Northern Semi-State Preview

The featured image is of [player_tooltip player_id="128162" first="Nataley" last="Armstrong"] (2022) of Garrett High School. There’s a running joke of "shorts by Semi-State", and that’s true some years. But while we have a nice mild day upon us today, the only thing warm on Saturday could be those nets heating up. The girls’ 2021-2022 state tournament is back on track with the Semi-State round this weekend. Four teams from each classification, 16 in total, try to make their mark on an already successful season by punching their tickets to Indianapolis and earning the opportunity to play at the recently renamed Gainbridge Fieldhouse (rolls right off your tongue, doesn’t it?). We wish the best of luck to all 16 teams remaining, and we encourage everyone to catch the action at one of the four sites this Saturday. Below is a quick look at the two Semi-State sites in the Northern half of the state.   LaPorte Semi-State - Game-1 (Class 2A): Fairfield (24-3) vs. Frankton (22-5), 1:00 p.m. EDT - Game-2 (Class 3A): South Bend Washington (25-3) vs. Garrett (27-1), 4:00 p.m. EDT Comments: Fairfield had an outstanding weekend last weekend, knocking off Northeast Corner Conference rival, Eastside, 54-42, before putting forth a strong defensive effort against a good Andrean team, winning that one 40-22. The Lady Falcons have a nice mix of upperclassmen, but with just one Senior standout, they could make noise again next season. Senior guard Brooke Sanchez and Junior guard Bailey Willard man the backcourt, while Sophomore guard Kaylee Dillon and Junior wing Morgan Gawthrop also play around the perimeter. Junior forward [player_tooltip player_id="59749" first="Brea" last="Garber"], a University of Indianapolis commit, has the size and skill to play around the paint, but she also has ball skills and touch around the perimeter, creating quite the matchup problem for opponents. Frankton was a State Finalist two years ago, and they are looking to get back again. A few of the names and faces have changed for the Lady Eagles, but Senior wing [player_tooltip player_id="128149" first="Lauryn" last="Bates"] remains one of their best players. She is a versatile, tough-nosed, hard-working kid who can handle the ball and run offense, she can attack the basket to score, and she plays with versatility defensively as well. Sophomore wing Emma Sperry wasn’t even in high school two seasons ago, so she looks to make her mark this time around. She is a long, fluid, and skillful player who can also handle the ball and run offense or score it at all levels. Senior guard [player_tooltip player_id="303406" first="Cagney" last="Utterback"] and Senior forward Bailee Webb also return, and the two are energy kids who play with outstanding motors. I’m not sure where to start with South Bend Washington, as they are just talented from top to bottom. Senior forward [player_tooltip player_id="97241" first="Mila" last="Reynolds"] has posted a strong Senior season, and the University of Maryland commit continues to set records in the South Bend area. Junior guard [player_tooltip player_id="96086" first="RaShunda" last="Jones"], a Purdue University commit, plays with incredible speed and ability, and I continue to say she’s one of the best (if not THE best) on-ball defenders in the state. Freshman front-liner [player_tooltip player_id="295770" first="Kira" last="Reynolds"] has done a nice job of complimenting her older sister, Mila, on the interior. And Junior [player_tooltip player_id="59769" first="Amiyah" last="Reynolds"] teams with Jones in the backcourt and acts as the main facilitator, but she can also score it when necessary. The latter Reynolds is also committed to the University of Maryland. I’m sure Garrett wishes it could get another shot at Noblesville, now that the Railroaders have rattled off 25 consecutive wins. They are very Senior-heavy, but the biggest problem matching up with them is Junior wing [player_tooltip player_id="127226" first="Bailey" last="Kelham"]. She’s quite an athlete, she plays with a nice motor, and she can score the ball from all over the floor. Senior point guard [player_tooltip player_id="128162" first="Nataley" last="Armstrong"] makes this team go, though, as she is one of the state’s best facilitators, plus she too is an excellent defender, both on and off the ball. She will play at Division-II Malone University next year. Senior forward [player_tooltip player_id="157170" first="Morgan" last="Ostrowski"] is a long, bouncy athlete up front who plays much more physical than she looks. She scores it with her back to the basket, but she also has touch to 15-feet. She will play volleyball in college, as she’s headed to IUPUI. Class 2A Prediction: This game is a rather even matchup that could come down to which team’s stars can stay on the floor and out of foul trouble. I’m not sure how Frankton will defend Garber, so I think that’s definitely one area to keep an eye on. Also, with Frankton likely travelling Friday evening and staying near LaPorte, it could be a little odd not sleeping/eating at home. I’m all about routine, and I think it at least has some effect on kids/teams. This really is a coin flip, but I’m going to sway Fairfield’s way at the moment. With what they were able to do defensively against Andrean, I’m not sure Frankton is all that different from a personnel standpoint. I look for Fairfield to win this one, 44-37. Class 3A Prediction: Garrett could give South Bend Washington its toughest game since they played Crown Point and La Lumiere back-to-back in late-January. The Railroaders have experience and upperclassmen on their side, so I don’t know that they’ll be intimidated by the atmosphere. At the same time, South Bend Washington tends to be a whole different monster for opponents, big and small. Their height, length, and athleticism just can’t be matched by opponents, plus they were in Indy last year and are hungry to get back again. I think Garrett has the perimeter play to take care of the ball and get into their offense better than most, so that’s where they can keep it close. But I’m not sure how they’ll defend the Lady Panthers. I think this is a single-digit game heading into halftime, possibly close throughout the second half, but I think South Bend Washington does enough to pull away and secure a win by the final score of 58-43.   