The boys basketball sectionals continue tonight with the semi-finals, and it will be a case of déjà vu for most of the local teams.
Four of the five contests involving Hamilton County squads will be re-matches, including both of the match-ups at Class 4A Sectional 8 at Carmel. The action at the Eric Clark Activity Center begins at 6 p.m. when the host and No. 2-ranked Greyhounds take on Hamilton Southeastern in the first semi-final. The second semi-final will see Westfield face off against Noblesville, with tip off at 8:30 p.m. (Note that the gym will be cleared in between games.)
Carmel will be back in action for the first time in over a week. The ‘Hounds finished the regular season with a 64-32 win at Crispus Attucks, improving their record to 20-2. Carmel has now won at least 20 games in eight of the past 10 seasons.
The Greyhounds hosted Southeastern on Feb. 12, with Carmel winning 49-30. The Royals are coming off a big win over their district rival, as they beat Fishers 44-40 in Tuesday’s first round.
Southeastern is 12-10 overall. Both teams are battle-tested, with the Greyhounds playing the third-toughest schedule according to the Sagarin ratings, and the Royals playing the sixth-toughest schedule.
Senior Brian Waddell is leading the Carmel scoring with 15.5 points per game, followed by junior Peter Suder, who is averaging 12.6 points per game. Both Greyhounds are pulling down 6.3 rebounds per contest. Senior Connor Gioia leads the assists with 3.6 per game, followed by Suder at 3.1.
Southeastern senior Vinny Buccilla is the Royals’ leading scorer at 12.9 points per game, and also the top assister, dishing out 4.7 per game. Senior Dalton Retzner has a 10.2 points-per-game average, in addition to 4.7 rebounds and 1.2 blocks. Another senior, John McCall, is at the top of the rebound list with 4.9 per game, and adds 9.1 points.
NEXT CHAPTER
The second game at Carmel will see the next chapter written in the long rivalry between Westfield and Noblesville.
The last chapter was written on Jan. 2, when the Shamrocks beat the Millers 58-42 at The Rock. Westfield is 17-4 for the season and riding a six-game win streak; the ‘Rocks opened sectional play with a 61-47 win over Zionsville on Tuesday.
Junior Braden Smith is having a standout season for Westfield, with 21.2 points, 6.3 assists and 5.5 rebounds per game. Another junior, Cam Haffner, is contributing 12.4 points and 4.1 rebounds per contest. In terms of long-range shooting, Smith has made 63 3-pointers and Haffner has thrown in 45 triples.
The Millers will be playing their first game in over a week, having finished their regular season with a 48-44 win at Mississinewa. Noblesville is 11-10 for the season.
The Millers have a balanced group when it comes to scoring. Junior E.J. Smith leads that category with 11.2 points per game, followed by sophomore Luke Almodovar at 10.8 points and senior Noah Harris at 10.7 points. Harris is also the top rebounder with 4.3 per contest, while Smith is handing out 3.0 assists per game.
HUSKIES PLAY OWLS
Hamilton Heights is heading back to New Castle today for the semi-finals of Class 3A Sectional 24. The Huskies will take on Muncie Burris in the 6 p.m. game, with Delta and Jay County to follow in the second semi-final.
Heights and Burris did not play in the regular season. The Owls are 9-10 for the year, with senior Grant Jones leading the way by averaging 19.6 points and 8.9 rebounds per game. Sophomore Colin McBride has 3.3 assists per contest.
The Huskies are 16-4 and on a five-game win streak. That includes a sectional-opening victory on Tuesday over Yorktown, 66-53. The victory was the 200th for Chad Ballenger as the Heights coach; he has 277 wins overall.
Senior Gus Etchison, headed to Western Michigan later in the year, has been a dominant scoring force for the Huskies with 31.2 points per game. He also leads the assists category with 3.5 per game and has drained 69 3-pointers.
Two more Heights seniors, Isaac Wilson and Lucas Letsinger, are adding 10.0 points per game. Junior Luke Carroll has been outstanding on the boards with 7.6 rebounds per game.
GOLDEN EAGLES AT LEBANON
Guerin Catholic will travel west to Lebanon today to take on the host Tigers in the second semi-final game of Class 3A Sectional 27 at Rosenstihl Gymnasium. That will follow a 6 p.m. first semi-final game between Bishop Chatard and Brebeuf Jesuit.
The No. 7-ranked Golden Eagles hosted Lebanon Feb. 3, winning 41-38. The Tigers are 10-14 for the season and won their Tuesday sectional opener over Shortridge 68-47.
Guerin Catholic, meanwhile, is 17-3 and winners of its last four games. The Golden Eagles have four players averaging in double figures: Senior Joseph Bobilya has 17.8 points per game, senior Kaleb Edwards scores 16.0 points, senior Matthew Gillis adds 11.1 points and junior Will Grissom contributes 10.3 points.
Gillis is the top rebounder for GC with 7.1 per contest. Edwards collects 5.0 rebounds per game, and also hands out 3.0 assists, and blocks 1.0 shots per game. Bobilya has made 64 3-pointers during the season.
‘HAWKS TAKE ON TAYLOR
Sheridan will be heading east to Blackford for a 6 p.m. semi-final game with Taylor at Class 2A Sectional 39. The second semi-final will see Tipton take on the host Bruins.
The Blackhawks hosted the Titans on Jan. 29 in a Hoosier Heartland Conference game, with Taylor winning 61-55. The Titans are 11-11 and their top two scorers are seniors: Ryley Gilbert is averaging 11.4 points per game, followed by Jalen Harris with 10.2 points. Two more seniors lead the rebounding list: Nathan Keene pulls 6.0 rebounds per contest and Josh Bowman collects 5.0 rebounds.
Sheridan is 12-10 for the season. Junior Ethan Moistner leads the Blackhawks scoring with 13.8 points per game, and has drained 57 3-pointers this season. Junior Silas DeVaney and senior Kyle Eden each contribute 11.6 points per game. Moistner also leads the rebounds with 6.0 per game, while Eden hands out 4.1 assists per contest.
