A total of 395 schools and 5,318 student‐athletes are set to participate in 41st annual IHSAA Girls Basketball tournament, beginning with sectional action set to tip off this Tuesday, Feb. 2, and run through Saturday, Feb. 6, with the regional round slated for Feb. 13 and semi‐states on Feb. 20.
The four state championship games that make up the state finals will be played at the Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Saturday, Feb. 27.
Matt Abbott and Mark Mead will be broadcasting the Class 2A Sectional 46 at Henryville, action kicks off on Feb. 2 with Clarksville vs. Crawford County at 6p.
Henryville and Providence will play the second round game at 7:45p
Matt Hein and Mike Batt will bring you coverage as Eastern plays the winner of the first game on Feb. 5 at 6p. Paoli will play the winner of the second game.
The winners of both games will play in the championship games at 7:30p on Feb. 6
In Class 1A Sectional at Borden, Orleans will face off against Trinity Lutheran in the first game on February 2 at 6p.
Misty Jones and Darrin Russell will bring the play-by-play action of Medora and the Lady Senators in the second game at 7:30p.
On Feb. 5, Crothersville will play the winner of the first game at 6p and Borden will play the winner of the second game at 7:30p.
The winners of those games will play in the championship round at 7:30p on Saturday night, Feb. 6
In Class 3A Sectional 30 at North Harrison kicks off on February 2 with Salem vs. Silver Creek. Following will be Wednesday night games with Brownstown vs. Charlestown at 6p and North Harrison vs. Scottsburg at 7:30p.
Friday night will feature the first game with Corydon vs. the winner of the Salem/Silver Creek game. The second game will feature the winner of the two Wednesday night games.
Saturday night’s championship game will feature the winners of the Friday night games.
Defending Class 3A state champion Princeton sits atop both the Class 3A poll from the Indiana Coaches of Girls Sports Association as well as the single class poll from the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association. The 24‐0 Tigers, winners of 50 straight games and led by the state’s career scoring leader Jackie Young, will host Washington in the Sectional 31 opener.
Heritage Christian, which won the last two Class 2A state championships, has moved up to Class 3A. The second‐ranked Eagles (17‐3) will begin their drive toward a third consecutive title with Guerin Catholic in Sectional 24 at Hamilton Heights. Oregon‐Davis (19‐2), the top‐ranked team in Class 2A, drew North Judson‐San Pierre in Sectional 34 at Hebron.
Class A No. 1 Jac‐Cen‐Del (19‐1), the host of Sectional 60, drew a bye into the semifinals and await the winner of the Waldron‐ Hauser game. Lafayette Central Catholic, last year’s Class A state champion, is now playing in Class 2A.
The fifth‐ranked Knights (15‐5) will begin their 2A test with Rossville in Sectional 38 at Seeger. 栂Fort Wayne Canterbury, the Class 2A runner‐up the last two seasons and Class A state champion two season prior, leads the state Fort Wayne Canterbury, the Class 2A runner‐up the last two seasons and Class A state champion two season prior, leads the state with 12 consecutive sectional championships.
The Cavaliers will look to continue that streak in Class 3A beginning with a first round matchup against Leo in Sectional 22 at Garrett.
BY THE NUMBERS
There are 395 teams, 5,318 participants.
By Class: 98 4A teams; 101 3A teams; 101 2A teams; 95 1A teams.
Total No. of Games: 393 games in 26 days.
Defending State Champions 4A: Columbus North (Sectional 14 at Bloomington North). 3A: Princeton Community (Sectional 31 at Princeton Community). 2A: Heritage Christian (Class 3A, Sectional 24 at Hamilton Heights). A: Lafayette Central Catholic (Class 2A, Sectional 38 at Seeger).
Schools Entered for First Time
4A: None. 3A: None. 2A: None. A: Anderson Preparatory Academy (Sectional 55 at Southern Wells).
Schools Playing Up One Class due to Tournament Success Factor Heritage Christian (Class 3A, Sectional 24 at Hamilton Heights). Fort Wayne Canterbury (Class 3A, Sectional 22 at Garrett). Lafayette Central Catholic (Class 2A, Sectional 38 at Seeger). Oregon‐Davis (Class 2A, Sectional 34 at Hebron).
