3A Regional Breakdown

The third group of Regional match-ups will be previewed today, as the sixteen remaining teams in the state's second largest class meet on Saturday. Many of the top ranked teams are still alive and clinging fiercely to their postseason lives, while some Cinderellas hope to keep writing their stories all the way to Semi-State. Let's take a look at each Regional pairing, picking the winners of the morning sessions, as well as selecting the teams that will advance to the final four. Here are the 3A Regional Breakdowns!

Plymouth Regional

Rochester (20-3) vs. Griffith (14-8) - The Zebras are ranked number seven in the 3A polls, and a big reason why is the play of senior Bruce Grimm, Jr. He is putting up nearly 27 points per game to go along with six assists and five boards. He is helped by Brady Schoen, who scores over twelve a game, and the trio of Evan Hoff, Austin Lowe, and Colt Meadows, who all score between eight and nine points a game. They advanced with a nine point win over Plymouth in the sectional final. The Panthers won their two sectional games by a combined three points, beating Knox 60-59 and Andrean 56-54. They are led by Kyle Terpstra, who goes for 17 points and seven rebounds a game, and Brian Brilmyer who scores around 13 points a night. Griffith's somewhat surprising run will likely come to an end in a Zebra stampede.

West Lafayette (18-6) vs. Gary Roosevelt (12-8) - The Red Devils won their first two sectional games by an average margin of 17 points, but they had to scrap to beat a gritty Frankfort team by three, 43-40. They have beaten some quality teams, and lost respectably to Tipton by ten and to Lafayette Jeff by three in a double-overtime thriller. The Roosevelt Panthers were surprise winners of Sectional 17, as they were able to upset Branden Dawson and his Lew Wallace squad, as well as knocking off a 15-7 Hammond team on their home floor. They are led by Jamiel White, a sharpshooter, and Kenan Davis. I like the Panthers to win in a very close, competitive game.

Winner of Plymouth Regional: Rochester over Gary Roosevelt, 64-59.

Blackford Regional

Delta (20-4) vs. Peru (19-4) - The Eagles are ranked number 13 in 3A and are on a run, winning nine in a row, including sectionals. They opened by demolishing Eastbrook, and then won two close games against Mississinewa, 62-57, and Muncie South, 60-53. Coach Paul Keller has done a great job with this year's bunch. The Tigers from Peru are ranked eighth in the polls, for good reason. They have won six in a row, and beat Maconaquah, Norwell, and finished off Ft. Wayne Wayne by one point to win their sectional. They have recently beaten ranked teams like North Miami and Rochester as well. They are led by three juniors, Terry Smith (13 points), Wes Zimmerman (11 points), and Justin Engel (10.5 points). I expect Peru to squeak past Delta in a great game.

Harding (9-14) vs. Whitko (18-5) - Harding was one of the biggest surprises of sectional play. They finished the regular season with just six wins before beating their next three teams to win Sectional 23. Two of the teams were highly regarded, including a 14-win Leo team, and the number four ranked team in 3A, Bishop Dwenger, the heavy favorites to win. The Hawks get great play from Xavier Carr, an athlete who broke a backboard in sectional play. Whitko is the more polished team with quality wins over teams such as Rochester, Ft. Wayne Wayne, and Blackhawk. They defeated an 18-win Lakeland team for the title. The Wildcats are led by one of the best freshmen in the state in Logan Irwin, who averages over 17 points, four assists, and four rebounds a game. He has gotten to the line almost 200 times this season, and shoots at a 77% clip. They also feature 6'5 sophomore wing Zac Van De Water who scores over twelve points a game to go along with nearly six boards. Depth is provided by Nick Metzger and Travis Lepper, both contributing about eight points per game. I think the Hawks magical run ends here at the hands of Whitko.

Winner of Blackford Regional: Peru over Whitko, 64-60.

Shelbyville Regional

New Palestine (9-13) vs. North Montgomery (17-5) - The Dragons were the surprise winner of Sectional 27, which featured three highly-powered, winning teams in Mt. Vernon, Hamilton Heights, and Rushville. Their road was made easier by getting a bye, then beating a 10-11 Shelbyville team and upsetting Heights, the home team, to win the championship. They feature no real "star," but spread out their scoring between six main players, led by Pat Feeney, who all score between five and nine points per game. Clearly, they rely on defense to win games, hoping to score more than the 55 points they allow on average. The Chargers hope to do just that, and they are a high-scoring team powered by 6'5 senior wing DJ Byrd, a Purdue recruit who has had a superb senior campaign. He scores almost 24 points per game to go along with nine rebounds and three assists. His one-week recovery from a knee injury which required surgery to play in sectionals was a major reason that the Chargers were able to overcome their opponents, most notably highly ranked Danville and 6'10 junior Travis Carroll. With Byrd back in the lineup, I expect a Charger romp over the outmanned Dragons.

Greensburg (14-8) vs. Roncalli (17-5) - The Pirates were somehow able to knock off a Batesville squad that was 19-2 and ranked near the top of the 3A polls heading into sectionals. They were able to contain a Bulldogs squad, featuring Evansville-bound Colt Ryan, a Mr. Basketball candidate, holding them to 54 points, eight below their season average. After that monumental upset, they beat an average Scottsburg team to advance to Regionals. The Rebels use a disciplined offense and stout defense to win ballgames. They are one of the best defenses in the state, allowing a stingy 44.4 points on average to their opponents. Roncalli is led by senior guard Aaron Evans, who scores 18 points a game while handing out about four assists. Backing him up are Kevin Banich, a sharpshooter who scores over eight points a night, and big man Michael Mislan, who scores seven points, grabs seven boards, and swats nearly two shots per contest. The Rebels defense will key them to another victory in this one.

Winner of Shelbyville Regional: North Montgomery over Roncalli, 56-48.

Washington Regional

Salem (19-4) vs. Washington (21-2) - The Lions, the number 18 team in 3A, blew out North Harrison, beat Corydon Central in overtime, and defeated Silver Creek by three points to win their sectional. They were the clear favorites, and their opponents had a combined 53-78 record. The Hatchets have the advantage of playing at their home, the famed Hatchet House, and they are also ranked as the number two team in 3A. Their only losses this year came to the undefeated Princeton Tigers and on the road to 2A power Forest Park. They are led by 6'8 sophomore forward Cody Zeller, who already boasts an IU offer. They also get great guard play from the likes of Cody Osmon. I expect the Hatchets to win an set up an anticipated rematch.

Edgewood (16-7) vs. Princeton (25-0) - The Mustangs were able to upset West Vigo to win the South Vermillion Sectional. They also beat the hosts and Sullivan (in overtime) along the way. They boast a solid defense and have a scoring advantage of about nine points over their opponents. While they are most definitely a quality squad, it will be difficult for them to keep pace with the high-powered Tigers, the number one ranked team in the class. They are led by three sophomores: Rontray Chavis (17 points), Jalen Packer (14 points), and Dontray Chavis (10 points). They also get great play from senior Trevor George (15 points). They are one of the highest scoring teams in the state, going for almost 75 points a game, and they hold opponents to just under 53 points on average. As good as the Mustangs are, I see Princeton winning handily.

Winner of Washington Regional: Princeton over Washington, 65-60.

Final Four on to Semi-State: Just to recap, the picks for this weekend are Rochester, Peru, North Montgomery, and Princeton.

Check back tomorrow for the fourth and final installment of the Regional Previews when we look at the exciting match-ups in the 4A class!