BB: Conference indiana teams start the tourney trail

As always, there is good and bad news for Conference Indiana teams in the
results of the draw for the state basketball tournament. There is obviously
added focus on the conference this year because everybody enters the tournament
chasing the 4A #1 Bloomington South Panthers. However, the draw says the
Panthers may not be the only CI team making some noise.

Let’s start at the Center Grove Sectional where powerful
Franklin Central will begin tourney play. The Flashes had to be cheering when
the draw was released. They drew a bye in the upper bracket and will face the
winner of the Center Grove-Perry Meridian game. Franklin Central beat Perry
Meridian by 32 points in December and knocked off Center Grove by 15 late in
January.

Southport has to be licking
their chops at this site as well. The Cardinals, currently 10-7, drew into the
lower half of the bracket. They open
against a 12-7 Whiteland team and would then face the winner of the
Greenwood-Franklin game in the second round. Those two teams are currently at
the bottom of the Mid-State Conference standings.

The news is not nearly as good for Lawrence central as they enter play at the
Arlington Sectional. The Bears drew a bye in the upper half of the draw. There
is certainly nothing wrong with that. However, they have to face the winner of
the Indianapolis Cathedral-North Central game in the second round. Those two
teams have a combined three losses on the season.

Pike is hosting its sectional this year and the Red Devils
have to be happy they have the homecourt. They are going to need it. They open
play against defending state champion Brownsburg. As we all know, defending
champs do not go down easily.

That brings us to the Columbus North Sectional. J.R. Holmes
and his top rated Panthers got some help even if they did not need it. They
drew the bye to the second round. South will face the winner of the game
between cross-town rival North and Columbus East. In the finals, they would see
the winner of the contest between host Columbus North and east central. It was
East Central who upset the Panthers last year in the tourney. You can bet
Holmes and the boys have long memories.