Semi-State Preview: Class 2A South

<!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"small"} --> <p class="has-small-font-size"><em>The featured image is of [player_tooltip player_id='624882' first='Addison' last='Smith'] (2026) from Eastern High School (Pekin, Indiana).</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The IHSAA Indiana girls' basketball state tournament is well underway. As we enter week-3 of competition, there are only 32 of 392 teams remaining in the entire state, and by the end of this coming Saturday's contests, the field will be whittled down to just 8 teams, 2 in each of the four classes. Below is a look at the 4 teams remaining in the South in Class 2A.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><font color="FFFFFF">.</font></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><font size="+3">at Greencastle</font></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><font size="+1">10:00a - Heritage Christian (19-8) vs. Parke Heritage (19-7)</font></strong><br>Year after year, Heritage Christian always seems to be competitive, and you can say what you want about private schools, but with the talent they have, they've been playing tougher schedules the last couple of years preparing themselves for postseason play. Five of the eight teams they lost to had 20 or more wins, and the other three were Carmel, Chatard, and 17-5 Purdue Poly (Englewood). The Eagles are legit once again, and it's because they have a couple of strong Sophomore guards leading the way. 5-10 Sophomore point guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='999405' first='Riley' last='Johnson']</strong> (<em>17.0p, 3.5r, 1.8a, 3.4s</em>) has star potential, and she continues to improve as she gets stronger. She is long, wiry, fluid, and smooth. She can fill it up from all three levels, but she has a strong handle and can create offense as well. 5-8 Sophomore guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='941968' first='Elyse' last='Snively']</strong> (<em>14.4p, 3.0r, 2.6a, 1.9s</em>) joined the team this year after previously being homeschooled. She can play point guard as well as shoot/score it, and she has become a really nice option 1B to Johnson. The scary thing is, they have two more years together. 5-4 Junior point guard <strong>Kihanna Mellanson</strong> (<em>8.0p, 1.9r, 2.5a, 1.8s</em>) adds to an already strong backcourt after having transferred in from Texas this year. She is quick, assertive, and does a nice job of finding open teammates. 5-11 Senior forward <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='773844' first='Trinity' last='Taylor']</strong> (<em>7.3p, 11.0r, 1.5a, 1.7s</em>) anchors the interior. She is a really nice athlete, tough-nosed, hard-working, and assertive inside. She has a real nose for the ball and is a double-double waiting to happen each game. 5-7 Junior wing <strong>Emma Gast</strong> (<em>2.7p, 4.7r, 2.6s</em>) plays with some versatility and can be solid around the perimeter, but she is also counted on to rebound and defend. 5-8 Senior forward <strong>Isabelle Papineau</strong> (<em>2.6p, 4.5r</em>) is another front-liner who gives them good minutes, also helping with rebounding and defense. 5-3 Senior guard <strong>Natalie Curnutt</strong> (<em>1.5p</em>) brings some Senior experience to the younger backcourt group. Parke Heritage has graduated a number of talented individuals over the last couple of years. This year, they are relying on a strong, albeit young, backcourt. 5-9 Sophomore guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='989989' first='Lila' last='Busenbark']</strong> (<em>11.4p, 4.1r, 1.9a, 1.7s</em>) is the top youngster. She is athletic, skilled, versatile, and can impact a game in a variety of ways. 5-8 Sophomore guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='990958' first='Birkley' last='Schelsky']</strong> (<em>7.8p, 3.3r, 2.2a, 2.3s</em>) is another nice young guard who plays with energy, toughness, and a good basketball IQ. 5-8 Freshman forward <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1720277' first='Kennedy' last='Mitchell']</strong> (<em>9.4p, 6.3r</em>) has had a nice rookie season. She adds a toughness element on the inside and does a nice job of rebounding and defending. 