South Bend Washington may be missing key piece when girls Hoosier Hysteria tips Tuesday
The girls hoops version of Hoosier Hysteria, led on the area scene by South Bend Washington and Mishawaka Marian, tips off with sectional openers Tuesday night.
Sectional play is set to conclude with title games on Saturday evening. Area hosts include Plymouth and Concord in Class 4A, Marian, Bremen and Fairfield in 3A, North Judson in 2A and Culver and Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian in 1A.
4A PreviewPenn girls face loaded Concord sectional; tuned-up Panthers ready to roll
Top-ranked and unbeaten Washington, last year's Class 3A state champions, begins pursuit on a 4A state title versus Mishawaka at Plymouth Tuesday night. The Panthers have won 30 straight games, including a dominating run through the 3A postseason a year ago.
However, Washington could be without one of its top players during its tournament run. Senior guard Amiyah Reynolds was shown wearing a makeshift cast over her left foot and leg at a screening of "Panthers: The Pride Of The Westside" docufilm detailing the team's run to last year's 3A state championship, Sunday at the St. Joseph County Public Library.
According to Washington head coach Steve Reynolds — Amiyah's dad — the injury was sustained in the second half of the Panthers' regular-season finale at La Lumiere LaPorte Saturday. Amiyah sat out most of the second half of the 60-44 win, but was walking without assistance and did not appear to be seriously injured. She did not mention an injury when talking to a Tribune reporter following the game.
Steve Reynolds said his daughter, considered one of the top players in state, is scheduled for an MRI on Monday to determine her playing status. The Panthers will be considered a heavy favorite to win the Plymouth Sectional with or without her in the lineup.
Reynolds, who is committed to play college basketball at University of Maryland next season, is third on the team in scoring at 15.2 points per game. She also averages 8.1 rebounds and team-high 6.3 assists per game.
3A previewWith MaKaya Porter back in lineup, Marian girls ready for tournament push
Marian, ranked No. 8 in 3A, starts its tourney run at home versus Jimtown Tuesday night. The Knights last won a sectional title in 2020 and lost to Washington in the sectional title game each of the past two seasons.
The regional and semistate formats have been changed this year. Regional sites will include four teams from the same class with two title games played. Regionals are set for Saturday, Feb. 11.
Semistates, scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 18, will now be a four-team affair with a pair of semifinal games and then a championship game at night. Pairings for the semistates will be drawn by the IHSAA on Sunday, Feb. 12 at 3 p.m.
The state tournament will conclude with the four state championship contests on Saturday, Feb 25 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Here's a look at sectional this week involving local teams (all times EST):
CLASS 4A
At Plymouth
Jan. 31: 7 p.m.: Game 1: Washington (23-0) vs. Mishawaka (11-11)
Feb. 1: 6:30 p.m.: Game 2: LaPorte (0-22) vs. Michigan City (9-12); 8 p.m.: Game 3: Riley (3-19) vs. Plymouth (9-13)
Feb. 3: 6:30 p.m.: Adams (11-11) vs. Game 1 winner; 8 p.m.: Game 2 winner vs. Game 3 winner
Feb. 4: 7:30 p.m.: Championship
At Concord
Jan. 31: 6 p.m.: Game 1: Penn (16-6) vs. Northridge (19-5); 7:30 p.m.: Game 2: Concord (5-17) vs. Warsaw (17-5)
Feb. 3: 6 p.m.: Game 3: Goshen (12-10) vs. Game 1 winner; 7:30 p.m.: Game 4: Elkhart (13-9) vs. Game 2 winner
Feb. 4: 6 p.m.: Game 5: Championship
CLASS 3A
At Marian
Jan. 31: 7 p.m.: Game 1: Marian (19-5) vs. Jimtown (9-13)
Feb. 3: 6 p.m.: Clay (7-15) vs. Saint Joseph (4-20); 7:30 p.m.: New Prairie (13-8) vs. Game 1 winner
Feb. 4: 7 p.m.: Championship
At Bremen
Jan. 31: 6 p.m.: Game 1: Glenn (8-14) vs. Culver Academy (13-10); 7:30 p.m.: Game 2: Bremen (7-14) vs. Rochester (11-12)
Feb. 3: 6 p.m.: Knox (5-19) vs. Game 1 winner; 7:30 p.m.: Tippecanoe Valley (19-3) vs. Game 2 winner
Feb. 4: 7:30 p.m.: Championship
At Fairfield
Jan. 31: 7 p.m.: Game 1: NorthWood (13-10) vs. Wawasee (11-11)
Feb. 3: 6 p.m.: West Noble (3-19) vs. Fairfield (22-2); 7:30 p.m.: Lakeland (12-10) vs. Game 1 winner
Feb. 4: 7 p.m.: Championship
CLASS 2A
At North Judson
Jan. 31: 6:30 p.m.: Game 1: Hebron (5-19) vs. South Central (20-3); 8 p.m.: Game 2: North Judson (15-7) vs. LaVille (17-6)
Feb. 3: 6:30 p.m.: South Bend Career Academy (6-15) vs. Game 1 winner; 8 p.m.: Wheeler (4-17) vs. Game 2 winner
Feb. 4: 8 p.m.: Championship
CLASS 1A
At Culver
Jan. 31: 7 p.m.: Game 1: Michigan City Marquette Catholic (13-8) vs. Oregon-Davis (7-15)
Feb. 1: 6 p.m.: Game 2: Argos (10-12) vs. Culver (10-12); 7:30 p.m.: Game 3: South Bend Trinity (3-17) vs. Westville (10-10)
Feb. 3: 6 p.m.: Triton (14-8) vs. Game 1 winner; 7:30 p.m.: Game 2 winner vs. Game 3 winner
Feb. 4: 7 p.m.: Championship
At Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian
Jan. 31: 7 p.m.: Game 1: Lakewood Park Christian (8-13) vs. Hamilton (2-11)
Feb. 3: 6 p.m.: Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian (13-10) vs. Bethany Christian (19-3); 7:30 p.m.: Elkhart Christian Academy (6-13) vs. Game 1 winner
Feb. 4: 7:30 p.m.: Championship
REGIONALS
Saturday, Feb. 11
Times TBD
Class 4A
At LaPorte
Plymouth sectional winner vs. Lowell Sectional winner; Concord Sectional winner vs. Lake Central Sectional winner
Class 3A
At Jimtown
Marian Sectional winner vs. Bremen Sectional winner; Fairfield Sectional winner vs. Griffith Sectional winner
Class 2A
At Winamac
North Judson Sectional winner vs. Central Noble Sectional winner; Andrean Sectional winner vs. Cass Sectional winner
Class 1A
At Caston
Fort Wayne Blackhawk Sectional winner vs. Tri-County Sectional winner; Kouts Sectional winner vs. Culver Sectional winner
Tribune reporter Justin Frommer contributed to this report.
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: High school girls basketball sectionals set to tip Tuesday night
