IHSAA basketball Class A semistate: How they got here, players to watch, predictions
One step – but two games this year – from the state finals at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. We take a closer look at the semistate matchups on Saturday, starting with Class A:
At Lafayette Jeff (Crawley Center)
Southwood (13-12) vs. Fountain Central (23-4), 10 a.m.
How they got here: Southwood started the season 0-5, though four of those losses were by five points or less and the other was to Lewis Cass, which is playing in the Class 2A semistate. The Knights are 6-0 against Class A competition, including sectional wins over Northfield (69-35) and Fort Wayne Canterbury (70-57) and a 57-38 win over Blue River in the regional. This is Southwood’s fourth regional championship and third since 2018.
Three of Fountain Central’s four losses came during a stretch in the last week of December and first week of January to North Judson, Carroll (Flora) and North Putnam – all 2A programs. The only loss since then came at 3A Benton Central in late January. The Mustangs defeated Attica (58-8) and North Vermillion (58-44) in the sectional before edging Rossville 44-40 for the sectional championship and winning a 54-52 thriller over Liberty Christian in the regional at Frankfort as Will Harmon made three free throws to tie the game with 16 seconds remaining and won it with two more free throws with six seconds left.
Coaches: First-year Southwood coach Christian Perry is a graduate of Southwood and was an assistant on John Burrus’ staff for 10 seasons prior to getting the job.
Fountain Central coach Greg Dean is in his second season with a 37-17 record and has a 172-198 overall record in 16 seasons. This is his first sectional championship team since his first year as coach at Wes-Del in 2006-07. Dean coached two years at Wes-Del, two years a Seeger, four years at West Washington and six years at South Putnam, his alma mater, prior to coming to Fountain Central.
Players to watch: Southwood is a veteran team led by senior guard Nathan Lehner (15.4 ppg, 2.8 steals, 6-3 senior Cole Winer (13.6 ppg, 5.6 rebounds, 3.4 assists), 6-1 senior Jason Oprisek (10.6 ppg, 6.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 2.5 steals, junior guard Will Winer (10.2 ppg, 4.0 rebounds, 2.4 steals) and senior center Dylan Stout (8.4 ppg, 4.5 rebounds).
Fountain Central is led by 6-2 junior Will Harmon (15.7 ppg, 3.2 assists, 39.6% 3-point shooter), 6-8 senior Mason Larkin (11.7 ppg, 6.0 rebounds, 39.7% 3-point shooter) and 6-5 junior Isaac Gayler (10.6 ppg, 5.6 rebounds). Owen Acton (6.1 ppg), Luke Foxworthy (5.2 ppg) and Koby Wolf (4.1 ppg) are also key players.
Prediction: Southwood is not a great outside shooting team, hitting only at a 29.7% clip from the 3-point line. I think Fountain Central’s experience the last couple of weeks in close tournament games pays off and the Mustangs get through in maybe a bit of an upset despite the records. Fountain Central 56, Southwood 53.
Marquette Catholic (20-7) vs. Kouts (17-9), noon
How they got here: Marquette Catholic was 5-7 after losses to Culver Academy and Gary 21st Century on a mid-January weekend before starting what is now a 15-game winning streak. The Blazers knocked off Westville (82-69), Argos (51-44) and Culver (49-41) to win the sectional and took out Tri-County 60-48 to take the regional at Triton, the first regional title for Marquette Catholic in six years.
Kouts was 29-3 two years ago and reached the state finals. The Mustangs graduated most of that team and went 14-1 last season, losing to Marquette Catholic in the sectional. This team was 11-9 near the end of the season, but knocked off Washington Township (60-47), Hammond Science & Tech (84-58) and Morgan Township (60-52) to win the sectional title, avenging two losses to Morgan Township earlier in the season. The Mustangs then defeated Bethany Christian 44-40 to win the regional.
Coaches: Ray Tarnow is in his third season at Marquette Catholic with a 49-28 record. Tarnow had a background as a coach and teacher, but this is his first head coaching job and first time leading Marquette Catholic to a sectional title.
Kevin Duzan is in his eighth season at Kouts. He had a tenure at Washington Township from 1999-2004 before coming to Kouts as an assistant coach and taking over the program in 2015. Duzan is 138-64 at Kouts and 181-126 overall in 13 seasons.
Players to watch: Marquette Catholic has one of the highest-scoring duos playing this weekend in 6-1 senior Jason Kobe (19.5 ppg, 5.0 rebounds, 3.1 assists) and 6-4 senior Lukas Balling (18.0 ppg, 10.5 rebounds, 36% 3-point shooter). Other top contributors are Connor Bakota (8.1 ppg, 3.0 rebounds) and 6-foot senior Brandon Welch (4.7 ppg).
Senior guards Spencer Andrews (13.5 ppg, 6.5 rebounds) and Matt Baker (12.5 ppg, 7.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.6 steals) lead Kouts. Other top contributors are Tristin Ballas (7.7 ppg), Gabe Matthes (6.5 ppg) and Japheth Anweiler (5.7 ppg, 2.6 assists).
