Fans,
Shown below are my annual pre-season rankings for the 2018-19 season for Class 2A. Also included are a few brief comments about many of the higher-ranked squads.
These rankings are based on a formula I've developed over the years that places emphasis on each team's record for the past year combined with the number of key players they have returning along with the actual number of points returning. Strength of schedule is also a strong consideration. One aspect that is NOT considered is attempting to evaluate players who rarely played at the varsity level during this past season.
This formula usually works in a majority of cases but occasionally “misses the boat” on some others. I developed it so that my own personal biases do not enter into the final rankings. These rankings are usually more indicative of a team’s strength at the start of the season as opposed to how they might finish.
Most of the info used for this analysis was derived from the following sources:
* Coaches from 114 schools
* www.maxpreps.com, the IHSAA-endorsed statistical service, provided usable data for 249 schools.
* E.T.Pearl’s excellent website which provides complete statistical info for 62 schools in North Central Indiana. See etpearl.homestead.com./
* subscribing to five different newspapers
* researching the websites of several other papers and basketball websites.
A big Thank You to everyone who provided information.
For each school, the info below shows this past year's record along with the number of key players and points returning. Where a + is shown, that means that a key player is returning for whom I do not have statistical information.
The “Power Rating” is shown for each school so that readers can see how each of the ranked schools compared with each other. If two or more teams have the same power rating, the number of points returning is used as a “tie breaker.”
One additional note. Unless otherwise known, these evaluations assume all players stay at the school they were at last year. In this day and age, that’s not a very safe assumption anymore, but I don’t’ know of any other way to deal with it, especially at this early date.
If you know of a team that you feel should be ranked, don’t hesitate to let me know (Dan.Wantz@yahoo.com). It’s possible that I did not have enough information to properly consider them.
And lastly, a big Thank You as always to John Harrell’s great website for all of the easily accessible historical info that I often reference in these write-ups.
Enjoy,
Daniel Wantz
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CLASS 2A’s TOP 20 TEAMS
(For each ranked team, their 2018 record is shown along with the number of key players returning and the cumulative ppg represented by those players.)
#Key Players &_______Power Rank
Team __________W-L___PPG Returning_______Rating
01_Andrean_______________ 18-9______5________38___________123
02_Westview__________ ____28-2______4________51___________122
03_Heritage Christian_______ 16-10_____3________29___________117
04_Tell City_______________ 16-9______7________50___________113
05_Indianapolis Howe_______18-9______1________16___________108
06_Frankton_______________22-4______4________42___________106
07_Paoli__________________21-3______4________45___________105
08_Gary Roosevelt__________13-10_____3_______ 24___________105
09_Evansville Mater Dei______8-15_____7________40___________104
10_Indianapolis Scecina_____19-10_____ 2_________0++_________104
11_Bowman Academy_______13-8______2________20___________104
12_Marquette Catholic______ 13-15_____3________38___________ 102
13_Forest Park_____________25-5______2________16____________95
14_Southwestern (Hanover)__ 24-3______4________51____________91
15_Monrovia______________15-9______ 4________33____________91
16_South Knox____________17-10______4________31____________91
17_Tipton________________ 21-5_______3_______ 18____________91
18_Indpls.Shortridge________5-17______ 7________58____________90
19_Churubusco____________12-12______5________49____________90
20_River Forest___________10-13_______5_______ 54____________89
Projecting ahead, let’s take a look at the tournament trail for the teams shown above—starting in the far North part of the state.
01_Andrean__ _________Sect. 33/Northwest Reg./North Semi-State
08_Gary Roosevelt______Sect. 33/Northwest Reg./North Semi-State
11_Bowman Academy___Sect. 33/Northwest Reg./North Semi-State
20_River Forest________ Sect. 33/Northwest Reg./North Semi-State
12_Marquette Catholic___Sect. 34/Northwest Reg./North Semi-State
02_Westview__________ Sect. 35/Northwest Reg./North Semi-State
19_Churubusco________ Sect. 36/Northwest Reg./North Semi-State
17_Tipton_____________Sect. 39/Northeast Reg./North Semi-State
06_Frankton___________Sect. 40/Northeast Reg./North Semi-State
05_Indpls.Howe_______Sect. 42/Southeast Reg./South Semi-State
03_Heritage Christian___Sect. 43/Southeast Reg./South Semi-State
10_Indpls.Scecina______Sect. 43/Southeast Reg./South Semi-State
18_Indpls.Shortridge____Sect. 43/Southeast Reg./South Semi-State
15_Monrovia__________Sect. 44/Southeast Reg./South Semi-State
14_Southwestern (Han.)_ Sect. 45/Southwest Reg./South Semi-State
07_Paoli______________Sect. 46/Southwest Reg./South Semi-State
16_South Knox________ Sect. 47/Southwest Reg./South Semi-State
04_Tell City___________Sect. 48/Southwest Reg./South Semi-State
09_Evans.Mater Dei____ Sect. 48/Southwest Reg./South Semi-State
13_Forest Park_________Sect. 48/Southwest Reg./South Semi-State
Now, here’s a closer look at the Top 10 teams in 2A. Unless stated otherwise, all players are seniors. Those 6’ 3 or taller have their height mentioned, if known. Scoring average is shown in parentheses. Rebound and/or assist average is also shown where known and relevant.
