Ihsaa Boys Basketball Sectional Draw 2019

EVANSVILLE – The drama is going to happen early.

The Indiana High School Athletic Association announced the sectional pairings for the boys' basketball state tournament on Sunday evening. Since the governing state body still uses a blind draw, there is never a shortage of talking points.

Just look at the Class 3A sectional at Boonville.

The gym will be buzzing on opening night after the sectional draw reveal on Sunday evening. Heritage Hills (20-1, ranked No. 4) faces Bosse (15-6) in the first round of the state tournament.

Because these two don't play each other in the regular season, this potential matchup has been talked about for months. People will get their wish in the first game of the tournament.

"It's the sectional," said Bosse coach Shane Burkhart. "You are going to have to beat the best team to get to your goal. First, second or third game. It truly doesn't matter. You can have the best record, player or whatever. You have to play the other teams and they are going to give you their best shot."

Heritage Hills hasn't lost a game since Dec. 8 and just clinched the outright Pocket Athletic Conference championship. Meanwhile, the Bulldogs are the three-time defending sectional champions and have turned the corner since Christmas with 10 wins in the past dozen games.

What would have been an intriguing title clash will now happen right out of the gate. The winner plays Memorial (12-9) in the semifinal.

If you want the sectional to be seeded, here is your ammo.

"Sectional 32 is one of the best sectionals in the state of Indiana," said Heritage Hills coach Nate Hawkins. "Year in and year out. All you can do it take it one game at a time. When you come out with a draw like this, all you can do is take care of Tuesday or you're coming home. We're looking forward to the challenge.

"We're happy with the way our guys are playing. The kids have continued to get better and better. That is what you want to do."

In the bottom half of the bracket, Gibson Southern (5-15) opens against host Boonville (5-16). Mount Vernon (2-21) gets the coveted bye to the semifinal against the winner.

All eyes on the top half of the draw. Heritage Hills, Bosse and Memorial possess the only winning records in the sectional. In any given year, each of these three would be considered the favorite.

Only one will walk away with a trip to the regional. One will be eliminated on opening night.

"(Heritage Hills) is a very good basketball team," said Burkhart. "They pose problems offensively and defensively. It's a matchup that everybody was looking forward to and they are going to see it Tuesday night at 6 o'clock."

Jumping over to Class 4A, the presumed favorites from Castle won't have the easiest road either. The Knights (17-4, outright Southern Indiana Athletic Conference champs) drew Central (8-12) in the opening game. The winner gets a much-improved Reitz (10-11) club that has won five of its last six games.

According to the Sagarin Ratings, the Panthers are the second-best team in the sectional at North. Central has lost three in a row but has proven to be a tough out in recent weeks.

On the bottom half, Jasper (13-8) and Harrison (12-9) will duke it out in the opening with host North (5-15) waiting in the semifinal. The Jasper-Harrison meeting will be a rematch of last year's sectional opener, which was won by the Wildcats.

In Class 2A, Tell City came away with a great road for its first sectional title since 1993. The Marksmen (17-5) drew a bye and await the winner of North Posey (6-16) and Tecumseh (12-10). Tell City is the highest rated team in the group according to the Sagarin Ratings.

On the other side of the bracket, Mater Dei (13-7) opens the sectional against South Spencer (8-14) and Forest Park (13-9) battles Perry Central (8-14). The Wildcats are undefeated versus the sectional field, including a 55-52 victory over Tell City on Jan. 18.

A potential rematch between Mater Dei and Tell City would not occur until the championship.

Note: Times for each game (in CST) will be determined by the host school.

Class 4A

North Sectional

Game 1 - Tuesday, Feb. 26: Castle (17-4) vs. Central (8-12)

Game 2 - Tuesday, Feb. 26: Jasper (13-8) vs. Harrison (12-9)

Game 3 - Friday, March 1: Reitz (10-11) vs. Castle-Central winner

Game 4 - Friday, March 1: North (5-15) vs. Jasper-Harrison winner

Game 5 - Saturday, March 2: Championship

Class 3A

Washington Sectional

Game 1 - Tuesday, Feb. 26: Pike Central (3-19) vs. Washington (14-7)

Game 2 - Tuesday, Feb. 26: Southridge (17-5) vs. Sullivan (12-10)

Game 3 - Friday, March 1: Vincennes Lincoln (9-13) vs. Pike Central-Washington winner

Game 4 - Friday, March 1: Princeton (17-4) vs. Southridge-Sullivan winner

Game 5 - Saturday, March 2: Championship

Boonville Sectional

Game 1 - Tuesday, Feb. 26, 6 p.m.: Bosse (15-6) vs. Heritage Hills (20-1)

Game 2 - Tuesday, Feb. 26, 7:30 p.m.: Gibson Southern (5-15) vs. Boonville (5-16)

Game 3 - Friday, March 1, 6 p.m.: Memorial (12-9) vs. Bosse-Heritage Hills winner

Game 4 - Friday, March 1, 7:30 p.m.: Mount Vernon (2-21) vs. Gibson Southern-Boonville winner

Game 5 - Saturday, March 2, 7 p.m.: Championship

Class 2A

North Daviess Sectional

Game 1 - Tuesday, Feb. 26: Eastern Greene (8-14) vs. North Daviess (16-6)

Game 2 - Tuesday, Feb. 26: Mitchell (12-8) vs. Linton-Stockton (19-3)

Game 3 - Friday, March 1: South Knox (15-6) vs. Eastern Greene-North Daviess winner

Game 4 - Friday, March 1: North Knox (3-18) vs. Mitchell-Linton Stockton winner

Game 5 - Saturday, March 2: Championship

Forest Park Sectional (at Southridge)

Game 1 - Tuesday, Feb. 26, 6 p.m.: North Posey (6-15) vs. Tecumseh (12-10)

Game 2 - Wednesday, Feb. 27, 5:30 p.m.: Mater Dei (13-7) vs. South Spencer (8-14)

Game 3 - Wednesday, Feb. 27, 7 p.m.: Perry Central (8-14) vs. Forest Park (13-9)

Game 4 - Friday, March 1, 5:30 p.m.: Tell City (17-5) vs. North Posey-Tecumseh winner

Game 5 - Friday, March 1, 7 p.m.: Mater Dei-South Spencer winner vs. Perry Central-Forest Park winner

Game 6 - Saturday, March 2, 6:30 p.m.: Championship

Class 1A

Loogootee Sectional

Game 1 - Tuesday, Feb. 26:  Loogootee (8-13) vs. Vincennes Rivet (11-10)

Game 2 - Tuesday, Feb. 26: Orleans (7-15) vs. Shoals (13-8)

Game 3 - Friday, March 1: Barr-Reeve (20-2) vs. Loogootee-Vincennes Rivet winner

Game 4 - Friday, March 1: Washington Catholic (4-16) vs. Orleans-Shoals winner

Game 5 - Saturday, March 2: Championship

Wood Memorial Sectional

Game 1 - Tuesday, Feb. 26: Northeast Dubois (8-13) vs. Cannelton (9-13)

Game 2 - Friday, March 1: Wood Memorial (7-14) vs. Springs Valley (16-6)

Game 3 - Friday, March 1: Day School (8-10) vs. Northeast Dubois-Cannelton winner

Game 4 - Saturday, March 2: Championship

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Source: https://www.courierpress.com/story/sports/high-school/2019/02/17/ihsaa-announces-high-school-boys-basketball-sectional-pairings/2860617002/