IHSAA basketball Class 4A semistate: How they got here, players to watch, predictions
One step from the state finals at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, but it takes two wins to do it this year. We take a closer look at the semistate matchups on Saturday with a preview of Class 4A:
At Michigan City (The Wolves Den)
Fort Wayne Wayne (21-4) vs. Kokomo (22-4), 11 a.m.
How they got here: Since a three-game losing streak in early January, Fort Wayne Wayne has ripped off 13 consecutive wins, defeating New Haven (84-58), Fort Wayne South Side (57-56) and Homestead (55-53) to win its first sectional title since 1994. The Generals then edged Noblesville 62-60 in the regional at Logansport for their first regional title since 1981 and second in program history.
Kokomo is on a 15-game winning streak since losing the championship of the Phil Cox Memorial tournament to Brownsburg at the end of December. The Wildkats got a scare from Harrison in the sectional, surviving for a 68-63 overtime win, and the drilling Marion 85-51 for the sectional title. Kokomo defeated Fort Wayne North Side 68-55 to win the regional for the second consecutive year.
Coaches: Byron Pickens is in his fourth season at Fort Wayne Wayne, turning around a program that had losing records his first three seasons, including 4-18 last year. Pickens, a Chicago native, was previously an assistant at Fort Wayne Northrop.
Kokomo coach John Peckinpaugh is 41-12 in his second season at Kokomo. Peckinpaugh coached at Noblesville the previous two seasons, leading the Millers to a 22-24 record. His wife, Haley Peckinpaugh, is 36-30 in her four seasons as the Kokomo girls’ coach.
Players to watch: Fort Wayne Wayne has a young team led by 5-10 junior Jevon Lewis (17.0 ppg, 6.4 assists), 6-1 sophomore Chase Barnes (13.9 ppg, 3.3 rebounds), 6-2 senior Monte Smith Jr. (10.8 ppg, 3.2 rebounds), 6-7 sophomore HJ Dillard (9.3 ppg, 9.2 rebounds) and 6-5 sophomore Preston Comer (6.8 ppg, 8.1 rebounds).
Kokomo is led by 6-10 junior and Gatorade Player of the Year Flory Bidunga (19.7 ppg, 13.4 rebounds, 4.3 blocked shots, 82% field goals), along with 6-2 senior Shayne Spear (11.0 ppg, 4.3 assists, 3.6 rebounds), 6-5 senior Patrick Hardimon (8.3 ppg, 3.3 rebounds) and 6-foot senior Zavion Bellamy (8.0 ppg, 3.8 assists), along with juniors Reis Beard (4.9 ppg, 2.7 rebounds) and Karson Rogers (4.7 ppg, 4.7 rebounds).
Prediction: Wayne’s guards are a handful, but I think the road ends here for the Generals, who will be a team to watch going into next season. Flory and the Kats advance. Kokomo 65, Fort Wayne Wayne 58.
Penn (27-1) vs. Hammond Central (26-1), 1 p.m.
How they got here: Penn won six in a row, lost to Ben Davis in the Hall of Fame Classic and has since won 21 consecutive games. The Kingsmen beat Elkhart (83-37), Goshen (55-37) and Northridge (75-62) to win the sectional title and then needed a second-half comeback to defeat Chesterton 73-60 to win the regional for the first time since 2019.
Hammond Central had a similar season, winning eight games, losing to Whitney Young after Christmas, winning 18 consecutive games coming into this game. The Wolves, in their second season as a school since consolidation, defeated Gary West Side (62-54), Hammond Morton (71-30) and Munster (54-53) to win the sectional and then take down Mishawaka 59-46 in the regional.
Coaches: Al Rhodes is in his 15th season at Penn with a 238-127 record and 42nd year overall. Rhodes, a Penn graduate, is third among active coaches in wins, leading Warsaw to the 1984 state championship. He also coached at Logansport and Fort Wayne Northrop.
Larry Moore is 42-9 the last two seasons at the newly-formed Hammond Central school and is 181-76 overall in 11 years, the previous nine at Hammond High.
Players to watch: Start with Penn senior guard Markus Burton, who is averaging 30.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 3.5 steals per game. The Notre Dame recruit is shooting a robust 42% from the 3-point line. Other key players are 6-3 senior Joey Garwood (12.0 ppg, 3.4 rebounds, 46% 3-pointers), 5-11 senior Joe Smith (10.8 ppg, 3.4 assists, 41% 3-pointers), 6-8 senior Dylan Derda (5.3 ppg, 5.1 rebounds), 6-2 junior Dominic Bonner (4.8 ppg, 3.5 rebounds), junior Trey Miller (4.0 ppg) and 6-8 senior Josh Gatete (3.4 ppg, 4.5 rebounds).
Hammond Central is led by seniors Jordan Woods (14.3 ppg, 6.0 assists, 5.0 rebounds), Matt King (11.4 ppg) and junior Danny Garza (8.3 ppg).
Prediction: This is No. 2 (Penn) vs. No. 3 (Hammond Central). I like Burton and Co. here. Penn 68, Hammond Central 60.
Championship, 9 p.m.
Prediction: Penn vs. Kokomo? Burton vs. Bidunga? Yowza. I’m hoping for a minor roof leak or something so this game is rescheduled and I can go up and watch this game on Monday. I’ll give the slight edge to the senior in a classic. Penn 70, Kokomo 68.
At New Castle
Brownsburg (21-4) vs. Jennings County (24-2), 10 a.m.
How they got here: Brownsburg lost its final two games of the regular season to Hamilton Southeastern and Center Grove, but rebounded to knock off Terre Haute North (62-41) and Plainfield (64-48) to win its first sectional in three years, then bounced New Palestine 66-39 for the Bulldogs first regional title since the state championship of 2008.
