Good morning.
Shown below are my selections for this weekend’s Semi-State games, along with a few comments. Most of the historical info referenced was derived from John Harrell’s great web site.
Regional Prediction Results: Last week, I picked 10 of the 16 regional winners correctly for 63%.
For all games played, I selected 34 out of 48 games correctly for 71%.
Have a great day and enjoy the games.
Dan
Class 1A at Richmond: Indpls.Tindley over New Washington ---------------by 12 points
* Tindley was my pre-tourney choice to win the Class 1A title.
* Tindley has won 15 of their last 17 games; NW 12 of their last 14.
* Tindley is undefeated against 1A competition.
* It is New Washington's first Semi-State appearance since 2001 and Tindley's first appearance ever.
* Tindley has played a much tougher schedule than NW.
Class 1A at Lafayette: Lafayette Cent.Catholic over Gary 21st Century -----by 4 points
* LC C and Gary were my pre-tourney #1 and #3 choices, respectively, to win the North Semi-State
* LCC has won 11 of their last 12 games; Gary 13 of their last 14.
* Both teams have played strong schedules for a 1A school, with LCC's being a bit tougher than Gary's.
* Both teams are undefeated against 1A competition.
* This will be LCC's first semi-state since 2013. They've been unsuccessful in their four most recent Semi-State appearances. Gary was here last year and lost to eventual 1A champ Liberty Christian.
Class 2A at Richmond: Heritage Christian over Crawford County-----------by 9 points
* Neither team was among my pre-tourney top 5 choices to win this Semi-State.
* HC has won 9 games in a row; CC 14 of their last 15.
* HC has played a much tougher schedule than CC.
* HC is playing in the Semi-State for the first time since 2006; CC's first since 1995.
Class 2A at Lafayette: Frankton over Marquette Catholic--------------------by 3 points
* Frankton has won 17 of their last 18 games.
* Marquette has played a much tougher schedule than Frankton
* Frankton and Marquette were my pre-tourney #3 and #4 choices, respectively, to win the North Semi-State.
* Frankton won this Semi-State in 2015. Marquette is making their third Semi-State appearance in the last four years. They won at the 1A level in both 2014 and 2015.
Class 3A at Seymour: Evansville Bosse over Indpls.Attucks-------------------by 7 points
* If you crave fast-paced basketball, this game should be right up your alley. Both of these squads average close to 80 ppg and are very quick and athletic. I'm giving Bosse the nod due to their tournament experience from last year as well as the tough competition they've played against all year.
* Bosse and Attucks were my pre-tourney #1 and #3 choices, respectively, to win the South Semi-State.
* Attucks has won their last 13 games while Bosse has a 9-game winning streak.
* Bosse has played a much tougher schedule than Attucks.
* This is Attucks' first Semi-State since 1970. Bosse won this Semi-State last year.
* In Attucks glory days in the 1950s, the Tigers won five Semi-States.
* Bosse is unbeaten against 3A competition.
Class 3A at Huntington: Twin Lakes over Ft.Wayne Luers-------------------by 4 points
* Luers was my pre-tourney #1 choice to win the North Semi-State. However, I'm changing my pick at this time. I cannot ignore the outstanding performance of TL in getting here. Beating Andrean, Culver Military and Griffith is one heck of an achievement. I think they'll continue on their winning ways against Luers.
* Luers has won 13 of their last 15 games; Twin Lakes 12 of their last 13.
* Luers' schedule has been much stronger than Twin Lakes.
* Luers is playing in their first Semi-State since 2009. They won the 2A title in both 2008 and 2009. This is the first-ever Semi-State for Twin Lakes.
Class 4A at Seymour: Castle over Ben Davis----------------------------------by 6 points
* Castle was my pre-tourney #3 choice to win the South Semi-State.
* BD has played a much stronger schedule than Castle.
* Castle has won 12 of their last 13 games. BD has won 12 games in a row.
* Castle is playing in the semi-state for the first time since 2012. It is BD's
first appearance since 1998.
Class 4A at Huntington: Ft.Wayne North over Merrillville-----------------by 9 points
* North has a lot of quickness, Merrillville probably has even more. But Merrillville doesn't have a good matchup for North's twin towers: Butz and Brooks.
* Ft.Wayne North was my pre-tourney #1 choice to win this semi-state.
* North has won 20 of their last 21 games; Merrillville 89 of their last 9.
* Strength of schedule for these two is about the same.
* It is North's first semi-state appearance since 1995. Merrillville was last here in 2013.
