By GREG MENGELT
The Dragons are the defending state champions, are 23-2 (easily the best record in the regional) and will be the only ranked team Saturday in Charlestown.
Still, veteran Silver Creek coach Scott Schoen knows getting past sectional champions Rushville (17-9), Gibson Southern (18-7) and Vincennes (17-8) are all capable of beating good teams.
It starts Saturday, following the regional opener between Gibson Southern and Vincennes, against a Rushville team coming off the program’s 33rd sectional championship.
“We approach it the same way every game,” Schoen said. “Just stay prepared and stay loose. We know there’s more to this game. As silly as it sounds, it’s one game at a time from this point. We just want to get to Saturday night.”
The Lions are balanced and like to shoot 3-pointers. Their leading scorer is senior Annika Marlow at 10.9 points per game. They have six players averaging at least 4.7 points per game and four player who shoot at least 32 percent from behind the 3-point arc.
“They’re guard-loaded,” Schoen said. “It’s going to be like guarding the Golden State Warriors. They don’t have a lot of size, but they can all shoot it. We’re going to have to really guard and contest 3-point shots and rebound misses. They play a lot bigger than their size.”
Rushville has won seven of its last eight games, including a 44-38 overtime win over Greensburg to capture the sectional crown. The Lions are playing for their 12th regional championship. They were state finalists in 1981, 1985, 1993 and 2010. Coach Melissa Marlow, who Schoen calls a “future Hall of Famer,” has 325 wins in 22 seasons at Rushville.
“They’re a blue blood as far as Indiana high school basketball goes,” Schoen said. “They’re used to winning championships.”
Meanwhile, fourth-ranked Silver Creek, which beat Rushville 54-45 in last year’s regional championship, is playing for its second regional title. The Dragons won their first last year when they won the 3A state championship.
“I told the girls today, ‘You’ve earned all this,’” Schoen recalled. “Nobody thought we’d be where we are right now and they’ve gone out and earned everything.”
CLASS A WEST WASHINGTON REGIONAL
Second-ranked Lanesville (25-1) enters its regional at West Washington as the favorites, but not to the degree that Silver Creek is.
While the Eagles are one the favorites to win the whole Class A tournament, their field Saturday is much tougher than Silver Creek’s.
First-round opponent Vincennes Rivet (20-6) is ranked sixth in the state and has won the regional eight times in the last 13 years. If the Eagles get past the Patriots, they’ll face either No. 11 Trinity Lutheran (16-8) or No. 7 Tecumseh (16-8) in Saturday evening’s championship round.
Lanesville, which has won 21 games in a row after taking the program’s third consecutive sectional title Tuesday, beat Trinity Lutheran by 23 points on Jan. 11, but the Cougars aren’t expected to be the Eagles’ opponent. That would be Tecumseh, which ended Lanesville’s dream of a state championship last February, 63-60 at Springs Valley.
Lanesville has never won a regional championship.
Eastern (15-11) is the only local team not favored to bring home a regional championship Saturday.
But don’t count out the Musketeers, who have always seems to play their best basketball of the season in the postseason in the 15 years under head coach Michael McBride, will be playing for the program’s second regional title. The Musketeers won the 2017 championship en route to the 2A state title.
Eastern drew the favorite, Forest Park, in the opener at 10 a.m. at Crawford County. The Rangers are 22-3, have won eight in a row and are the only team in the regional ranked in the top 10 at No. 8. Forest Park will try to win its first regional title in 22 years.
If the Musketeers can pull off the upset Saturday morning, they’ll face either North Knox (20-6) or South Ripley (18-8) in Saturday evening’s championship. An Eastern upset of Forest Park would make the Musketeers a slight favorite in the championship game, according to the algorithm-based Sagarin Ratings.
CLASS 3A CHARLESTOWN REGIONAL
SEMIFINAL
SILVER CREEK VS. RUSHVILLE
• Time: 12:30 p.m.
• Location: Charlestown Sports Arena (1 Pirate Place, Charlestown)
• Records:
Silver Creek 23-2. The Dragons have won three straight games and 11 of their last 12.
Rushville 17-9. The Lions have won three in a row and seven of their last eight.