Most State Championships 6: Fort Wayne Bishop Luers, Heritage Christian. 5: Fort Wayne Canterbury. 4: Bedford North Lawrence, Ben Davis. 3: Kokomo, North Central (Indianapolis), Tri‐Central. 2: Brebeuf Jesuit, Crown Point, East Chicago Roosevelt, Evansville Mater Dei, Fort Wayne Concordia Lutheran, Huntington North, Indianapolis Cathedral, Lafayette Central Catholic, Martinsville, Oregon‐Davis, Shenandoah, Triton, Warsaw.
All‐Time Consecutive State Tournament Victories 31: Heritage Christian, 2006‐10. 26: Fort Wayne Bishop Luers, 1999‐2002. 25: Fort Wayne Canterbury, 2008‐11. 24: Kokomo, 1992‐94. 23: Tri‐Central, 2003‐06. 20: Crown Point, 1984‐86; Evansville Mater Dei, 2012‐14; Fort Wayne Canterbury, 2012‐14. 17: Ben Davis, 2009‐11. Active Consecutive State Tournament Win Streaks 13: Heritage Christian. 7: Lafayette Central Catholic, Princeton Community. 6: Columbus North. Page 3 of 9
Defending Sectional Champions 4A: Bedford North Lawrence, Center Grove, Columbus North, Evansville Central, Fort Wayne Snider, Homestead, Lake Central, Lawrence North, McCutcheon, Merrillville, Mooresville, Noblesville, Penn, Pike, Richmond, Warsaw. 3A: Benton Central, Danville, Fort Wayne Concordia Lutheran, Hanover Central, Indianapolis Bishop Chatard, Jasper, Lebanon, Lighthouse CPA, Muncie Central, Northview, Norwell, Princeton, Rochester, Rushville, Salem, Tippecanoe Valley. 2A: Covenant Christian (Indianapolis), Fort Wayne Canterbury, Fountain Central, Hagerstown, Hammond Bishop Noll, Heritage Christian, North Judson‐San Pierre, North Knox, North Posey, Providence, Shenandoah, Sheridan, Switzerland County, Triton Central, Wabash, Westview. A: Barr‐Reeve, Borden, Carroll (Flora), Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian, Jac‐Cen‐Del, Kouts, Lafayette Central Catholic, Monroe Central, Morristown, North White, Oregon‐Davis, Springs Valley, Terre Haute South, Union (Modoc), White River Valley, Wood Memorial.
Schools that Won First Sectional Championship Last Year 4A: None. 3A: Lighthouse CPA, Northview. 2A: Providence, Sheridan. A: Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian.
Active Sectional Championship Streaks (Three or more years) 12: Fort Wayne Canterbury. 10: Lafayette Central Catholic. 7: Jac‐Cen‐Del, Mooresville, Wabash. 5: Norwell, Penn. 4: Bedford North Lawrence, Columbus North, Oregon‐Davis. 3: Heritage Christian, Merrillville, Tindley, Westview.
Most Consecutive Sectional Championships 18 by Rushville, 1980‐97.
Top 10 All‐Time Sectional Championships 30: Rushville. 24: Bedford North Lawrence, Ben Davis, NorthWood. 20: Fort Wayne Bishop Luers, Jac‐Cen‐Del, Jasper, Kokomo, Sullivan, Valparaiso.
Schools Seeking First Sectional Championship
4A: None.
3A: Guerin Catholic, Mishawaka Marian, Mount Vernon, Whitko. 2A: Central Noble, Churubusco, Cloverdale, Herron, Indianapolis Broad Ripple, Indianapolis Metropolitan, Lake Station Edison, Milan, River Forest.
A: 21st Century‐Gary, Anderson Preparatory Academy, Cannelton, Central Christian Academy, Christian Academy of Indiana, Covenant Christian (DeMotte), Cowan, Crothersville, Daleville, Elkhart Christian Academy, Faith Christian, Fall Creek Academy, Greenwood Christian, Indiana School for the Deaf, Indianapolis Marshall, International, Irvington Preparatory Academy, LaCrosse, Lakeland Christian Academy, Lakewood Park Christian, Lanesville, Liberty Christian, Marquette Catholic, Medora, Orleans, Rock Creek Academy, Seton Catholic, Shawe Memorial, Shoals, Westville.
