Good afternoon.
Shown below are my selections for this weekend’s four class title games, along
with some comments.
Semi-State Prediction Results: Last week I picked 6 of the 8 semi-state games correctly.
Have a great day and enjoy the games.
Dan
1A: Ft.Wayne Blackhawk over Barr-Reeve.............................................................by 9 points
These two squads have been the class of 1A all season long. They've pretty much seemed to
have been predestined to meet in the title game this year. They've already met once this year
with Blackhawk wining by 8 points in OT in a late-December game. An outcome close to that might well occur in the rematch.
*Blackhawk was in the state title game in 2004 but lost to Waldron. This is BR's sixth state
title game. Their only victory was in their last appearance in 2015.
*Both teams have won 17 games in a row.
*BR has played a good schedule by 1A standards, but Blackhawk has played a great
schedule.
*Blackhawk was my pre-tourney choice to win the 1A title. And BR was my pre-
tourney choice to play Blackhawk.*Barr-Reeve was my PRE-SEASON #1 ranked team in 1A. Blackhawk was my #6 ranked
team.
2A: Linton over Andrean ..............................................................................................by 4 points
I'll take Linton here in what could be the best game of the day. They shoot the ball at a 60%
rate and score more than 8 ppg more, on the average, than Andrean.
*Linton has won 19 of their last 20 games; Andrean 10 of their last 11..
*Linton was in the final game in 2013, but lost to Bowman Academy. Andrean was in the old
Final Four in 1980, losing a one-point decision to New Albany. They returned to the class
championship game in 2000, but lost again--this time to Brebeuf.
*Linton has played an OK schedule, but Andrean's schedule has been much tougher.
*Linton for the year is shooting 60% from the field.
*Andrean was my pre-tourney #4 choice to win the North semi-state. Linton was my #2
choice to win the south Semi-State.
*Andrean was my PRE-SEASON #1 ranked team in 2A. Linton was not in my pre-season
Top 20.
3A: Culver Academy over Silver Creek ............................................................by 3 points
I really like both of these teams. Culver has methodically been taking care of business--playing at a somewhat deliberate pace and playing strong defense. SC has been shooting the ball extremely well and taking advantage of their usual height advantage inside. I'll stick with Culver, but this could be an extremely close game.
*Culver has won 21 games in a row against IHSAA member schools. SC has won 13 of their
last 14 games
*Culver won the 3A title last year and was runner-up-up in 2011. This is SC's first trip ever
to the state finals.
*Culver's schedule has been much stronger than SC's.
*Silver Creek is a much better shooing team than Culver from both 3-point range and from
the free throw line.
*Silver Creek scores around 75 ppg. But Culver gives up only 42 ppg. So, something has to
give!
*Culver was my pre-tourney pick to win the 3A title. Silver Creek was my pre-tourney #3
choice to win the south semi-state.
*In my PRE-SEASON rankings, Culver and SC were #1 and #9 respectively.
4A: Carmel over Ben Davis...............................................................................by 10 points
Carmel is somewhat of an easy choice in this one. Except, as mentioned last week, BD is
doing a great job of emulating their championship squad of 2017. Does that mean they will
upend Carmel? I am guessing not. Two years ago they defeated a talented F.W.North squad
that was somewhat undisciplined, had no state final tourney experience, and was terrible from the free throw line. Carmel, instead, played in the 4A final last year, is well-disciplined, and shoots free throws very well. A big factor in this game could be whether either of the two big men (Mulloy and Jones) gets in early foul trouble.
*BD lost at Carmel 49-39 on January 25th.
*Carmel has won their last 14 games. BD has won 10 of their last 11 games.
*This is BD's seventh trip to the state finals. They won it all in 1995,1996, and 2017. This is
also Carmel's seventh state finals appearance. They won it all in 1977, 2012, and 2013.
*Both Carmel & BDs strength of schedules are ranked in the top five in the state.
*Carmel was my pre-tourney choice to win the north semi-state.
*In my PRE-SEASON rankings, Carmel and BD were #6 and #8 respectively.