• Coaches:
Silver Creek — Scott Schoen (178-110 in 12th season at Silver Creek)
Rushville — Melissa Marlow (325-207 in 22nd season at Rushville)
• Rankings:
Silver Creek — No. 12 IBCA (single class); No. 4 ICGSA (Class 3A).
• Computer-based Sagarin Ratings:
Silver Creek — No. 18, No. 3 Class 3A
Rushville — No. 88, No. 24 Class 3A
• Sectional championship:
Silver Creek — Defeated Corydon Central 65-56 (North Harrison Sectional)
Rushville — Defeated Greensburg 44-38, OT (Greensburg Sectional)
• Regional titles (most recent): Silver Creek 1 (2021); Rushville 11 (2013).
• Regional championship: vs. Vincennes (17-8) or Gibson Southern (18-7), 7:30 p.m.
• Most recent meeting: Feb. 13, 2021 — Silver Creek 54, Rushville 45 (Class 3A Charlestown Regional championship)
• John Harrell prediction: Silver Creek 56, Rushville 38.
• Sagarin projection: Silver Creek by 18.
• Outlook: It’s hard to imagine the Dragons losing Saturday. No matter what happens, what a great title defense it’s been for Silver Creek.
• Greg’s pick: Silver Creek 60, Rushville 46.
CLASS A WEST WASHINGTON REGIONAL
LANESVILLE VS. VINCENNES RIVET
• Time: 12:30 p.m.
• Location: Tower Gymnasium, West Washington H.S. (8028 W. Batt Rd., Campbellsburg)
• Records:
Lanesville 25-1. The Eagles have a 21-game winning streak.
Rivet 20-6. The Patriots have won four in a row and five of their last six.
• Coaches:
Lanesville — Angie Hinton (87-16 in fourth season at Lanesville, 260-89 in 15th season overall)
Rivet — Rick Marshall (105-25 in fifth season at Rivet, 471-125 in 25th season overall)
• Rankings:
Lanesville — No. 2 ICGSA (Class A).
Rivet — No. 6 ICGSA (Class A).
• Computer-based Sagarin Ratings:
Lanesville — No. 50, No. 2 Class A
Rivet — No. 108, No. 7 Class A
• Sectional championship:
Lanesville — Defeated New Washington 63-38 (New Washington Sectional)
Rivet — Defeated Barr-Reeve 32-19 (North Daviess Sectional)
• Regional titles (most recent): Lanesville 0; Rivet 8 (2019).
• Regional championship: vs. No. 7 Tecumseh (16-8) or No. 11 Trinity Lutheran (16-8), 7:30 p.m.
• Most recent meeting: Feb. 9, 2019 — Rivet 70, Lanesville 33 (Springs Valley Regional)
• John Harrell prediction: Lanesville 46, Rivet 34.
• Sagarin projection: Lanesville by 12.
• Outlook: Lanesville beats Rivet and cruises to its first regional title.
• Greg’s pick: Lanesville 59, Rivet 49.
CLASS 2A CRAWFORD COUNTY REGIONAL
EASTERN VS. FOREST PARK
• Time: 10 a.m.
• Location: Ron Ferguson Gymnasium, Crawford County H.S. (1130 South State Road 66, Marengo)
• Records:
Eastern 15-11. The Musketeers have won four straight games.
Forest Park 22-3. The Rangers have won eight straight and 11 of their last 12.
• Coaches:
Eastern — Michael McBride (234-126 in 15th season at Eastern)
Forest Park — Tony Hasenour (100-48 in sixth season at Forest Park)
• Rankings:
Forest Park — No. 8 ICGSA (Class 2A).
• Computer-based Sagarin Ratings:
Eastern — No. 114, No. 21 Class 2A
Forest Park — No. 78, No. 11 Class 2A
• Sectional championship:
Eastern — Defeated Austin 44-38 (Crawford County Sectional)
Forest Park — Defeated Southridge 42-24 (Forest Park Sectional)
• Regional titles (most recent): Eastern 1 (2017); Forest Park 1 (2000).
• Regional championship: vs. North Knox (20-6) or South Ripley (18-8), 7 p.m.
• Most recent meeting: First matchup.
• John Harrell prediction: Forest Park 45, Eastern 40.
• Sagarin projection: Forest Park by 5.
• Outlook: I expect the Musketeers to be right there in the end, but I have to take Forest Park in a close one.
• Greg’s pick: Forest Park 44, Eastern 37.