Prediction: Kouts is lacking size and does not have a star player, but has a group of six seniors that have been together since they started elementary school. Kouts only shoots 25% from the 3-point line, but will look to run when it can. I think this is a tough matchup against a Marquette Catholic team that has four losses to teams that are still playing. Marquette Catholic 61, Kouts 50.
Championship, 8 p.m.
Prediction: I like Marquette Catholic, the state champion in 2014 and runner-up in ’15, to get back to the state finals. Marquette Catholic 58, Fountain Central 52.
At Washington (At Hatchet House)
Lutheran (17-7) vs. Loogootee (20-7), 10 a.m.
How they got here: Lutheran was 9-7 after an overtime loss to Perry Meridian in early February before getting on a current eight-game winning streak. The Saints knocked off Providence Cristo Rey (83-44) and Greenwood Christian (61-57) to win the sectional, then defeated top-ranked Bloomfield 43-40 in the regional. Lutheran’s only other regional championship was in 2008.
Loogootee has not had to leave the comforts of home until now, winning the sectional on its home floor with wins over Vincennes Rivet (88-30), Barr-Reeve (46-28) and Orleans (41-34) before taking down Northeast Dubois 57-33 to win the regional at Loogootee. The Lions are in the semistate for the first time since the state championship season of 2011-12.
Coaches: Remus Woods is in his fourth year as coach at Lutheran with a 70-27 overall record. The Saints won a sectional last year for Woods, a 2000 Broad Ripple graduate.
Ryan Haywood is in his fourth season at Loogootee with a 76-23 record and is 243-221 in 18 years overall. He coached at Mt. Carmel (Ill.) from 2005-11 and then Princeton from 2011-2019, winning a sectional in his last year at Princeton. Haywood is a Mt. Carmel native.
Players to watch: Lutheran has a mix of youth and upperclassmen. LJ Ward, a 5-10 sophomore point guard, averages 13.8 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.9 steals and 3.6 assists to ignite the Saints. This balanced team also gets major contributions from 5-10 senior Durray Smith (12.4 ppg, 44% 3-pointers), 6-3 sophomore Cayden Loescher (8.2 ppg, 3.5 assists, 3.4 rebounds), 6-5 senior Kam Patterson (7.4 ppg, 4.7 rebounds), 6-1 senior Aiden Alialy (7.2 ppg, 2.0 assists) and 6-5 senior KJ Patterson (6.9 ppg, 5.1 rebounds).
Loogootee is led by 6-4 senior and all-time leading scorer Peyton Bledsoe (19.8 ppg, 4.4 rebounds, 43% 3-pointers), senior Parker Arvin (9.4 ppg, 4.0 rebounds), junior Leighton Jeffers (7.8 ppg, 47% 3-pointers), junior Isaac Waggner (4.7 ppg), freshman Camden Haywood (4.5 ppg) and junior Drew Walker (4.3 ppg, 5.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists).
Prediction: This is a fantastic matchup. The one common opponent is Bloomfield, which lost to Lutheran by three points last week and defeated Loogootee by 14 during the regular season. But Bledsoe did not play in that game. I’ll take Lutheran in one of the best games of the day. Lutheran 54, Loogootee 53.
Jac-Cen-Del (18-9) vs. Rock Creek Academy (11-14), noon
How they got here: Jac-Cen-Del is a regional champion for the second consecutive year after defeating Southwestern of Shelbyville (66-40), Waldron (44-42) and Oldenburg Academy (50-40) to win the sectional. The Eagles then edged Bethesda Christian 61-59 in the regional, rallying from a seven-point fourth quarter deficit.
Rock Creek Academy won its first sectional in seven years with wins over Christian Academy (40-37), Lanesville (76-41) and Borden (47-46) and then took out New Washington 67-32 for its first regional championship.
Coaches: Clint Bohman is in his third year at Jac-Cen-Del with a 55-23 record.
Rock Creek Academy coach Chris Brown is 373-304 in his 27th season at the school. Rock Creek, which played in its first sectional in 2005, is a three-time sectional champion and first-time regional champ.
Players to watch: Jac-Cen-Del is led by 6-7 senior Devin Grieshop (14.3 ppg, 5.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 2.2 steals), 6-5 senior Matt Dickman (12.2 ppg, 6.0 rebounds), 6-1 senior Seth Drockelman (8.6 ppg) and 6-4 junior Clark Dwenger (5.3 ppg, 3.9 rebounds).
Rock Creek is a balanced team led by 5-8 senior LaDarius Wallace (12.0 ppg, 3.1 assists), 6-7 senior Jaleb Treat (11.4 ppg, 7.5 rebounds), 6-11 senior Marial Diper (11.4 ppg, 7.2 rebounds) and 6-3 senior Keajuan Beco (11.2 ppg).
Prediction: This should also be a close game at the Hatchet House. I think Jac-Cen-Del wins a tight one. Jac-Cen-Del 48, Rock Creek Academy 46.
Championship, 8 p.m.
Prediction: I’ll take the Saints, but think it could also be Loogootee depending on the outcome of the first game. Lutheran 61, Jac-Cen-Del 52.
Call Star reporter Kyle Neddenriep at (317) 444-6649.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana high school basketball tournament: Class A semistate preview
