By GREG MENGELT
In another Covid-era anomaly, Floyd will be playing in their first regional since Pat Graham’s Highlanders won the Seymour Regional in 1989.
Back at Seymour’s legendary Lloyd E. Scott Gymnasium on Saturday, No. 13 Floyd Central (20-4) will be considered a co-favorite with 12th-ranked Bloomington North. First, though, the Highlanders will face upstart Franklin (11-13), which won the Greenwood Sectional in spite of entering it with just eight wins.
Though few of the Highlanders participated in the 2020 sectional championship, almost all were part of the program at the time and remember the disappointment of the regional being canceled at the start of the Covid pandemic.
“I think it will be great for the community. We have been waiting for a while,” Floyd Central head coach Todd Sturgeon said.
Floyd senior Brady Moore added: “Two years ago, we didn’t get to go, so we’re all excited and we’re ready to go.”
After shooting 61.2 percent, including 11 of 19 from behind the 3-point line, in the championship game against Jeff, Floyd believes it can compete with any team in Indiana.
“Sky’s the limit,” Moore said.
In the last week of the regular season, Franklin did have impressive home wins over Columbus North and Jennings County, so the Cubs can’t be dismissed. However, if the Highlanders enter the contest with the same attitude, Floyd should advance to Saturday evening’s championship game.
“What we always try to do is be the tougher team,” Moore said. “Then everything else takes care of itself.”
Bloomington North (22-3) will face Evansville North (16-10) in the first semifinal. Bloomington North has been ranked throughout the year and beat the Highlanders 51-48 on Feb. 19. The Cougars enter Saturday’s semifinal on a 15-game winning streak and scored clutch overtime victories over Columbus North and Bloomington South to win the program’s first sectional title in eight years.
Evansville North, which lost to Jeffersonville and New Albany by a combined 25 points in the regular season, had the home court and came out of a tough, balanced sectional by beating three good teams (Jasper, Castle and Harrison) — all by double figures.
All four teams at the regional appear to be playing their best basketball of the season.
CLASS 4A SEYMOUR REGIONAL
FLOYD CENTRAL VS. FRANKLIN
• Time: 12:30 p.m.
• Location: Lloyd E. Scott Gymnasium, Seymour H.S. (1350 W. Second St., Seymour)
• Records:
Floyd Central 20-4. The Highlanders have won four games in a row.
Franklin 11-14. The Grizzly Cubs have won five straight.
• Coaches:
Floyd Central — Todd Sturgeon (142-44 in eighth season at Floyd)
Franklin — Adrian Moss (11-14 in first season at Franklin)
• Rankings:
Floyd Central — No. 13 IBCA (single class); No. 13 AP (Class 4A).
• Computer-based Sagarin Ratings:
Floyd Central — No. 10, No. 10 Class 4A
Franklin— No. 82, No. 51 Class 4A
• Sectional results:
Floyd Central — Def. Jennings County 61-54 (2OT), def. New Albany 52-39, def. Jeffersonville 77-38 (Seymour Sectional champions)
Franklin — def. Shelbyville 63-39, def. Whiteland 50-45, def. Center Grove 54-45 (Greenwood Sectional champions)
• Regional titles (most recent): Floyd 6 (1989); Franklin 12 (1997).
• Regular-season result: Did not play.
• Last postseason matchup: None.
• Regional championship: Floyd-Franklin winner vs. Evansville North (16-10) or No. 12 Bloomington North (22-3), 8 p.m. Notes: Bloomington North won Floyd Central 51-48 on Feb. 19; Evansville North and Floyd did not play, but the Huskies lost to Jeffersonville 61-47 on Dec. 3, lost to New Albany 54-41 on Jan. 28 and won at Bedford North Lawrence 82-76 in double overtime on Feb. 19.
• John Harrell prediction: Floyd 62, Franklin 46.
• Sagarin projection: Floyd by 15.
• Outlook: Franklin’s had some nice wins lately, including a home win over Jennings County, but the way Floyd played the last couple rounds of the sectional, I doubt anybody beats the Highlanders on Saturday.
• Greg’s pick: Floyd Central 68, Franklin 45.
CLASS 3A WASHINGTON REGIONAL
NORTH HARRISON VS. SULLIVAN
• Time: 12:30 p.m.
• Location: Hatchet House (608 E. Walnut St., Washington)
• Records:
North Harrison 19-3. The Cougars have won 11 games in a row and 15 of their last 16.
Sullivan 23-2. The Golden Arrows have won two straight and 15 of their last 16.
• Coaches:
North Harrison — Lou Lefevre (55-13 in third season at North Harrison, 320-93 in 18th season overall)
Sullivan — Jeff Moore (491-271 in 32nd season at Sullivan)
• Rankings:
North Harrison — No. 13 AP (Class 3A).
Sullivan — No. 4 AP (Class 3A).
• Computer-based Sagarin Ratings:
North Harrison — No. 44, No. 9 Class 3A
Sullivan— No. 74, No. 16 Class 3A
• Sectional results:
North Harrison — def. Charlestown 55-41, def. Corydon Central 58-52, def. Scottsburg 57-47 (Salem Sectional champions)
Sullivan — def. Washington 64-61 (OT), def. Pike Central 55-53 (OT) (Princeton Sectional champions)
• Regional titles (most recent): North Harrison 1 (1987); Sullivan 4 (2001).
