2025-26 Season Preview: Class 1A, Sectional 57

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I've always enjoyed offering preseason coverage of each of the 64 Sectionals in Indiana high school basketball, and last year I felt like I got a little behind and didn't finish with the previews until after Thanksgiving. With that said, as we come up on October, I wanted to get out in front of it this year and offer you a glimpse at what the 2025-26 season could hold with a preview of each of the state's 64 Sectionals once again. During the Spring of 2024, 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 has been more competitive, but the bigger classes have fewer teams than the smaller classes. This article serves as one of many previewing each Sectional in the state. In this specific article, I will take a look at Class 1A, Sectional #57. Below is a look at the teams in that Sectional, along with some general comments and analysis.<br><small>(<em>SAG = Final 2024-2025 Multiclass Sagarin Rating (398 teams); SOS = Final 2024-2025 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 #57 at Purdue Polytechnic (Broad Ripple)</font></strong><br>Anderson Prep (18-10), SAG 327, SOS 377<br>Tindley Accelerated (13-10), SAG 345, SOS 386<br>Liberty Christian (5-8), SAG 348, SOS 378<br>Indiana School for the Deaf (13-11), SAG 367, SOS 387<br>Purdue Polytechnic (Broad Ripple) (4-11), SAG 396, SOS 397<br>MTI School of Knowledge (1-14), SAG 398, SOS 392<br>Indiana Math &amp; Science Academy (<em>no team in 2024-2025</em>)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sectional #57 could be wide open this season. Anderson Prep graduated a lot of size, scoring, and rebounding from their top two players of a season ago, but they do return scorers #3 through #7. Stepping up and replicating their lost interior presence will be key, but look for the focus to turn to Senior guard <strong>Clara Fulton</strong> (<em>5.4p, 1.9r, 1.5s</em>), Senior guard <strong>Jalah Watson</strong> (<em>4.0p, 3.3r, 1.3s</em>), Senior point guard <strong>Tameah Eldridge</strong> (<em>3.0p, 1.3r, 2.5a, 1.3s</em>), and Senior forward <strong>Leda'ja Chambers</strong> (<em>2.3p, 2.6r, 1.7s</em>). They have plenty of experience in their pocket; they'll just need to step up and figure out who will be their primary scorers. Additionally, Sophomore forward <strong>Samarieya Moody</strong> (<em>1.7p, 1.7r, 1.3s</em>) saw action in every game, so she'll look to earn a starting role this year. The Jets should still be one of the better teams in this field, but they'll have competition.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Most likely to challenge Anderson Prep are the Tigers of Tindley. Five of their top six players from a year ago return, and they can put up points in bunches at times. Leading the way for the Tigers is 5-7 Senior guard <strong>Auriaunna Hall</strong> (<em>15.3p, 5.7r, 2.6a, 4.7s</em>). She is a nice athlete, a versatile scorer, and she can create turnovers with her defensive presence. 5-10 Senior post <strong>Alonah Savage</strong> (<em>9.1p, 10.4r, 1.1s</em>) could average a double-double as a Senior, and she provides a nice interior obstacle for opponents to work around. 5-8 Junior forward <strong>Heaven Dickerson</strong> (<em>6.8p, 6.0r, 2.2s</em>) and 6-1 Junior post <strong>Zakkiya Northern</strong> (<em>2.8p, 4.4r</em>) add size and experience to the frontcourt, while 5-3 Sophomore guard <strong>Rihanna Peay</strong> (<em>5.1p, 3.2r, 1.9a, 2.3s</em>) earned a look as a rookie and should have a bigger role in her second season on Varsity. The Tigers could be a handful for Sectional #57 opponents.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Following a 2023-2024 season in which they didn't have a team, last year's Liberty Christian Lions played nearly all Freshmen in hopes of building for the future, and that future could come sooner rather than later. 5-6 Sophomore playmaker <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='990165' first='Serenity' last='Conyers']</strong> (<em>24.5p, 2.6r, 2.1a, 4.1s</em>) is absolutely explosive, whether she's on the ball, off the ball, or defending. She can fill it up, and she can lock up. She's probably the best returning college prospect in this Sectional. Junior guard <strong>Heaven Watson</strong> (<em>10.1p, 6.0r, 2.0a, 2.9s</em>) is another versatile guard who does a little of everything well. She is a nice sidekick to Conyers, helping to alleviate pressure. Sophomore forward <strong>Kimora Hawkins</strong> (<em>9.2p, 6.5r, 1.0s, 1.0b</em>), Sophomore wing <strong>Dar'Ryanna Majors</strong> (<em>3.3p, 7.7r</em>), and Sophomore forward <strong>Milan Ivey</strong> (<em>1.6p, 6.6r</em>) add rebounding and defense, but they'll need the latter two to add a little scoring as well to keep defenses honest. Beware of the Lions in 2025-2026.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Additional Players to Keep an Eye On:</strong> Indiana School for the Deaf: 5-7 Senior forward <strong>Jaiden Moses</strong> (<em>11.3p, 11.9r, 2.0s</em>) and 5-8 Sophomore wing <strong>Ariana Starayev</strong> (<em>3.9p, 3.7r, 1.1a, 1.7s</em>); Purdue Poly Broad Ripple: Sophomore wing <strong>Nadia Harris</strong> (<em>13.2p, 5.0r, 1.4s, 1.1b</em>) and Senior forward <strong>Maloree Green</strong> (<em>5.0p, 5.8r, 1.2a, 2.2s</em>)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->