ANDERSON — The 35th annual IHSAA girls basketball state tournament is scheduled to begin this evening with 397 teams tipping off around the state.
The winter storm forecast for today could alter the schedule, no contingency plan had been announced Monday evening.
Three area schools are host schools this week. Pendleton Heights hosts the Class 4A Sectional No. 8. In Class 2A, Lapel hosts Sectional 41 and Shenandoah hosts Sectional 42.
At Pendleton Heights, the Arabians (16-5) are scheduled to take on Muncie Central (7-12) in the second game tonight. The action gets under way with Highland (8-12) against Greenfield-Central (15-5).
On Wednesday, Anderson (1-20) will play the Richmond Red Devils (5-15) in the first game. Connersville (13-7) will take on New Castle (14-6) in the final first-round game of the day.
“To me, this sectional is more amazing than last year,” said Arabians coach Shari Doud. “I think five of the eight teams have a chance to get through this sectional.”
Pendleton Heights is the defending sectional champions. The Arabians advanced all the way to the Final Four before they were put out by eventual Class 4A state champion South Bend Washington.
“Last year is almost forgotten at this point,” said Doud. “This is a totally different team that plays a different style. We feel like we’re playing our best ball right now.”
In the Bearcats, the Arabians face an opponent that beat them early in the regular season. Muncie Central beat Pendleton Heights 76-38 at the Walnut Street Fieldhouse on Nov. 14. It was the second game of the season.
“We’ve been totally focused on Muncie Central and what we have to do against Ashley Fouch and Jamie Drummer,” said Doud. “We haven’t pulled the revenge card, yet, and we’re not looking past them. Sometimes the hardest step to take is the first one and we have to focus on one game at a time.”
Rematches also await the Scots and Indians in their sectional contests.
Local Sports
Related Photos
-
Don Knight
-
Don Knight
Discussion
Local teams host trio of girls basketball sectionals
Weather may alter tonight's openers for four area teams
- Local Sports
-
-
Bearcats upend AHS
Often basketball is a simple game, and it was certainly true for the Anderson boys basketball team here Thursday night. “We had too many turnovers — that’s the game,” said AHS coach Joe Nadaline after the Indians lost to Muncie Central 54-46 for their eighth straight defeat.
-
Bulldogs topple Raiders, win 9th in a row
The Bulldogs keep on rolling. Lapel (16-3) led from start to finish as it beat visiting Shenandoah 69-47 Thursday night to push its winning streak to nine games.
-
PHHS shoots down Fishers
It can be easy to take Kellen Dunham for granted. But the Pendleton Heights senior reminded everyone why he is a Mr. Basketball candidate with a furious fourth quarter Thursday night against Fishers. Dunham scored 15 of his game-high 32 points in the final eight minutes, connected on all 10 of his free-throw attempts during the period and drained a 3-pointer from the top of the key early in the frame that sent the fifth-ranked Arabians on their way to a 53-42 victory.
-
Frankton subdues Liberty
Youth was on display Thursday night in Frankton as the host Eagles squared off against the Liberty Christian Lions boys basketball team. Neither team had a senior start the game, and Frankton proved to be the more seasoned team in a 68-59 win.
-
Indians fall to Bearcats 54-46
Photos from Anderson as the Indians hosted the Muncie Central Bearcats.
-
Five for fighting
Like other coaches, Alexandria wrestling coach Jack Grimaldi sometimes has to worry about how to motivate his charges as they head into their matches. That shouldn’t be an issue for him with his five Tigers heading into Saturday’s individual semistate at New Castle.
-
Red-hot Lapel limiting miscues
Like any basketball coach, Jimmie Howell knows how important it is for a team to be playing its best basketball as the state tournament draws near.
But what’s going on in Lapel might be redefining that theory.
With a 60-42 win on the road over Class 3A No. 6 Guerin Catholic on Saturday, the Bulldogs pushed their winning streak to eight games. Over the 32-minute course of the game against the Golden Eagles, Lapel committed a microscopic four turnovers. -
PH moves on
On the roster of every successful team is a player or two who will do the unpleasant work. The ones who actually find satisfaction in this pursuit are worth their weight in wins to any coach. Pendleton Heights sophomore Kiawna Cottrell was just that player Tuesday as the Arabians advanced to the second round of sectional play with a 55-45 victory over Greenfield-Central.
-
Indians slay Spartans
The last time these two girls basketball teams met on Jan. 17, Anderson defeated Connersville 83-74 in overtime. Lady Tribe coach Chad Cook knew the Spartans would come out with a chip on their shoulder ready for revenge in Tuesday’s opening round of the Class 4A sectional.
-
Eagles eke by Raiders
Back in November, the Frankton girls basketball team handled Shenandoah by 29 points. Tuesday’s sectional opener at Shenandoah wasn’t as easy, but the end result was the same as Frankton moved on with a 44-43 win over the host Shenandoah Raiders.
- More Local Sports Headlines
-