Logansport Semi-State - Game-1 (Class 1A): North White (20-6) vs. Lafayette Central Catholic (23-4), 4:00 p.m. EDT - Game-2 (Class 4A): Crown Point (24-3) vs. Noblesville (23-4), 7:00 p.m. EDT Comments: North White is the epitome of team, and they have a core of five Seniors and three Juniors who make up a highly experienced lineup. Additionally, the Lady Vikings have played the entire season without arguably their most talented player, Senior [player_tooltip player_id="303410" first="Lynzi" last="Heimlich"], who was injured in the Fall, so what they’ve done to this point has truly been a "team" effort. Senior forward Caitlin Conn and Junior post Tessa Robertson are strong/powerful, they play with tremendous motors, and they control the paint at both ends of the floor. Junior guard Abigale Spry is a long athlete who can shoot, create, and defend, while Senior guard Hannah Cosgray is the consummate point guard, always trying to find open teammates. Senior wing Lauren Annis returned from an injury of her own around Christmas, and she instantly gave North White an offensive boost. Lafayette Central Catholic is back in Class 1A for the first time since the 2013-2014 season, due to the success factor. They have been almost dominant at times, playing the 35th toughest schedule out of 400+ teams statewide. They don’t have a lot of height, so they use speed, quickness, and perimeter play to spread opponents out and attack. Senior guard [player_tooltip player_id="128133" first="Karsyn" last="Cherry"] and Junior guard [player_tooltip player_id="127241" first="Tori" last="Thompson"] are the two main catalysts. They are both well-versed at running the show and shooting/scoring the ball at all levels. Senior wing [player_tooltip player_id="128204" first="Caitlin" last="Dineen"] has put together a nice Senior year and adds an athletic scorer. Freshman guard [player_tooltip player_id="295785" first="Carley" last="Barrett"] has a bright future as she continues to grow, and she is an accurate perimeter shooter who can also make plays. Crown Point again leans on the Senior tandem of guard [player_tooltip player_id="61030" first="Jessica" last="Carrothers"] and forward [player_tooltip player_id="128115" first="Lilly" last="Stoddard"]. Carrothers, an IUPUI commit, is the high-motor energy-giver on the perimeter who plays with a lot of toughness. Stoddard, a Purdue University commit is a tall, long, athletic difference-maker on the frontline. Senior forward [player_tooltip player_id="243580" first="Nikki" last="Gerodemos"] is one of the more undervalued players in the state, speaking in terms of recruiting, and she could be a true difference-maker come Saturday. Senior guard [player_tooltip player_id="128172" first="Alyvia" last="Santiago"] and Junior wing [player_tooltip player_id="372345" first="Brooke" last="Lindesmith"] round out the starting group. Santiago will play at IU-Northwest next season. Sophomore forward [player_tooltip player_id="298252" first="Ava" last="Ziolkowski"] provides size, skill, and shooting touch off the bench. Noblesville has maybe the strongest backcourt in the state right now. Junior [player_tooltip player_id="59773" first="Ashlynn" last="Shade"], Sophomore [player_tooltip player_id="177361" first="Reagan" last="Wilson"], and Freshman [player_tooltip player_id="295776" first="Meredith" last="Tippner"] are all talented, skilled, and high IQ playmakers who can score the ball at all three levels or create for others. They just have a keen sense of the game. Shade recently committed to the University of Connecticut. Junior guard [player_tooltip player_id="264991" first="Kaitlyn" last="Shoemaker"] is small but effective. She can cause problems defensively, and she’s an accurate shooter with range. Her Sophomore sister, [player_tooltip player_id="264119" first="Ava" last="Shoemaker"], is a hustler who gets a lot of rebounds and "scraps" baskets for the Millers. Class 1A Prediction: This will certainly be a contrast of styles, so it will come down to matchups. North White wants to control tempo, use their strength inside, and outwork you in the half-court, both offensively and defensively. Central Catholic will want to speed this game up, make the Vikings play 84-feet, and essentially exhaust them into mistakes. When it comes to tournament time, I usually lean the way of the team with better guards, and Lafayette Central Catholic has that in spades. I think if one of them is "off", someone else can step into their spot and make plays. North White needs to make this a half-court game, and if they can, they will hang around. But, in the end, I’m going to take the Lady Knights of Central Catholic, 51-39. Class 4A Prediction: Noblesville won this matchup, 57-32, just before Christmas, so it will be a test to see if the Lady Bulldogs learned anything from that outing. Noblesville does have some size on its roster to match up with Crown Point, so if the Millers want, they can play bigger and defend the interior better. They want to spread the floor and use their guards to make plays, and if they get any penetration, it’s going to be difficult to defend. I think this is a much closer game the second time around, but I also think the Millers just have too much firepower for Crown Point to keep up with. I like Noblesville winning this game, 56-43.