In this week’s Girls Basketball sectional coverage, I observe the four area sectionals in Class 3A! In my opinion, this is the deepest, most unpredictable field of sectionals that I will be discussing this season! Without further ado, let’s talk some sectional basketball!
3A 24 @ Hamilton Heights
#2 Jay County 22-1
#11 Hamilton Heights 17-5
Frankton 17-6
Yorktown 9-11
Centerville 6-13
Delta 6-15
New Castle 0-22
Offense
Jay County 62.2
Frankton 51.6
Yorktown 48.7
Hamilton Heights 43
New Castle 40.6
Delta 40.1
Centerville 31.4
Defense
Frankton 31.6
Jay County 32.2
Hamilton Heights 33
Yorktown 45.9
Centerville 46.2
Delta 55.1
New Castle 63.5
Players to Watch
- Gabi Bilbrey Senior Power Forward Jay County
- Amaya Collins Junior Combo Guard Frankton
- Kaylee Rhoton Senior Small Forward Hamilton Heights
- Camryn Runner Junior Combo Guard Hamilton Heights
- Renna Schwieterman Senior Combo Guard Jay County
- Emma Sperry Junior Combo Forward Frankton
- Amari Wright Senior Combo Guard Yorktown
This is one of the hardest sectionals in the state as you have three legit sectional contenders in this field and any of them can win it this year.
For Jay County, they’re led by the new all-time scoring leader in Jay County history in the future Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodon, Renna Schwieterman. The numbers have been phenomenal for her averaging 21.6 points, 2.6 assists, 3.3 steals, and 6.7 boards on 41% shooting and 32% from 3. Gabi Bilbrey has seen a near 7-point increase from her junior season as she’s averaging 12.7 points and 7.6 boards per game.
The Patriots have shown in the regular season that they can be extremely dominant. The demons come in the playoffs where the Patriots haven’t won a sectional since 2006, and to do that, they’ll have to first get past Centerville, then likely get past Hamilton Heights, and possibly play Frankton for a sectional championship. In fact, Jay County has never beaten Hamilton Heights in the postseason (0-3).
Jay’s first and only lost this season came against the Huskies back on November 12 45-44 in OT. Don’t let the numbers fool you, the Huskies are a dangerous team in postseason play. They’ve won a sectional 3 times since 2018, and they’re the two-time defending sectional champions. The Huskies are 13-3 when holding teams below 40 points and haven’t allowed 50 points in a game all season. They’re led by Camryn Runner whose averaging 18.8 points, 7 boards, and 2.9 steals per game. Runner is an 85% FT shooter, so she’s pretty darn automatic from the charity stripe.
Frankton is not a team to overlook either as Emma Sperry will be a force to be reckoned with. Sperry is averaging 13.3 points, 7.4 boards, and 1.5 blocks per game. She’s a 88% FT shooter.
Final Verdict:
Look, I want to pick Jay County, but their track record in the postseason these days is one I don’t have the most confidence, and for some reason, they’ve yet to shown anything that suggests they can beat Hamilton Heights’ tight zone defense. But it’s Renna Schwieterman and she’s the type of player that can be a game changer.
Sectional Predictions
Tuesday
Jay County over Centerville
Wednesday
Frankton over Delta
Yorktown over New Castle
Friday
Hamilton Heights over Jay County
Frankton over Yorktown
Saturday
Hamilton Heights over Frankton
3A 23 @ Norwell
#4 Norwell 19-3
#10 Bellmont 17-4
#12 Northwestern 15-4
Peru 9-13
Oak Hill 8-14
Mississinewa 6-16
Maconaquah 5-17
Offense
Norwell 64.9
Northwestern 53.7
Bellmont 53.6
Peru 46
Maconaquah 35.9
Defense
Bellmont 34
Northwestern 34.5
Norwell 40.7
Peru 44
Maconaquah 46.3
Players to Watch
- Anna Bishir Sophomore Combo Guard Northwestern
- Emily Bleke Sophomore Combo Guard Bellmont
- Hailey Cole Junior Combo Forward Bellmont
- Kennedy Fuelling Junior Combo Guard Norwell
- Makenzie Fuess Junior Combo Guard Norwell
- Dekota Hubble Junior Center Norwell
- Sydney Keane Senior Point Guard Bellmont
- Lexi Hale Junior Power Forward Northwestern
- McKenna Layden Senior Shooting Guard Northwestern
With this sectional, all eyes are on the top 3 teams in this field because the gap between those 3 and the rest of the field is very staggering.