5-7 Junior guard <strong>Anesa Veseli</strong> (<em>7.3p, 3.0r</em>) offers Busenbark and Schelsky a running 'mate on the perimeter, while Junior wing <strong>Addie Ramsay</strong> (<em>5.2p, 3.1r, 2.0a, 1.9s</em>) plays with versatility, as she can be a point forward type or rebound and defend inside the arc. <strong>Carly Newnum</strong> (<em>2.4p, 3.4r</em>) is another Junior wing who provides depth, along with more rebounding and defense. For anyone who wants to watch several good, young guards, this game pits four of the state's better 2028s against each other. One slight advantage Heritage Christian has is that Johnson has played the role of go-to player for a couple of years now, and she has proven she can go out and score 25+ points multiple times in her career if the Eagles need it. They also have the advantage of Taylor, who is a bit taller, stronger, and more explosive than the Wolves' frontline. However, don't dismiss Parke Heritage's collective firepower. When they are clicking, they regularly score in the 50s. This will be one of those games that isn't about style, it won't necessarily be about talent or depth, but it could simply come down to which backcourt can make shots in the fourth quarter.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><font size="+1">12:00p - Eastern (Pekin) (18-7) vs. North Knox (19-6)</font></strong><br>The Musketeers are no stranger to postseason success, but it has been since the 2021-2022 season since they have won a Sectional title. Now, they lean heavily on the combination of seven Seniors and Juniors for success. The Senior trio of <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='624882' first='Addison' last='Smith']</strong> (<em>12.4p, 3.6r, 4.1a, 3.3s</em>), a 5-6 guard, and her twin sister <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='885219' first='Avery' last='Smith']</strong> (<em>4.0p, 5.2r, 1.6a, 2.2s in 13 games</em>), a 5-8 wing, plus 5-10 forward <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1131931' first='Sidney' last='Burton']</strong> (<em>11.3p, 7.0r, 1.5s</em>), have been the backbone of this program the last two years. The Smiths bring athleticism and grittiness to the perimeter, while Burton can be an enforcer inside. Any of the three have breakout, 20-point potential, and all seem to work very well together. 5-10 Junior guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='834938' first='Katie' last='Hauner']</strong> (<em>8.7p, 3.8r, 1.9s</em>) is a bit under the radar. She is a long, fluidly athletic wing who can score it and cause problems defensively with her length and athleticism. 5-5 Sophomore guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1241466' first='Bailee' last='Robbins']</strong> (<em>8.1p, 1.8r, 1.5a, 2.4s</em>) is another really nice small school player who gets a little overlooked considering the other guards she shares the backcourt with. 5-3 Junior guard <strong>Bailey Trainor</strong> (<em>4.9p</em>), 5-7 Senior forward <strong>Eliza Starrett</strong> (<em>3.7p, 5.3r</em>), and 6-0 Junior post <strong>Emma Brawner</strong> (<em>1.8p, 2.1r</em>) add more experience, depth, and lineup versatility to the mix. North Knox's 2025 Senior class graduated with a lot of skilled players who produced, so while they aren't necessarily deep this year, a 4-player 2026 class has taken the reins and led them to postseason success. 5-8 guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='420275' first='Lexi' last='Primus']</strong> is a legitimate talent. She has an athletic frame, length, and she can run &amp; jump well in all directions. She is a multilevel scorer, plus she can create/initiate offense for them. 5-9 forward <strong>Jade Richter</strong> is counted on for some mid-post scoring, she will rebound, and she is a solid interior defender as well. 5-8 point guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1623386' first='Baylee' last='McClure']</strong> has become quite the facilitator in her final season, and she has scored in double figures several times. 5-7 wing <strong>Millee Leroy</strong> rounds out the Senior group, and she adds versatility, because she can score it a little, she can create a little, and she can be a hustle player as well. 5-2 Freshman guard <strong>Caroline Yenne</strong> has been a welcomed addition as a rookie, as she has looked like their point guard of the future, but she can also score the ball, and she's tough at her size. 6-0 Junior center <strong>Roselyn Armes</strong> is somewhat of a traditional post, she is willing to play physically inside, and she gives them the size needed to match up with several opponents. North Knox is on a roll right now, having won nine of their last ten games. They've played a tough postseason thus far, defeating South Knox, Linton-Stockton, and Evansville Mater Dei. Eastern (Pekin) faced a tough Austin squad in the Regional, but otherwise this will be their biggest test of the postseason. I think North Knox will come out calm, cool, and collected, and likely take an early lead. Then it will be up to the Musketeers to prove their mettle. If they can, I think this can be a back &amp; forth game with two teams filled with upperclassmen. But North Knox is going to be a tough "out" this weekend.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><font size="+1">8:00p - Winner @ 10:00a vs. Winner @ 12:00p</font></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->