NW Indiana Boys Basketball Renegade Class 1A Sectional/Regional Preview

2003-2004 Boys Basketball

'The Renegade' Sectional / Regional

Preview: Class 1A

A USA-365.com Special Report

(3-1-2004)

The Class 1A power is always in the southern of the state of Indiana because that's where lots of small schools have survived consolidation. That's why these four sectionals are so wide-ranging. Whiting and LaCrosse are at least 50 miles apart in Sectional 49 while Caston and South Newton (Sec. 52) are even further apart. The stereotype of small schools is that they either have one very good player or a lot of outside shooting. The 'shooting' teams often have trouble with the second game in one day at the regional, but the 'one good player' squads often excel early especially if the one good player is a big player. Morgan Township is unusual because they have one good player in 6-4 Matt Bush and one big player in 6-6 Nate McGinley. Triton has unusual size with a trio of 6-4 players. Caston is a small, defense-oriented team but truthfully, despite what coaches preach, defense-minded teams usually rule the regular season and meet their match in state tournament play. If you look at the recent girls playoffs, all the top defensive teams have been knocked out. The team that executes on offense wins in high school basketball. It's always been that way. The 2004 wonder team is far downstate Waldron, which is 20-0 despite having just 250 students. But they are a world away from this part of the state.

1. 7:00 Tue: Kouts [11-8] vs. Morgan Twp. [18-3]
2. 6:00 Wed: Whiting [6-14] vs. Washington Twp. [9-11]
3. 7:30 Wed: LaCrosse [13-8] vs. Hebron [9-10]
4. 6:00 Fri: River Forest [7-13] vs. Winner Game 1
5. 7:30 Fri: Winner Game 2 vs. Winner Game 3
6. 7:30 Sat: Championship - 7:30 p.m.

VALPARAISO - The only downside for Morgan Township here is that they must play three games. Nate McGinley (14 ppg.) scored 23 in the season-finale, a 57-45 win over Washington Township. Washington is a favorite over Whiting in the quarterfinals, and is really the main foe here. LaCrosse has struggled since a 7-2 start and Hebron has rallied after a 1-6 start. But the Hawks, led by top scorer Ryan Brindley, 'power' forward Eric Luchene and long-range shooter Caleb Biggs, have no player taller than 6-2 and Morgan has the 6-6 McGinley and 6-4 Matty Bush (19 ppg.). You can see where I'm going. Give Hebron wins over LaCrosse and Washington and give Morgan wins over Kouts and River Forest. The size and the home court give Morgan the sectional title.

Sectional 50 at TRITON

1. 7:00 Tue: Oregon-Davis [4-16] vs. Triton [11-9]
2. 6:00 Wed: South Central [0-19] vs. Michigan City Marquette [10-10]
3. 7:30 Wed: Culver [1-19] vs. Argos [9-11]
4. 6:00 Fri: Westville [11-10] vs. Winner Game 1
5. 7:30 Fri: Winner Game 2 vs. Winner Game 3
6. 7:30 Sat: Championship - 6:30 (CST)

BOURBON - The first round games here aren't going to tell you much. Triton has too much for O-D while Marquette over South Central and Argos over Culver can also pass without comment.

Triton has certainly played a tougher schedule than Westville and should advance at home. Triton senior Todd Blackford just passed 1,000 points and is 11 points short of his school's record. Triton's Brandon Barton has 49 three-point baskets. This is a good shooting team.

Marquette won the Northland Conference championship but only Westville was above .500 in that 8-team league. Triton was 3-4 in the Northern State conference which is a stronger league.

I think the Trojans will beat O-D and Westville while Marquette beats South Central and Argos. In the finals, Triton wins by 10 or more.

1. 7:00 Tue: Hamilton [0-20] vs. Canterbury [7-12]
2. 6:00 Wed: Keystone [0-18] vs. Lakewood Park [9-11]
3. 7:30 Wed: Bethany Christian [4-16] vs. Howe Military [9-9]
4. 6:00 Fri: Blackhawk [10-10] vs. Winner Game 1
5. 7:30 Fri: Winner Game 2 vs. Winner Game 3
6. 7:30 Sat: Championship - 6:30 (CST)

FORT WAYNE - This is the small school championship of Fort Wayne and it's been a rough season. You immediately advance Canterbury and Lakewood Park to the semifinals for obvious reasons. Blackhawk has beaten Canterbury, Luers and Bethany Christian. Canterbury has lost eight of their last 10 games, but they beat Howe by 50 and Lakewood by 21.

Some of these are new schools with no tradition. But Blackhawk, which was 17-9 last year, has good speed and a bye. Blackhawk beats Canterbury in a high-scoring semifinal and the Braves then coast to their first sectional title in the finals, beating upset finalist Bethany Christian.

1. 6:00 Tue: South Newton [13-7] vs. Caston [19-1]
1. 7:30 Tue: Tri-County [7-13] vs. West Central [13-7]
3. 6:00 Fri: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2
4. 7:30 Fri: Pioneer [11-9] vs. North White [0-20]
5. 7:30 Sat: Championship (6:30 p.m.) CST

WOLCOTT - Obviously, the focus will be on Caston, a defense-oriented team that has lost only to Triton. But they got a bad draw that forces them to take out winning teams in South Newton and West Central. Pioneer, which is led by 6-6 football star Brent Winegardner, has a perfect draw in North White, a school that has lost 56 games in a row. Caston beat Pioneer 55-46 in January, but I think the size and Caston's 3-games-in-5-days, reverses that decision in the finals.

MORGAN TOWNSHIP winner (Morgan) vs. BETHANY CHRISTIAN (Blackhawk)
TRI-COUNTY winner (Pioneer) vs. TRITON winner (Triton)

BORBON - Morgan has too much size for Blackhawk and will enjoy playing at (relatively) nearby Triton. Triton will REALLY enjoy playing at Triton and the 6-4 Blackford, 6-3 Kyle Bell ands 6-4 Josh Moore will be too much for the 6-6 Winegardner and Pioneer.

The finals will come down to Morgan on Triton's home floor against the host school. Triton has played some good 3A schools in Northwood, Glenn and New Prairie while Morgan has played solid 2As like Wheeler, Jimtown and Boone Grove all year.

In an up-tempo game that has the score in the 60s, Triton beats Morgan Township by 5 points or less.