass Sagarin Rating (394 teams); SOS = Final 2023-2024 Strength of Schedule</em>)</small></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><font color="#FFFFFF">.</font></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><font size="+2">Sectional #15 at Seymour</font></strong><br>Bedford North Lawrence (20-5), SAG 14, SOS 17<br>Jeffersonville (13-10), SAG 42, SOS 19<br>Seymour (11-12), SAG 59, SOS 35<br>Floyd Central (13-11), SAG 66, SOS 48<br>New Albany (3-21), SAG 220, SOS 34</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The pesky Stars from Bedford North Lawrence are without 2024 Indiana Miss Basketball <strong>Chloe Spreen</strong> (<em>20.4p, 6.9r, 2.9a</em>), along with point guard <strong>Madisyn Bailey</strong> (<em>11.8p, 3.9r, 4.2a, 3.2s</em>), plus two other graduates. Following the loss of the 2023 class, losing Spreen and Bailey will really change the dynamic of this Stars program. They now become much younger and more inexperienced, plus they switched coaches. A new look Stars program now builds around 5-9 Sophomore forward <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='644053' first='Miley' last='Sherrill']</strong> (<em>9.0p, 4.8r</em>). She is strong, hard-working, tough, and skilled. The backcourt should still be solid, as 5-7 Senior wing <strong>Tori Nikirk</strong> (<em>4.1p</em>), 5-7 Junior guard <strong>Trinidy Bailey</strong> (<em>3.2p, 3.6r, 2.1a</em>), and 5-6 Senior guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='692234' first='Katie' last='Godlevske']</strong> (<em>2.4p</em>) all return. Others looking for a bigger opportunity this season include 6-1 Senior post <strong>Harryson Hayes</strong>, 5-8 Senior forward <strong>Makaya Jackson</strong>, 5-7 Senior guard <strong>Trinity Schmeichel</strong>, 5-4 Junior guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='486517' first='Paige' last='Burton']</strong>, plus Sophomores <strong>Jordan Blann</strong>, a 5-2 point guard, and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='751298' first='Elise' last='Williams']</strong>, a 5-8 wing. 20 wins might be tough again this year for the Stars, but look for them to definitely maintain a winning record. Jeffersonville has posted winning records in 10 of the last 11 years now, and I don't expect that to change in 2024-2025. They have an intriguing team with some talented guards. The Red Devils did graduate leading scorer <strong>Lakyra Johnson</strong> (<em>13.3p, 8.7r, 2.4a</em>), along with <strong>Elle Marble</strong> (<em>9.7p, 5.4r</em>), <strong>LaQaya Gold</strong> (<em>3.9p, 3.1r, 2.3s</em>), plus a couple of others. 5-7 Junior point guard <strong>Keziah Renee</strong> (<em>11.5p, 3.6r</em>) also opted to return to Louisville for school after just one year at Jeffersonville. But not to worry, there are others on hand to fill the void. 5-6 Senior guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='496055' first='Makenzie' last='Mason']</strong> (<em>5.1p, 2.1r</em>) now stands out as the most experienced of the returnees. She was outstanding at PGH Indiana's "The Expo" earlier this Fall. 5-10 Junior forward <strong>Kiya Boatwright</strong> (<em>2.5p, 3.5r</em>) and 5-10 Senior forward <strong>Ava Scott</strong> offer the Red Devils at least some experience on the interior. However, the addition of three perimeter players could be the deciding factor in Jeffersonville's success. 5-8 Junior point guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='567129' first='Kelis' last='Dansby']</strong> (<em>11.4p, 4.2r, 3.9a</em>) was Rock Creek Academy's best player the last two years, and she brings skill, talent, and Division I interest to the table. 5-5 Freshman guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='999427' first='MaKenna' last='Taylor']</strong> has earned a lot of fanfare in Southern Indiana with her smooth nature, her heady approach, and her ability to really shoot the basketball. 