Jennings County was 11-0 before losing to Center Grove and then lost to a February game to Jeffersonville. The Panthers have been a comeback team in the sectional, rallying twice to beat Bedford North Lawrence 72-71 in double overtime in the sectional, then coming back from 15 down to beat Jeffersonville 48-46 in the sectional semifinal. The sectional championship (51-39 win over New Albany) and regional (64-40 win over Evansville Reitz) were not as dramatic.
Coaches: Brownsburg coach Steve Lynch is in his 10th season at with a 172-73 record leading the Bulldogs and 275-125 in 17 seasons overall, counting his time at Mt. Vernon. His 2013 team at Mt. Vernon won a Class 3A regional. This is his fifth sectional title at Brownsburg and first regional championship.
Josh Land is 90-80 in his seventh season at Jennings County. He was an assistant at Jennings County for nine years prior to taking the head coaching spot.
Players to watch: Brownsburg has three double-digit scorers with 6-7 junior and Purdue recruit Kanon Catchings (17.9 ppg, 4.7 rebounds, 37% 3-pointers), 6-4 senior Elhadj Diallo (15.7 ppg, 6.9 rebounds, 2.4 steals) and 6-2 junior Grant Porath (10.7 ppg, 2.6 assists). Other key rotation players are 5-11 junior Drew Thompson (3.8 ppg, 3.0 assists), 6-2 junior Spencer Porath (3.0 ppg), 6-7 junior Brandon Lattimer (2.7 ppg, 2.7 rebounds) and 5-8 junior JD Lynch (2.3 ppg, 2.8 assists).
Jennings County is led by 5-11 sophomore Carter Kent (14.6 ppg, 2.9 assists, 39% 3-pointers 5-8 senior Keegan Manowitz (14.4 ppg, 6.3 assists, 41% 3-pointers), 6-3 senior Owen Law (11.3 ppg, 3.5 rebounds), 6-7 senior Justin Ramey (7.7 ppg, 4.3 rebounds), 6-3 senior Lane Zohrlaut (7.4 ppg, 4.9 rebounds) and 6-5 freshman Parker Elmore (5.6 ppg, 4.4 rebounds).
More on Jennings County:An Indiana basketball story about family, 3-pointers, underdogs and 'Hoosiers'
Prediction: Jennings County has some serious mojo and its ability to shoot and come from behind makes it a dangerous opponent for any team in March. But the Brownsburg handled its business on the defensive end last week against New Palestine was so impressive. Brownsburg should have matchup advantages. Brownsburg 62, Jennings County 56.
Ben Davis (30-0) vs. Bloomington North (19-5)
How they got here: It has been a wire-to-wire unbeaten run so far for Ben Davis, which rose to No. 1 early in the season and never let go. The Giants knocked off Southport (62-46), Franklin Central (76-46) and Pike (80-59) to win the sectional and the took out defending champion Cathedral 63-53 in the regional at Southport.
Bloomington North rolled to wins over Mooresville (101-58) and Martinsville (84-70) in the sectional and then defeated fourth-ranked Center Grove 43-41 to win the sectional. The Cougars then rallied again in the regional for a 45-43 win over Columbus North.
Coaches: Don Carlisle is 95-41 in five seasons at Ben Davis, his alma mater. His first team in 2018-19 reached the state championship game. Carlisle is 141-66 in eight seasons overall, starting with three seasons at Arlington.
Bloomington North coach Jason Speer is 94-45 in six seasons at Bloomington North. His team last season won a regional title. Speer coached Columbus North for seven seasons from 2008-15 and has a 209-93 overall record in 13 years.
Players to watch: Zane Doughty, the Giants’ 6-9 senior and Valparaiso recruit, was named Marion County Player of the Year this week, and leads the team at 13.3 points, 9.4 rebounds and 2.8 blocked shots per game. Others in the main rotation are 6-foot senior guard Clay Butler (10.0 ppg, 3.1 rebounds, 43% 3-pointers) and 6-3 senior guard Sheridan Sharp (9.8 ppg, 6.3 assists, 2.3 steals), 6-3 junior K.J. Windham (8.4 ppg, 34% 3-pointers), 6-5 senior Shaun Arnold (7.5 ppg, 4.7 rebounds), 6-1 sophomore Mark Zackery (5.7 ppg) and 6-4 junior Mark White (5.0 ppg, 2.3 rebounds).
Bloomington North is led by 6-8 senior and Vanderbilt recruit JQ Roberts (20.3 ppg, 7.8 rebounds, 50% field goals), 6-4 sophomore Luke Lindeman (11.5 ppg, 4.7 rebounds), 6-2 senior Gavin Reed (9.8 ppg, 2.5 rebounds, 47% 3-pointers), 5-10 senior Dawan Daniels (9.7 ppg, 3.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists) and 6-4 senior Lucas Vencel (4.1 ppg, 2.3 rebounds).
Prediction: The matchup between Roberts and Doughty is interesting and Bloomington North has some good pieces, including necessary ballhandler against Ben Davis in Daniels. But it seems foolish to pick against the Giants at this point. Ben Davis 67, Bloomington North 55.
Championship, 8 p.m.
Prediction: The first meeting between Ben Davis and Brownsburg in December never felt in doubt. The Giants rolled to a 57-33 win and limited Brownsburg to 30% shooting. I think this one will be much closer, but Ben Davis, which shot 9-for-17 from the 3-point line in the first game, is a tough matchup for most teams. Ben Davis 54, Brownsburg 47.
Call Star reporter Kyle Neddenriep at (317) 444-6649.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana high school basketball tournament: Class 4A semistate preview
