For the third consecutive year, the Columbus North and Columbus East girls basketball teams are likely to meet in the sectional semifinals.
The Bull Dogs and Olympians have met in the semis four of the past six years and in the finals the other two years. If Columbus North (14-7) can get past Bloomington North (7-13) in the opening round at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 4 at Bloomington South, it would meet East (14-7) again in the semifinals at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 7.
“I always like to play on the first day, but we’ve won a number of sectionals over the years, and never once did I say, ‘We got a heck of a draw,’” East coach Danny Brown said. “You have to go out and play the game, and it’s no different here. It’s one of the toughest sectionals in the state of Indiana, and five teams could win this thing.”
Columbus North beat Bloomington North 64-30 on Friday. The Bull Dogs topped East 45-38 on Dec. 19.
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“The only thing I’m focused on right now is Bloomington North,” Columbus North coach Pat McKee said. “Yes, we beat them by a good amount the other night, but we played well. They’re good enough to have that game that’s really outstanding, so we just have to take one game at a time. Looking beyond the next game, that’s when you set yourself up for trouble.”
On the opposite side of the bracket, Martinsville (19-3) will play East Central (18-5) at 6 p.m. Feb. 4. The winner will meet host Bloomington South (13-8) in the semifinals at 6 p.m. Feb. 7. The final is Feb. 8.
Meanwhile, in Class A, Hauser (6-14) will play Oldenburg Academy (6-14) at 6 p.m. Feb. 5 in the opening round of the Waldron Sectional. The Twisters beat the Jets 44-30 on Jan. 14.
“We’re playing a lot better than when we played Oldenburg,” Hauser coach Chad Evans said. “That was our first home game back from break, and we didn’t play very well. We played really well on Friday, beating a 3A South Dearborn team. Things are starting to click right now, so hopefully we can keep going for the next two weeks. But we have two games left (in the regular season), and we’re really focused on beating (Tuesday opponent) North Decatur right now.”
The Hauser-Oldenburg winner will play Waldron (9-10) or Southwestern (Shelby) (11-9) in the semifinals at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 7. The winner likely will face Class A No. 7 Jac-Cen-Del (17-4) in the final.
Class A No. 1 Trinity Lutheran (21-2) and Edinburgh (15-5) will meet in the first round of the West Washington Sectional at 6 p.m. Feb. 4. The Cougars beat the Lancers 71-57 on Dec. 5. The winner will play Crothersville (10-9) in the semifinals at 6 p.m. Feb. 7.
Jennings County will host a sectional in 4A. The Panthers (7-14) draw a first-round bye and will play the winner between Jeffersonville (13-9) and Floyd Central (5-15) in the semifinals at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 7.
In Class 3A, Brown County (15-5) got a tough draw against Brownstown Central (20-3) — a newcomer to this sectional — for a 6 p.m. Feb. 5 matchup in the Owen Valley Sectional. The winner will play Edgewood (18-5) or Northview (7-14) in the semifinals at 6 p.m. Feb. 7.
South Decatur (5-16) drew a bye in the Class 2A Switzerland County Sectional and will play at 6 p.m. Feb. 7 against the winner of the Feb. 4 game between Southwestern (Hanover) (15-6) and North Decatur (10-10).
All sectional finals are scheduled for Feb. 8. Regional semifinals and finals are Feb. 15, with semistates Feb. 22 and the state finals on Feb. 29.