5-8 Junior wing <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='832668' first='Maizy' last='Smith']</strong> (<em>12.4p, 5.1r</em>) is another transfer, this time from New Albany. She could add another nice wing slasher/scorer to the mix. The Red Devils might not be overly deep, but they could have a really nice seven or eight player rotation this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Seymour Owls were just under .500 in 2023-2024 but still very competitive. Unfortunately, they graduated <strong>Kendall Sterling</strong> (<em>13.7p, 6.1r, 5.3a, 2.0s</em>), who did a lot of everything for the Owls. Post <strong>Journee Brown</strong> (<em>14.5p, 6.3r</em>) provided quite the presence in the paint at both ends of the floor, but she also graduated. That leaves 5-8 Junior wing <strong>Sophie Skidmore</strong> as the top returnee. She is strong, athletic, and hard-working, plus she's versatile skillfully. She gets help from fellow 5-8 Junior wing <strong>Jada Miller</strong>. Point guard <strong>Maddie Schrader</strong>, guards <strong>Kenzie Gagner</strong> &amp; <strong>Greer Henry</strong>, plus forward <strong>Elizabeth Kirby</strong>, all Seniors, hope to help add a veteran presence and leadership. Seymour lacks much size, with the tallest available player listed on their online roster standing 5-9. If they can make up for that by taking care of the basketball and getting quality rebounding out of their perimeter players, they can possibly win double-digit games once again. Otherwise, replacing Sterling and Brown is going to be a tough ask of them. Floyd Central has suddenly become a "sleeping" success story in the South. They have a nice combination of size, skill, and experience this year. Back leading the Highlanders one final time is 5-7 Senior guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='324079' first='Samara' last='Miller']</strong> (<em>11.2p, 3.8r, 2.5a</em>). She is a strong guard who can handle and run offense or knock down open shots from the wing. 6-0 Junior forward <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='486500' first='Elise' last='Coleman']</strong> (<em>12.7p, 4.7r, 2.3a</em>) has the frame to battle in the mid-post, but she has the jump-shot to tear apart opponents from the perimeter. 6-2 Senior front-liner <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='324073' first='Nora' last='Gibson']</strong> is a talented volleyball player, but she is also a skilled face-up '4/5', if you will. She has touch, size &amp; strength, and a nice motor. 5-11 Junior forward <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='928914' first='Brinley' last='Clark']</strong> is a budding playmaker with length and ball skill, 5-10 Sophomore <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='932688' first='Jadyn' last='Drury']</strong> is a strong but skilled inside-out forward with a motor, and 6-2 Sophomore <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='932692' first='Riley' last='Roberts']</strong> is a nice, mobile, fairly skilled post with a lot of potential. As you can see, the Highlanders don't lack for size. If they can get solid guard play this year, they can exceed 15 wins and compete for a Sectional title. New Albany has struggled through six consecutive losing seasons, and now they must overcome the losses of 5-8 Junior wing <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='832668' first='Maizy' last='Smith']</strong> (<em>12.4p, 5.1r</em>) to rival Jeffersonville, 5-9 Senior wing <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='773835' first='Grace' last='McBride']</strong> to Jennings County, and 5-5 Sophomore point guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='751057' first='Emily' last='Robison']</strong> to Silver Creek. Additionally, 5-6 guard <strong>Reese Stiles</strong> (<em>4.3p, 2.8r</em>) was lost to graduation. Now, the Bulldogs turn to a mostly young roster for answers. The best of the bunch is 5-9 Sophomore forward <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='992531' first='Emily' last='Spainhour']</strong> (<em>12.7p, 7.7r</em>). She is tough-nosed, hard-working, and she possesses inside-out skill. Look for her to potentially average a double-double this year. 5-6 Junior wing <strong>Tori Bailey</strong> also brings back a little experience. One addition who should help immediately is 5-8 Senior wing <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1122677' first='Rylan' last='Byars']</strong> (<em>6.6p, 3.5r, 2.5a</em>). She comes over from Rock Creek Academy and can shoot it front outside or handle it and create offense like a point forward. If the Bulldogs double their wins from a season ago, that would likely be a successful year considering the amount of production they have lost.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><span><font color="FFFFFF">.