Shown below are my selections for this weekend’s four class title games, along
with some comments.
Semi-State Prediction Results: Last week I picked 6 of the 8 semi-state games correctly.
Have a great day and enjoy the games.
Dan
1A: Ft.Wayne Blackhawk over Barr-Reeve.............................................................by 9 points
These two squads have been the class of 1A all season long. They've pretty much seemed to
have been predestined to meet in the title game this year. They've already met once this year
with Blackhawk wining by 8 points in OT in a late-December game. An outcome close to that might well occur in the rematch.
*Blackhawk was in the state title game in 2004 but lost to Waldron. This is BR's sixth state
title game. Their only victory was in their last appearance in 2015.
*Both teams have won 17 games in a row.
*BR has played a good schedule by 1A standards, but Blackhawk has played a great
schedule.
*Blackhawk was my pre-tourney choice to win the 1A title. And BR was my pre-
tourney choice to play Blackhawk.*Barr-Reeve was my PRE-SEASON #1 ranked team in 1A. Blackhawk was my #6 ranked
team.
2A: Linton over Andrean ..............................................................................................by 4 points
I'll take Linton here in what could be the best game of the day. They shoot the ball at a 60%
rate and score more than 8 ppg more, on the average, than Andrean.
*Linton has won 19 of their last 20 games; Andrean 10 of their last 11..
*Linton was in the final game in 2013, but lost to Bowman Academy. Andrean was in the old
Final Four in 1980, losing a one-point decision to New Albany. They returned to the class
championship game in 2000, but lost again--this time to Brebeuf.
*Linton has played an OK schedule, but Andrean's schedule has been much tougher.
*Linton for the year is shooting 60% from the field.
*Andrean was my pre-tourney #4 choice to win the North semi-state. Linton was my #2
choice to win the south Semi-State.
*Andrean was my PRE-SEASON #1 ranked team in 2A. Linton was not in my pre-season
Top 20.
3A: Culver Academy over Silver Creek ............................................................by 3 points
I really like both of these teams. Culver has methodically been taking care of business--playing at a somewhat deliberate pace and playing strong defense. SC has been shooting the ball extremely well and taking advantage of their usual height advantage inside. I'll stick with Culver, but this could be an extremely close game.
*Culver has won 21 games in a row against IHSAA member schools. SC has won 13 of their
last 14 games
*Culver won the 3A title last year and was runner-up-up in 2011. This is SC's first trip ever
to the state finals.
*Culver's schedule has been much stronger than SC's.
*Silver Creek is a much better shooing team than Culver from both 3-point range and from
the free throw line.
*Silver Creek scores around 75 ppg. But Culver gives up only 42 ppg. So, something has to
give!
*Culver was my pre-tourney pick to win the 3A title. Silver Creek was my pre-tourney #3
choice to win the south semi-state.
*In my PRE-SEASON rankings, Culver and SC were #1 and #9 respectively.
4A: Carmel over Ben Davis...............................................................................by 10 points
Carmel is somewhat of an easy choice in this one. Except, as mentioned last week, BD is
doing a great job of emulating their championship squad of 2017. Does that mean they will
upend Carmel? I am guessing not. Two years ago they defeated a talented F.W.North squad
that was somewhat undisciplined, had no state final tourney experience, and was terrible from the free throw line. Carmel, instead, played in the 4A final last year, is well-disciplined, and shoots free throws very well. A big factor in this game could be whether either of the two big men (Mulloy and Jones) gets in early foul trouble.
*BD lost at Carmel 49-39 on January 25th.
*Carmel has won their last 14 games. BD has won 10 of their last 11 games.
*This is BD's seventh trip to the state finals. They won it all in 1995,1996, and 2017. This is
also Carmel's seventh state finals appearance. They won it all in 1977, 2012, and 2013.
*Both Carmel & BDs strength of schedules are ranked in the top five in the state.
*Carmel was my pre-tourney choice to win the north semi-state.
*In my PRE-SEASON rankings, Carmel and BD were #6 and #8 respectively.
