New Palestine’s Keagan Harrison and Mt. Vernon’s Tyler Davis fight for a rebound.
Tom Russo | Daily Reporter
HANCOCK COUNTY — When the IHSAA Boys Basketball State Tournament begins play next week, all four Hancock County schools will open sectional play against their most recent sectional opponent.
The opening two weeks of pairings were announced for the 114th Annual IHSAA Boys Basketball State Tournament presented by the Indiana Pacers and Indiana Fever on Sunday.
Sectional games are scheduled to begin Tuesday, Feb. 27, and run through Saturday, March 2 with regionals on Saturday, March 9.
A year ago, New Palestine defeated Mt. Vernon 71-57 to claim the Class 4A Sectional 9 championship played at Muncie Fieldhouse.
This year, the Dragons and Marauders will meet in the opening game of the Class 4A Sectional 9 tournament hosted by Greenfield-Central on Tuesday, Feb. 27 at 7 p.m.
The Dragons are 18-5 on the season and ranked No. 12 in the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association poll. Mt. Vernon is 14-8 on the year and 4-0 since the return of standout guard Luke Ertel, who missed most of the regular season due to an injury suffered during football season.
It will be the 92nd meeting between the two rivals. They played Tuesday night at Mt. Vernon in a regular season game that was originally scheduled for last Friday, but was postponed due to inclement weather. The Marauders won handily, 66-44.
The New Pal-Mt. Vernon game is the lone tournament game Tuesday at G-C.
On Wednesday Feb. 28 at 6 p.m., No. 13 Richmond (19-3) plays Muncie Central (7-15), followed by a clash between No. 6 Greenfield-Central (21-0) and formerly-ranked and currently receiving votes Anderson (17-5).
The Indians knocked out the Cougars in last year’s tournament, 55-48, putting an end to G-C’s 18-game winning streak and winningest season in school history (21-2).
Anderson has eliminated Greenfield-Central in each of its last two sectional tournaments, including the 2022 event played at G-C.
Greenfield-Central Sectional semi-finals will take place Friday, March 1.
Pendleton Heights (10-12) will take on the Mt. Vernon-New Palestine winner at 6 p.m. Wednesday’s winners will follow and the title game will be played Saturday, March 2.
Don’t be fooled by the Arabians under-.500 record. They’ve lost a bunch of close games, including to possible sectional opponents. They have lost in double overtime to Greenfield-Central, by three points to New Palestine, by two points to Mt. Vernon, by three and nine points to Anderson and by five points to Muncie Central.
Like New Palestine, Mt. Vernon and Greenfield-Central in Class 4A, Eastern Hancock will begin Class 2A Sectional 42 play against the last team it faced in the 2023 sectional tournament.
Hosted last year by Eastern Hancock, the Royals lost to Scecina 55-40 in a tournament semifinal game.
The two will open play Tuesday, Feb. 27 in Sectional 42, hosted this year by Triton Central.
The winner of Eastern Hancock (10-10) and Scecina (7-15) will play in the second of two Friday, March 1 semifinal games at 7:30 p.m. against host Triton Central (15-6). In the opening semifinal game, Riverside (6-12) takes on Irvington Prep (12-9).
The winner of the Greenfield-Central Sectional will play the winner of the Southport Sectional in a March 9 regional game at a yet to be determined site. The Southport Sectional has seven teams, including defending Class 4A state champion Ben Davis, Roncalli, Perry Meridian, Southport, Franklin Central, Decatur Central and Pike.
The Triton Central Sectional winner will take on the Sheridan Sectional winner, another five-team tournament. The Sheridan tourney includes the host school, Covenant Christian, Cascade, University and Park Tudor.
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Class 2A Sectional 42
At Triton Central High School
Tuesday, Feb. 27
TBD, Eastern Hancock (10-10) vs. Indianapolis Scecina (7-15)
Friday, March 1
6 p.m., Riverside (6-12) vs. Irvington Prep (12-9)
7:30 p.m., Triton Central (15-6) vs. Eastern Hancock/Scecina winner
Saturday, March 2
TBD, Championship game
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Class 4A Sectional 9
At Greenfield-Central High School
Tuesday, Feb. 27
7 p.m., New Palestine (18-5) vs. Mt. Vernon (14-8)
Wednesday, Feb. 28
6 p.m., Richmond (19-3) vs. Muncie Central (7-15)
7:30 p.m., Greenfield-Central (21-0) vs. Anderson (17-5)
Friday, March 1
6 p.m., Pendleton Heights (10-12) vs. New Palestine/Mt. Vernon winner
7:30 p.m., Richmond/Muncie Central winner vs. Greenfield-Central/Anderson winner
Saturday, March 2
TBD, Championship game