</font></span></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><font size="+2">Sectional #16 at Evansville F.J. Reitz</font></strong><br>Gibson Southern (26-4), SAG 11, SOS 41<br>Castle (12-9), SAG 58, SOS 22<br>Evansville North (16-11), SAG 64, SOS 58<br>Evansville F.J. Reitz (14-6), SAG 68, SOS 66<br>Evansville Harrison (4-19), SAG 260, SOS 90</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Titans of Gibson Southern find themselves in Class 4A this season because of their tournament success the past two years. As the Class 3A Defending State Champions, a deep tournament run will be a little bigger challenge now, especially minus the loss of graduates <strong>Chloey Graham</strong> (<em>17.3p, 3.9r, 2.4s</em>) and <strong>Ally Malone</strong> (<em>3.2p, 2.9r</em>). 5-4 Senior guard <strong>Halle Evans</strong> (<em>1.7p</em>) is also missing this year. At the same time, the inside-out combination of 5-9 Senior point guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='295774' first='Gabby' last='Spink']</strong> (<em>19.3p, 5.0r, 5.9a, 2.2s</em>) and 6-2 Sophomore forward <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='756247' first='Paige' last='Schnaus']</strong> (<em>9.8p, 6.3r</em>) is dangerous enough to take out any opponent on any given night. Spink is a Murray State commit, and she is an athletic scoring point guard who has a natural feel for the game. Schnaus is tough and rugged, but also athletic and skilled, and she got better each month of the 2023-2024 season. I expect her to put up a double-double each time out this year. 5-9 Senior forward <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='506027' first='Nola' last='Ravellette']</strong> (<em>6.7p, 4.3r</em>) is one of those "little things"/"culture" type of kids who just out-hustles her matchup, rebounds, and defends. 5-5 Senior guard <strong>Lydia Maurer</strong> (<em>2.6p</em>), 5-10 Sophomore wing <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='751126' first='Taylor' last='Weyer']</strong> (<em>2.3p</em>), and 5-9 Senior forward <strong>Lauryn Adamson</strong> (<em>1.6p, 3.6r</em>) each saw action in 20 or more games last season, and I expect one or two of them plug into the starting lineup this year. Also keep an eye on a Freshman class that could see as many as three ladies take the Varsity floor before the year is out, most notably 5-8 wing <strong>Camille Weisheit</strong>. This will likely be a highly competitive Sectional, but look for the Titans to once again approach 20 wins by February. The Castle Knights are one challenger who return a mostly young core and could knock off Gibson Southern come Sectional time. They did graduate wing <strong>Aleyna Quinn</strong> (<em>15.2p, 6.8r, 4.9s</em>), however, they have a significant amount of experience back. 5-6 Senior point guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='324084' first='Jordan' last='Scott']</strong> (<em>11.4p, 2.6r, 2.7a, 3.6s</em>) is a great place to start. She is a talented athlete who can get to the rim, plus she's a crafty playmaker and on-ball defender. Sister <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='486494' first='Jayden' last='Scott']</strong> (<em>8.5p, 2.9r, 2.3a, 3.2s</em>), a 5-11 Junior wing, is an athletic slasher type who can also play in the mid-post, rebound, and defend multiple positions. 5-6 Junior point guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='486483' first='Paiton' last='Mitchell']</strong> (<em>4.6p, 3.7r, 3.0a, 3.2s</em>) is a tough-nosed, feisty, traditional point guard who allows the elder Scott to play off the ball and act more as a scorer. Mitchell also shot it well this Spring &amp; Summer. 5-7 Junior guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='430958' first='Izabell' last='Grantz']</strong> (<em>4.6p, 3.9r, 2.3s</em>) is a strong, hard-working wing who can knock down shots or play physically at the defensive end of the floor, while 5-9 Sophomore forward <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='751080' first='Jordyn' last='Poelhuis']</strong> saw action as a rookie, and she has touch outside but also the strength and physicality to play in the mid-post. The Knights aren't overly tall, but they have a lot of skill and versatility to match up with most opponents.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Huskies of Evansville North have been very competitive the last several years, and they could have a "sleeper" type of team who could upset some people here and there if things go right for them. Point guard <strong>Vanessa Nankwenya</strong> (<em>7.8p, 2.8r, 4.1a</em>) did graduate, along with three others, but they return a lot of experience and youthful talent. 