Columbus East is hoping its first time hosting a boys basketball sectional will pay off in a championship for the Olympians.
East hasn’t won a sectional title since 1996 — the next-to-last year of the one-class era. But the Olympians never have hosted the sectional like they will next week.
“I think it’s exciting for our kids,” East coach Brent Chitty said Monday after a meeting for coaches and athletics directors from the sectional schools. “It’s neat to be able to host your own sectional. Hopefully, our kids will respond to that and play extremely well.”
The Olympians (12-9) will have to wait until March 2 to play their first sectional home game. They drew a first-round bye and will await the winner of the Feb. 27 matchup between Columbus North (12-9) and Shelbyville (15-8).
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Both North and East lost handily to Shelbyville during the regular season. The Golden Bears had hot shooting nights in both games.
“They’re a very talented team offensively,” North coach Paul Ferguson said. “I’ve watched them a number of times this year, and on certain nights, they’re just an offensive juggernaut. For both teams, this could be a tough gym to shoot it because of the orange background and the orange rims.”
Although Shelbyville has lost eight games, it has played the toughest schedule of any team in the sectional. The Golden Bears have the No. 36-ranked strength of schedule and No. 17 opponent record ranking.
Shelbyville still has the core of its team back from squads that lost to Bloomington South in the sectional final each of the past two years.
“We have our hands full,” Shelbyville coach Ryan Mack said. “This draw is very difficult for us in the fact that if we get to the sectional championship or win it, we have to play three really good teams. We’ve played an extremely tough schedule, and we did that for a reason because we knew that when we got to the sectional, it was going to be tough every night.”
Bloomington South (22-2), ranked No. 5 in Class 4A, opens against crosstown rival Bloomington North (6-15). The winner will play East Central (14-8) in the second semifinal.
The Panthers, who went undefeated in Conference Indiana play, have won 12 in a row and 21 of 22 since a loss to 4A No. 3 New Albany. Their only other loss is at 3A No. 1 New Castle in the finals of the Hall of Fame Classic.
“If we get beat in the first game, it’s been an outstanding year,” Bloomington South coach J.R. Holmes said. “The only problem with crazy people in Indiana and Bloomington, they gauge you on what you do in the tournament. We were conference champs, and all that stuff we did accomplish this year will be by the wayside if we don’t have some success in the tournament.”
The sectional championship game will be at 7 p.m. March 3. The Panthers have won the past three sectional titles.
Meanwhile, the Olympians will try to break their 22-year sectional drought next week. They hope playing in the friendly confines of the Orange Pit will change their fortunes.
“I think it helps playing at home,” Chitty said. “You don’t have to get on a bus. You don’t have to travel. But you still have to show up and play.”
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Columbus East boys basketball sectional
Feb. 27
6 p.m.: Columbus North vs. Shelbyville
7:30 p.m.: Bloomington North vs. Bloomington South
March 2
6 p.m.: Columbus East vs. Columbus North-Shelbyville winner
7:30 p.m.: East Central vs. Bloomington North-Bloomington South winner
March 3
7 p.m.: Championship
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