2015-16 Boys Basketball Sectional Preview

All the pundits across the state have already penciled in Bloomfield to advance from the Class A White River Valley Sectional next week. And rightfully so. The Cardinals appear to be head and shoulders above the rest of the field which does not include a team with a winning record...

SWITZ CITY -- Bloomfield and Clay City are no strangers in postseason competitions this season. The Cardinals and Eels have arguably put together the best two teams in volleyball, girls basketball and also on the boys hardwood this season. The two rival schools have squared off in the postseason in the two girls sports earlier, and the boys will continue the trend Tuesday night in the second game of the Class A White River Valley Sectional...

SWITZ CITY -- There's an old adage in sports of its hard to beat a team three times in the same season. Shakamak will test out the theory Tuesday night when they open sectional play against North Central. The Lakers defeated North Central by scores of 75-57 and 85-59 in the regular season...

NORTH CENTRAL THUNDERBIRDS RECORD: 4-18 HEAD COACH: Donnie Stanifer QUOTE: I imagine Shakamak isn't practicing for us or even from Eminence. I am sure all their practices are geared towards Bloomfield. They beat us by 30 points, so don't know why they would even worry about us, but that is the good thing about the state tournament you can have upsets...

EMINENCE EELS RECORD: 5-17 HEAD COACH: Nathan Marquis QUOTE: We could definitely be playing better than what we are right now, but from the beginning of the season to where we are right now I think we have come a long way although our record does not reflect that. I think we have definitely matured a lot from the beginning...

CLAY CITY EELS RECORD: 8-14 HEAD COACH: Vance Edmondson QUOTE: Tough draw for us with having Bloomfield right off the bat. I think everyone would agree they are the favorite. But we are looking at it from the standpoint we know who we have to play and we have a week to prepare for them and we look forward to the challenge...

SWITZ CITY -- To say Bloomfield is the prohibitive favorite heading into the Class A White River Valley Sectional would be a major understatement. The Cardinals, who are ranked No. 3 in the latest Class A poll, own a perfect record against the field. They have not just won, they have dismantled teams...

SWITZ CITY -- Not many coaches would be happy with the possibility of playing the No. 3 ranked team in the state with their first game of the postseason. But that possibility does not frighten White River Valley coach Joe Pigg. In fact the veteran coach welcomes the challenge...

My esteemed colleague B.J. Hargis has always believed it should be tough to win a sectional. B.J. would love this year's Class 2A Sectional 47 at North Knox. It is going to be tough to win this sectional. During Sunday's IHSAA tournament pairings show, hosts Bob Lovell and Charlie Hall wouldn't go out on a limb and make a prediction for Sectional 47...

IHSAA Class 2A Sectional 47 hosted by North Knox High School includes area teams Eastern Greene and Linton-Stockton. Host North Knox, South Knox, Mitchell and defending Class A State Champion Barr-Reeve round out the six-team sectional field. Sectional play gets underway Tuesday, March 1 when the Eastern Greene Thunderbirds (16-7) and Mitchell (8-14) meet in the day's first opening-round game at 6 p.m. ...

Eastern Greene enters Class 2A Sectional 47 seeking its first sectional crown since winning back-to-back sectional titles in 2011 and 2012. Those Thunderbird teams were coached by Andy Igel and featured current Wright State player J.T. Yoho. In his third year at the Eastern Greene helm, coach Jon Neill has assembled a squad that just may be capable of interrupting county and conference rival Linton-Stockton's string of three straight sectional championships...

MITCHELL BLUEJACKETS RECORD: 7-14 HEAD COACH: Doug Thomas QUOTE: "We are happy with the draw but we realize our path to a sectional championship is very challenging." - Coach Doug Thomas ROSTER NO. NAME GR. POS. HT. 12 Chaz Luttrell 12 G 5-9...

Linton-Stockton will pursue its fourth consecutive sectional title when Class 2A Sectional 47 at North Knox gets underway next week. Four straight sectional crowns is unprecedented in school history. Twice previously Linton has won three sectionals in a row, in 1945-47 and 1974-76...

NORTH KNOX WARRIORS RECORD: 8-15 HEAD COACH: Matt HOUCHIN QUOTE: North Knox failed to return call by the GCDW. ROSTER NO. NAME GR. POS. HT. 3 Justin Dye 11 G 5-10 4 Jason Jobe 12 G 5-7 10 Caden Fields 11 G 5-6...

SOUTH KNOX SPARTANS RECORD: 14-8 HEAD COACH: Mark Rohrer QUOTE: "There are a lot of talented players in this sectional and coaches that are going to have their teams prepared each game." - South Knox head coach Mark Rohrer ROSTER NO. NAME GR. POS. HT...

BARR-REEVE VIKINGS RECORD: 19-3 HEAD COACH: Bryan Hughes QUOTE: "We have had a very good year considering what we lost from last year's State Championship team." - Coach Bryan Hughes ROSTER NO. NAME GR. POS. HT. 10 Gabe Gladish 9 G 5-11...