Shown below are my selections for this weekend’s Semi-State games, along with a few comments. Most of the historical info referenced was derived from John Harrell’s great web site.
Regional Prediction Results: Last week, I picked 10 of the 16 regional winners correctly for 63%.
For all games played, I selected 34 out of 48 games correctly for 71%.
Have a great day and enjoy the games.
Dan
Class 1A at Richmond: Indpls.Tindley over New Washington ---------------by 12 points
* Tindley was my pre-tourney choice to win the Class 1A title.
* Tindley has won 15 of their last 17 games; NW 12 of their last 14.
* Tindley is undefeated against 1A competition.
* It is New Washington's first Semi-State appearance since 2001 and Tindley's first appearance ever.
* Tindley has played a much tougher schedule than NW.
Class 1A at Lafayette: Lafayette Cent.Catholic over Gary 21st Century -----by 4 points
* LC C and Gary were my pre-tourney #1 and #3 choices, respectively, to win the North Semi-State
* LCC has won 11 of their last 12 games; Gary 13 of their last 14.
* Both teams have played strong schedules for a 1A school, with LCC's being a bit tougher than Gary's.
* Both teams are undefeated against 1A competition.
* This will be LCC's first semi-state since 2013. They've been unsuccessful in their four most recent Semi-State appearances. Gary was here last year and lost to eventual 1A champ Liberty Christian.
Class 2A at Richmond: Heritage Christian over Crawford County-----------by 9 points
* Neither team was among my pre-tourney top 5 choices to win this Semi-State.
* HC has won 9 games in a row; CC 14 of their last 15.
* HC has played a much tougher schedule than CC.
* HC is playing in the Semi-State for the first time since 2006; CC's first since 1995.
Class 2A at Lafayette: Frankton over Marquette Catholic--------------------by 3 points
* Frankton has won 17 of their last 18 games.
* Marquette has played a much tougher schedule than Frankton
* Frankton and Marquette were my pre-tourney #3 and #4 choices, respectively, to win the North Semi-State.
* Frankton won this Semi-State in 2015. Marquette is making their third Semi-State appearance in the last four years. They won at the 1A level in both 2014 and 2015.
Class 3A at Seymour: Evansville Bosse over Indpls.Attucks-------------------by 7 points
* If you crave fast-paced basketball, this game should be right up your alley. Both of these squads average close to 80 ppg and are very quick and athletic. I'm giving Bosse the nod due to their tournament experience from last year as well as the tough competition they've played against all year.
* Bosse and Attucks were my pre-tourney #1 and #3 choices, respectively, to win the South Semi-State.
* Attucks has won their last 13 games while Bosse has a 9-game winning streak.
* Bosse has played a much tougher schedule than Attucks.
* This is Attucks' first Semi-State since 1970. Bosse won this Semi-State last year.
* In Attucks glory days in the 1950s, the Tigers won five Semi-States.
* Bosse is unbeaten against 3A competition.
Class 3A at Huntington: Twin Lakes over Ft.Wayne Luers-------------------by 4 points
* Luers was my pre-tourney #1 choice to win the North Semi-State. However, I'm changing my pick at this time. I cannot ignore the outstanding performance of TL in getting here. Beating Andrean, Culver Military and Griffith is one heck of an achievement. I think they'll continue on their winning ways against Luers.
* Luers has won 13 of their last 15 games; Twin Lakes 12 of their last 13.
* Luers' schedule has been much stronger than Twin Lakes.
* Luers is playing in their first Semi-State since 2009. They won the 2A title in both 2008 and 2009. This is the first-ever Semi-State for Twin Lakes.
Class 4A at Seymour: Castle over Ben Davis----------------------------------by 6 points
* Castle was my pre-tourney #3 choice to win the South Semi-State.
* BD has played a much stronger schedule than Castle.
* Castle has won 12 of their last 13 games. BD has won 12 games in a row.
* Castle is playing in the semi-state for the first time since 2012. It is BD's
first appearance since 1998.
Class 4A at Huntington: Ft.Wayne North over Merrillville-----------------by 9 points
* North has a lot of quickness, Merrillville probably has even more. But Merrillville doesn't have a good matchup for North's twin towers: Butz and Brooks.
* Ft.Wayne North was my pre-tourney #1 choice to win this semi-state.
* North has won 20 of their last 21 games; Merrillville 89 of their last 9.
* Strength of schedule for these two is about the same.
* It is North's first semi-state appearance since 1995. Merrillville was last here in 2013.