Last year, Bellmont won this sectional for the first time since 2002, and now will have to earn their way to getting back to regionals through team basketball and an intense zone defense. The two biggest contributors on both ends of the floor are Sydney Keane and Hailey Cole.
Keane, primarily a slashing guard that quarterbacks the offense, is averaging over 13 points a game. While Cole averages 11 points, it’s her toughness on the glass and her versatility that’s crucial.
But to get a potential rematch with Norwell Saturday, they’ll have to get past Northwestern and the future Purdue Boilermaker McKenna Layden. Layden averages 21.3 points, 3.9 assists, 3.1 steals, and 6.5 boards on 40% shooting and 44% shooting from 3, and she’s a 84% FT shooter. If Bellmont can’t frustrate Layden, they’re not defending this sectional because this Northwestern program (out of Kokomo) has a recent track record of deep playoff runs, which includes state championships in 2018 and 2019.
Norwell, however, is still the juggernaut in 3A with a potent perimeter offense and a stingy 1-3-1 zone trap defense. Kennedy Fuelling, who recently eclipsed the 1,000 point mark at East Noble last Friday, is averaging 22.9 points and shoots the ball extremely well from all parts of the floor. She’s complimented by the play of Makenzie Fuess who’s averaging over 16 points per game for the Knights. The wild card in this sectional are juniors Dekota Hubble and Annabelle Johnson, especially on defense. Hubble averages 8 points and 10 boards per game in the post.
We know Norwell can score a lot of points, but it’ll come down to being able to get stops on defense that will determine the outcome of this sectional.
Final Verdict:
This is anyone’s guess on how this sectional could go, but I’m leaning towards Norwell in a barn burner over Northwestern….this one scares me as a basketball writer because really the three best teams in this sectional can easily win it.
Sectional Predictions
Tuesday
Peru over Maconaquah
Wednesday
Bellmont over Oak Hill
Northwestern over Mississinewa
Friday
Norwell over Peru
Northwestern over Bellmont
Saturday
Norwell over Northwestern
3A 21 @ Concordia
Woodlan 19-4
Angola 12-9
Garrett 11-11
Leo 11-11
Concordia 9-13
Bishop Dwenger 9-15
Heritage 5-16
Offense
Concordia 50.8
Woodlan 49.9
Angola 42.9
Garrett 41.7
Leo 38.7
Dwenger 34.2
Heritage 31.3
Defense
Woodlan 39.4
Angola 39.9
Garrett 41.9
Leo 44.9
Dwenger 47.3
Heritage 48.5
Concordia 53.8
Players to Watch
- Kelsey Bergman Junior Center Garrett
- Claire Bickel Senior Shooting Guard Heritage
- Alivia Bollinger Freshman Guard/Forward Concordia
- Kylie Caswell Junior Combo Guard Angola
- Giselle Eke Senior Center Bishop Dwenger
- Addie Goheen Senior Combo Guard Woodlan
- Bailey Kelham Senior Small Forward Garrett
- Brooke Knuebuhler Sophomore Combo Guard Woodlan
- Taylor Knuebuhler Junior Combo Guard Woodlan
- Leah May Senior Combo Guard Leo
- Annaka Nelson Senior Center Concordia
- Maddy Schenkel Senior Combo Guard Garrett
- Haylee Schott Senior Center Leo
- Leah Shappell Freehman Combo Forward Leo
- Avah Smith Senior Power Forward Woodlan
This is arguably the most wide open sectional in the 260. Many will say Woodlan is the favorite. While that’s possible, but there’s no guarantee Woodlan is a definitive favorite. Some will say Concordia and Garrett are factories or the small minority will say Leo, Angola or Dwenger.
Looking at the top half of the bracket, Woodlan has a nice chance to get to the championship game led by the greatness of future Indiana Tech Warrior Avah Smith who is averaging 15.2 points and 9.2 boards per game and the Knuebuhler sisters in the backcourt.
The key question is say Dwenger gets past Heritage, they’ll have to deal with the physical presence of Giselle Eke in the post. On the other side of the bracket, things get a little more interesting as Leo plays Concordia and Garrett plays Angola.
Of the two matchups, Garrett vs Angola is a coin toss matchup and possibly the better game. Garrett is led by the future Huntington Forester, Bailey Kelham, whose averaging 19.3 points, 9.5 boards, and 2.5 steals per game. Kelham enters sectional play at 1,681 career points.