Shown below are my annual pre-season rankings for the 2018-19 season for Class 2A. Also included are a few brief comments about many of the higher-ranked squads.
These rankings are based on a formula I've developed over the years that places emphasis on each team's record for the past year combined with the number of key players they have returning along with the actual number of points returning. Strength of schedule is also a strong consideration. One aspect that is NOT considered is attempting to evaluate players who rarely played at the varsity level during this past season.
This formula usually works in a majority of cases but occasionally “misses the boat” on some others. I developed it so that my own personal biases do not enter into the final rankings. These rankings are usually more indicative of a team’s strength at the start of the season as opposed to how they might finish.
Most of the info used for this analysis was derived from the following sources:
* Coaches from 114 schools
* www.maxpreps.com, the IHSAA-endorsed statistical service, provided usable data for 249 schools.
* E.T.Pearl’s excellent website which provides complete statistical info for 62 schools in North Central Indiana. See etpearl.homestead.com./
* subscribing to five different newspapers
* researching the websites of several other papers and basketball websites.
A big Thank You to everyone who provided information.
For each school, the info below shows this past year's record along with the number of key players and points returning. Where a + is shown, that means that a key player is returning for whom I do not have statistical information.
The “Power Rating” is shown for each school so that readers can see how each of the ranked schools compared with each other. If two or more teams have the same power rating, the number of points returning is used as a “tie breaker.”
One additional note. Unless otherwise known, these evaluations assume all players stay at the school they were at last year. In this day and age, that’s not a very safe assumption anymore, but I don’t’ know of any other way to deal with it, especially at this early date.
If you know of a team that you feel should be ranked, don’t hesitate to let me know (Dan.Wantz@yahoo.com). It’s possible that I did not have enough information to properly consider them.
And lastly, a big Thank You as always to John Harrell’s great website for all of the easily accessible historical info that I often reference in these write-ups.
Enjoy,
Daniel Wantz
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CLASS 2A’s TOP 20 TEAMS
(For each ranked team, their 2018 record is shown along with the number of key players returning and the cumulative ppg represented by those players.)
#Key Players &_______Power Rank
Team __________W-L___PPG Returning_______Rating
01_Andrean_______________ 18-9______5________38___________123
02_Westview__________ ____28-2______4________51___________122
03_Heritage Christian_______ 16-10_____3________29___________117
04_Tell City_______________ 16-9______7________50___________113
05_Indianapolis Howe_______18-9______1________16___________108
06_Frankton_______________22-4______4________42___________106
07_Paoli__________________21-3______4________45___________105
08_Gary Roosevelt__________13-10_____3_______ 24___________105
09_Evansville Mater Dei______8-15_____7________40___________104
10_Indianapolis Scecina_____19-10_____ 2_________0++_________104
11_Bowman Academy_______13-8______2________20___________104
12_Marquette Catholic______ 13-15_____3________38___________ 102
13_Forest Park_____________25-5______2________16____________95
14_Southwestern (Hanover)__ 24-3______4________51____________91
15_Monrovia______________15-9______ 4________33____________91
16_South Knox____________17-10______4________31____________91
17_Tipton________________ 21-5_______3_______ 18____________91
18_Indpls.Shortridge________5-17______ 7________58____________90
19_Churubusco____________12-12______5________49____________90
20_River Forest___________10-13_______5_______ 54____________89
Projecting ahead, let’s take a look at the tournament trail for the teams shown above—starting in the far North part of the state.
01_Andrean__ _________Sect. 33/Northwest Reg./North Semi-State
08_Gary Roosevelt______Sect. 33/Northwest Reg./North Semi-State
11_Bowman Academy___Sect. 33/Northwest Reg./North Semi-State
20_River Forest________ Sect. 33/Northwest Reg./North Semi-State
12_Marquette Catholic___Sect. 34/Northwest Reg./North Semi-State
02_Westview__________ Sect. 35/Northwest Reg./North Semi-State
19_Churubusco________ Sect. 36/Northwest Reg./North Semi-State
17_Tipton_____________Sect. 39/Northeast Reg./North Semi-State
06_Frankton___________Sect. 40/Northeast Reg./North Semi-State
05_Indpls.Howe_______Sect. 42/Southeast Reg./South Semi-State
03_Heritage Christian___Sect. 43/Southeast Reg./South Semi-State
10_Indpls.Scecina______Sect. 43/Southeast Reg./South Semi-State
18_Indpls.Shortridge____Sect. 43/Southeast Reg./South Semi-State
15_Monrovia__________Sect. 44/Southeast Reg./South Semi-State
14_Southwestern (Han.)_ Sect. 45/Southwest Reg./South Semi-State
07_Paoli______________Sect. 46/Southwest Reg./South Semi-State
16_South Knox________ Sect. 47/Southwest Reg./South Semi-State
04_Tell City___________Sect. 48/Southwest Reg./South Semi-State
09_Evans.Mater Dei____ Sect. 48/Southwest Reg./South Semi-State
13_Forest Park_________Sect. 48/Southwest Reg./South Semi-State
Now, here’s a closer look at the Top 10 teams in 2A. Unless stated otherwise, all players are seniors. Those 6’ 3 or taller have their height mentioned, if known. Scoring average is shown in parentheses. Rebound and/or assist average is also shown where known and relevant.