• Regular-season result: Did not play.
• Last postseason matchup: None.
• Regional championship: North Harrison-Sullivan winner vs. Evansville Bosse (17-9) or Lawrenceburg (20-7), 8 p.m. Notes: North Harrison didn’t play either Bosse or Lawrenceburg in the regular season. Bosse didn’t play any local teams, while Lawrenceburg won at Silver Creek 67-55 and won at Madison 48-41.
• John Harrell prediction: North Harrison 56, Sullivan 53.
• Sagarin projection: North Harrison by 4.
• Outlook: All Sullivan has done all year is win and the Arrows may win again Saturday, but if they do, it will take one heck of an effort against Lefevre’s tough Cougars. I expect this game to be determined by no more than two possessions.
• Greg’s pick: North Harrison 48, Sullivan 46.
CLASS 2A SOUTHRIDGE REGIONAL
PROVIDENCE VS. LINTON-STOCKTON
• Time: Noon.
• Location: Memorial Gym (412 East 5th Street, Huntingburg)
• Records:
Providence 17-6. The Pioneers have won three games in a row.
Linton-Stockton 22-4. The Miners won their last two and six of their last seven.
• Coaches:
Providence — Ryan Miller (47-22 in third season at Providence)
Linton-Stockton — Joey Hart (248-70 in 12th season at Linton, 394-198 in 24th season overall)
• Rankings:
Linton-Stockton — No. 5 AP (Class 2A).
• Computer-based Sagarin Ratings:
Providence — No. 102, No. 9 Class 2A
Linton-Stockton— No. 45, No. 3 Class 2A
• Sectional results:
Providence — Def. Switzerland County 56-26, def. Southwestern 56-32 (Southwestern Sectional champions)
Linton-Stockton — def. Eastern Greene 59-46, def. South Knox 37-33 (North Knox Sectional champions)
• Regional titles (most recent): Providence 3 (2016); Linton 4 (2019).
• Regular-season result: Did not play.
• Last postseason matchup: March 12, 2016 — Providence 50, Linton-Stockton 44 (Class 2A Southridge Regional championship).
• Regional championship: Providence-Linton-Stockton winner vs. Forest Park (14-10) or Paoli (16-9), 7:30 p.m. Notes: Providence didn’t play Forest Park or Paoli in the regular season. Forest Park had no regular-season matchups of local interest. Paoli had several. The Rams won at Henryville 51-42 on Dec. 3, lost to Lanesville 60-33 on Dec. 4, lost to West Washington 53-41 on Dec. 10, won at Austin 65-51 on Dec 17, defeated Rock Creek 62-54 on Dec. 29, lost at Eastern 39-22 on Jan. 15, defeated Salem 65-36 on Feb. 9 and lost at North Harrison 53-38 on Feb. 22.
• John Harrell prediction: Linton-Stockton 54, Providence 45.
• Sagarin projection: Linton-Stockton by 15.
• Outlook: It’s always a shame when the two clearly better teams play each other in the opening round of the regional. Whichever team wins the second semifinal will likely advance to the semistate. That will probably be Linton.
• Greg’s pick: Linton-Stockton 60, Providence 49.
CLASS A LOOGOOTEE REGIONAL
BORDEN VS. SPRINGS VALLEY
• Time: Noon
• Location: Jack Butcher Arena (201 Brooks Ave., Loogootee)
• Records:
Borden 16-7. The Braves have won their last two games and three of their last four.
Springs Valley 22-3. The Blackhawks have won 18 in a row and 22 of their last 23.
• Coaches:
Borden — Doc Nash (220-156 in 16th season at Borden)
Springs Valley — Jonathon Bowles (32-16 in second season at Springs Valley)
• Rankings:
Borden — No. 16 AP (Class A).
• Computer-based Sagarin Ratings:
Borden — No. 223, No. 26 Class 3A
Springs Valley— No. 157, No. 13 Class 3A
• Sectional results:
Borden — Def. Rock Creek 46-45, def. Christian Academy 53-51 (Borden Sectional champions)
Springs Valley — def. Wood Memorial 67-36, def. Evansville Day 90-71, def. Northeast Dubois 66-54 (Springs Valley Sectional champions)
• Regional titles (most recent): Borden 2 (2013); Springs Valley 2 (1964).
• Regular-season result: Game canceled.
• Last postseason matchup: None (Springs Valley beat Borden 80-71 in overtime on Feb. 6, 2021).
• Regional championship: Borden-Springs Valley winner vs. No. 2 North Daviess (23-3) or No. 7 Edinburgh (22-3), 8 p.m. Notes: Borden did not play either team. Some common opponents: Edinburgh beat Lanesville 68-48 on Dec. 28, lost at West Washington on Jan. 8 and beat Henryville 71-57 on Jan. 29 in the regular season; North Daviess won at Orleans 37-21 on Jan. 29.
• John Harrell prediction: Springs Valley 58, Borden 55.
• Sagarin projection: Springs Valley by 7.
• Outlook: I get that Springs Valley doesn’t play a very tough schedule, but how didn’t a single AP voter throw a vote to a team with an 18-game winning streak. The Blackhawks are legit and can win this regional with a great day and a few breaks.
• Greg’s pick: Springs Valley 57, Borden 45.