Kelsey Bergman averages around 7 boards and records 2 blocks per game in the post, which will be crucial against Kylie Caswell’s speedy, aggressive drives and some of the physicality Macy Oberlin and Bailey Holman will bring. That could be an ugly game at times, but the winner of this game could go a long way to deciding who could be playing Saturday night. Round 2 between these two this season should be must watch basketball.
Leo-Concordia is a tough one for me to talk here because Leo is such a streaky team this season. While Leah May, Leah Shappell, and Haylee Schott have become a solid trio of players, inconsistent basketball and several offensive dry spells have hurt Leo’s potential this season. Over the last 5 games, Concordia has won 4 of them heading into postseason play.
With the post presence of future Huntington Forester Annaka Nelson (11.8 points, 8 boards, and 1.8 blocks per game) and the shooting ability of Alivia Bollinger (12 points, 5 boards, and 1.3 steals per game), it gives Concordia diverse styles of basketball that most of the sectional is severely lacking right now. The x-factor for their hopes of championship glory is can they get enough stops on defense. Concordia has only allowed less than 45 points seven times this season. But that 5-game span, Concordia achieved that feat in their four wins.
Final Verdict:
While Bailey Kelham has had an amazing career, I have doubts that Garrett will find enough offense from the rest of the lineup to get to Saturday. I have Garrett beating Angola, only to come up short against Concordia. I see Woodlan in the finals as well.
However, Woodlan still comes away with the sectional championship as they try to win it one last time with Head Coach Gary Cobb. Woodlan hasn’t won a sectional since 1990.
Sectional Predictions
Tuesday
Dwenger over Heritage
Wednesday
Concordia over Leo
Garrett over Angola
Friday
Woodlan over Dwenger
Concordia over Garrett
Saturday
Woodlan over Concordia
3A 20 @ Fairfield
#7 Fairfield 22-2
Northwood 13-10
Lakeland 12-10
Wawasee 11-11
West Noble 3-19
Offense
Fairfield 55.8
Lakeland 48.6
Northwood 42.3
Wawasee 39.4
West Noble 33.3
Defense
Fairfield 28.2
Wawasee 43.6
Northwood 43.7
Lakeland 45.2
West Noble 53.3
Players to Watch
- Aaniyah Bonner Freshman Point Guard Northwood
- Kaylee Dillon Junior Combo Guard Fairfield
- Brea Garber Senior Combo Forward Fairfield
- Morgan Gawthrop Senior Combo Guard Fairfield
- Mackenzie Hackleman Sophomore Guard Wawasee
- Peyton Hartsough Senior Combo Guard Lakeland
- Olivia Horn Sophomore Wawasee
- Olivia Oman Junior Combo Guard Lakeland
- Claire Payne Sophomore Power Forward Northwood
- Alivia Rasler Senior Combo Guard
- Bailey Willard Senior Shooting Guard Fairfield
Let’s be honest…this is the worst sectional in the area this year. It’s literally Fairfield vs everyone else this time around, and if you’ve watched the Falcons play, they’re for real.
They’re led by Indiana Wesleyan commit Brea Garber whose averaging 15.1 points and is second in school history in scoring, behind her mother Amy Bechtel Garber. Bailey Willard is a lethal shooter from deep, Morgan Gawthrop is a strong athlete that can shoot the lights out and play defense, and Kaylee Dillon quietly is putting up a good season. Not to mention that Eva Herbert is having a solid freshman season for Fairfield.
West Noble took a huge blow with Mackensy Mabie dealing with an injury..However, realistically, there’s no chance we see the Chargers being able to slow down the mighty Falcons.
The bottom half of the bracket is at least semi-fascinating. Wawasee and Northwood meet for a second time after playing each other to a 45-38 Warrior win. However, the young kids at Northwood are slowly rounding to form, and every year it seems like they get a playoff win. Lakeland should be a interesting matchup for whoever they face.
Huntington signee Peyton Hartsough is coming off scoring past the 1,000 point mark last week vs Fremont and is averaging 16.7 points, 4.8 assists, and 2.8 steals. Olivia Oman is shooting 34% from 3 and 84% from the FT line, and Alivia Rasler is a triple double threat it always seems because of her stellar play on offense and defense. All three players average double figures in scoring, but they will need a total team effort to make a run at sectionals.
Final Verdict:
Let’s not kid ourselves, you have to be bias to think anyone but Fairfield is going to win this sectional. Of course, Fairfield will be heavily favored, they’re one of those teams that can make a run at the state finals!
Sectional Predictions
Tuesday
Northwood over Wawasee
Friday
Fairfield over West Noble
Lakeland over Northwood
Saturday
Fairfield over Lakeland