5-11 Senior forward <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='570376' first='Libby' last='Blythe']</strong> (<em>12.4p, 4.0r</em>) is a matchup problem. She is strong enough to be physical inside, and she has great touch from 3-point range, plus with some depth on her shots. 6-1 Senior post <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='828084' first='Maddy' last='Knies']</strong> (<em>8.8p, 7.0r</em>) works hard and has continually improved each year. She could flirt with a double-double every night of the season. From there, if they can get a healthy return from 5-10 Senior forward <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='640055' first='Evie' last='Sale']</strong> (<em>DNP in 2023-2024</em>), it would absolutely boost the lineup. She is a long, bouncy athlete with a great motor. 5-9 Sophomore guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='756251' first='Brooke' last='Silva']</strong> (<em>9.4p, 3.9r, 2.0a</em>) and 5-7 Sophomore guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='992528' first='Azaria' last='Finn']</strong> (<em>6.8p, 2.0r</em>) flashed a lot of upside last year as rookies, and they are primed for much bigger roles on the perimeter this year. Also keep an eye on 5-3 Freshman point guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='999422' first='Lexi' last='Scott']</strong>, who could step into some major minutes as well. The Huskies will need to click quickly, but I don't see anyone in Southwest Indiana necessarily striking fear into them this season. The same could be said for the Francis Joseph Reitz Panthers. Yes, graduated guard <strong>Norah Miller</strong> (<em>16.0p, 6.5p, 2.5a, 4.9s</em>) was a fantastic playmaker for the Panthers, and <strong>Alexis Nation</strong> (<em>3.0p</em>) also left via the diploma, but there are several nice pieces to work with, starting with 6-5 Senior post <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='295791' first='Kaelyse' last='Mitchell']</strong> (<em>8.5p, 6.4r, 2.1b</em>). Mitchell is a big, strong, imposing mismatch who makes opponents specifically gameplan for her. While she draws a lot of attention, 5-10 Junior wing <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='486473' first='Bailey' last='Hape']</strong> (<em>13.6p, 4.6r, 3.0a</em>) is a playmaker with an outside jumper who can take advantage. 5-11 Junior forward <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='761169' first='Kendall' last='Kaiser']</strong> (<em>4.0p, 4.4r</em>) is an active rebounder and defender who brings length and athleticism as well. The backcourt will be the biggest question for F.J. Reitz, but 5-8 Freshman wing <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='999409' first='Keilah' last='Mitchell']</strong> and 5-9 Freshman wing <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='999407' first='Kierstyn' last='Kaiser']</strong> could step into big-time roles from the jump. The younger Mitchell is a walking bucket who can get downhill quickly. If the Panthers can catch their youngsters up to speed quickly and utilize the inside-out tandem of the older Mitchell and Hape, they can knock off anyone in Sectional #16. The Harrison Lady Warriors have had a tough go of it lately, not winning more than five games in any given season since 2014-2015 when they were 11-12. Additionally, <strong>Jordan Mackey</strong> (<em>6.8p, 5.6r</em>) has graduated. Now, they return some production, but whether they can compete with the rest of Sectional #16 is yet to be seen. Hope lies with 5-7 Senior guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1122876' first='Bella' last='Thomas']</strong> (<em>10.9p, 3.6r</em>), who had a solid July on the grassroots circuit. She can fill it up quickly from all three levels. 5-6 Senior wing <strong>Alivia Williams</strong> (<em>4.3p, 2.5r</em>), 5-3 Sophomore guard <strong>Erin Butler</strong> (<em>3.6p</em>), and 5-4 Senior guard <strong>Aiyana Griffin</strong> (<em>2.8p</em>) have logged quality minutes in the backcourt. Look for Freshman point guard <strong>Asia McCoy</strong> to maybe add to that mix early in the season. Up front, 6-0 Freshman forward <strong>Anne-Marie Sterling</strong> offers size and skill to the lineup. 6-1 Sophomore post <strong>Sam McBride</strong> (<em>1.6p, 3.2r</em>) can also help defensively and on the boards. Harrison should be improved, but 10 wins would be a lofty goal at this point. If they double their wins from a season ago, that would be a great start.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->