October 1, 2025
To open up October we’re starting to get into some real statewide contenders with big time players. We’ve got a 2A could make their way back to Indy and return with the big trophy this year. There’s a team in Sectional 3 that is looking to make a statement with one of the strongest backcourts in all of northern Indiana. There’s a 3A down south that may be the best team in their city and make a semi state run once again. They also feature a potential Indiana All Star and a good addition that could help carry them a long ways. Up in the #260 there’s a team that looks to breakthrough this year and with the right draw, could find a path to semi state. And finally a team with an all time head coach looks to make another run down south and return as one of the better programs in all of Indiana. Another tie makes an appearance @ #37. I had to have both teams around this area and I don’t feel there’s much separation between them. Let’s start it up and name the teams. (Follow @pwooley03 on Twitter + coachpatrick812 on Instagram for more coverage)
40. New Haven Bulldogs– Our first team out of the Fort Wayne area could make a case for top team in the 260. The Bulldogs will be the clear favorites in Sectional 22. It all starts with their big time backcourt; Junior Tavar Baskerville and senior Jadrien Ezell is as good a 1-2 backcourt combo in northern Indiana. Baskerville is a 6’1 guard that put up 13.7 ppg last season while Ezell averaged 13 ppg in a breakout season last year. Losing forward Jamal Lawrence and his 12.4 ppg hurts but there’s a number of players that will get their shot for the Bulldogs. 6’3 senior Demarcus Wright looks to improve on his 6.7 ppg. Jr. Lavell Ledbetter (4.8 ppg) along with seniors Daylen Jackson (3.5 ppg) + Isaiah Woods (2.9) will get more PT this year and expect to improve on their numbers. New Haven looks to avenge last season’s OT sectional loss to Marion and get the school’s first sectional title since the 2016- 17 season.
Key Games;
December 5 v. FW Blackhawk
December 29 v. South Bend Riley
January 6 @ FW Snider
January 27 v. Homestead
39. South Bend Adams Eagles- There’s alot of people optimistic about this year’s Adams squad up in Fort Wayne. The Eagles fly with one of the fastest and best duos in all of Indiana. Senior Jarvis Tolbert is back for his senior year after averaging 20 ppg last season for a 13-11 Eagles squad. Tolbert is one of most underrated guards in northern Indiana and at times can be overshadowed by powers Riley and St. Joe’s in South Bend. Jarvis can match up with any guard in the South Bend area. The 2nd half of their backcourt duo is junior Drew Dixon who had a breakout summer. Dixon is due to become one of the city’s best guards after putting up 6.7 ppg last season. SB Adams certainly has the backcourt covered with senior Terron Johnson returning after averaging 5 ppg last year and junior Carter Johnson (4.7 ppg). For Adams to get over the Riley and St. Joe’s hump, they’ll need their guys to take it to a whole new level this year. Sectional 3 should be really fun and competitive this year with the South Bend schools, Penn, and Michigan City.
Key Games;
December 29 v. Columbia City @ Huntington North
January 15 @ SB Riley
January 30 @ Penn
February 5 v. SB St. Joe’s
38. University Trail Blazers- The 2A runner ups come in @ #38 and return alot of pieces while adding some new ones. The backcourt is absolutely stacked with talent. Junior Blake Gray is the leading returning scorer at 11.9 ppg and looks to add to that production this year. Gray has some small college looks and is one of the more underrated guards in the Indy area. Adding to their returning backcourt is 6’2 senior guard Faisal Mohamed. Faisal had a strong summer with Hoosier Prospects AAU and will build off of that going into the high school season. 6’2 senior Josh McGhee is a move- over from Heritage Christian that looks to add to their starting lineup and could be on of the breakout players in all of 2A. With all those guards, the 6’5 junior Joshua Henderson becomes even more important. The potential of Henderson when healthy is very high. Adding to the frontcourt is the versatile 6’5 Cooper Cammack. 6’1 sophomore Carmel move-in Jaxen Bennett will add backcourt depth and has really good long term talent for the Blazers.
Key Games;
December 13 @ Liberty Christian
February 17 @ Westfield
February 24 v. Guerin Catholic
(t) 37. Princeton Tigers- According to those in the Evansville area I’m probably underrating the Tigers @ #37. They’ve got some really good pieces but losing a shooter and leading scorer like Jace Jenkins to graduation will hurt, especially early on. It always helps when you’ve got a Junior All Star returning in 6’7 do- everything senior Edwin Holmes. Holmes will possibly be the Tigers first Indiana All Star in a long time. He averaged 16.7 ppg and 7.6 rbs last year and may significantly bump those numbers up this season with the transfer of sophomore point guard, Quintyn Volz. Volz comes in from Decatur Central as one of the top 25 sophomores in the state and will step into a starting guard role right away. Another guard that is in for a big time year is 6’0 senior Demarcus Newson. Demarcus is a big time perimeter defender giving Princeton a very good defensive inside- outside duo. 6’3 senior Zen Coomer can really get hot from outside and will have improved #’s this year. 6’5 Drew Wilkas moves back into Princeton from Florida and gives them some extra size. Sophomore Rico Scott is a move in from Ohio and 6’3 junior Gavin Wright add depth to one of Pocket City’s best teams that is looking for back 2 back semi state appearances.
Key Games;
December 6 v. Charlestown @ Brownsburg
December 12 @ Evansville Bosse
February 20 v. Forest Park
(t) 37. Bloomington South Panthers– The Panthers with longtime coach JR Holmes never really have a ‘down’ year. Another sectional title is not out of the question on the Southside. Sectional 13 with Bloomington North, Terre Haute North, and the Panthers should be very fun. The loss of scoring guard Vince Moutardier hurts but there certainly plenty of size to make up for it. 6’8 senior Matt Tierney is coming off a strong summer with Indiana Elite Tradition looks to improve on his offensive numbers. More size in the form of 6’5 junior Duncan Combs returns and more production is expected. Combs played high level summer AAU ball with Midwest Basketball Club on the 3SSB circuit and will be one of the main pieces for South this season. Potentially the Panthers leading scored resides in the backcourt. 6’0 senior Jack Clark is a strong guard that can get to the basket and hot from outside. Clark also had a strong summer playing with Indiana Elite Team Indiana. Junior Ryan Stikeleather is another name to watch out for the Panthers. Some may have Bloomington North or Terre Haute North as sectional favorites but watch out for this Panthers team come March.
Key Games;
November 26 v. New Albany
January 2 v. Centerville @ Lawrenceburg Tourney
January 16 @ Columbus East
January 31 @ Silver Creek
36. Guerin Catholic Golden Eagles- Gone is Coach Bob Allen who’s now @ Hamilton Southeastern and enter new coach, Sam Gardner. Allen certainly did not leave the cabinet bare. Guerin has gotten to the point where they never really rebuild; they just reload. Do- it all forward Bryson Cardinal is now @ Butler but a very strong group of juniors get to show what they can do in the purple and gold. The leading returning scorer is 6’3 junior guard, Jake Grissom @ 12.8 ppg. Grissom earned a spot in the Indiana Futures All Star game back in the summer. Another junior is 6’7 Carter Murans who’s development is key for the Golden Eagles . Both Murans and Grissom finished their AAU season on the EYBL circuit with All Ohio. Junior guard Hayden Rogers will look to have a more offensive role for GC after a year in the lineup running the team @ the point. And finally junior Andrew Reithman is a name to watch out for having a more of a role this year. GC will be good this season but especially watch out for them in ’26-27.
Key Games;
January 2 v. Plainfield @ Lawrenceburg Tourney
January 16 @ Tri West
February 10 v. New Palestine
February 24 @ University
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