Howard County: Girls’ Basketball Sectional Predictions
Across the Hoosier State, girls' high school basketball teams will begin sectional play to kick off the Indiana High School Athletic Association Girls Basketball State Tournament. The single-elimination tournament is one of the season's highlights, with heroic plays and a range of emotions filling basketball gyms as fierce competition captures the attention of every fan. All five Howard County girls' basketball teams will compete in the tournament and will need your support during sectional play.
Now, let’s dive into these matchups and predict the winner of each sectional featuring a county school.
Sectional 7
Host: William H. Harrison High School (West Lafayette)
Kokomo had its best regular season in more than a decade. While the Lady Kats are eager to begin sectional play, they’re expected to fall to McCutcheon for the second time this season.
McCutcheon will advance to the sectional championship game, where the Lady Mavs will defeat Lafayette Jefferson to win Sectional 7.
Sectional 7 Winner: McCutcheon
Sectional 23
Host: Twin Lakes
Sectional 23 is the only bracket in the tournament with two Howard County teams, but both Western and Northwestern face challenging paths to a championship.
One of the toughest things to do in sports is beat the same team twice in a season. While Northwestern is expected to put up a stronger fight in its rematch with Peru, the Lady Tigers remain the favorite. Western, however, is expected to have no trouble defeating Logansport in its first sectional game before falling to Maconaquah in the sectional semifinal.
Sectional 23 Winner: Maconaquah
Sectional 38
Host: Lewis Cass
Eastern’s season has been filled with struggles and disappointments, and that trend is expected to continue in sectional play. The Lady Comets will have a tough time overcoming Lewis Cass’ firepower in the sectional opener.
After defeating Eastern, the Lady Kings will face a much tougher path to a sectional title, but not one they can’t overcome. Lewis Cass is expected to take down Pioneer in the sectional semifinal before winning a close battle with Oak Hill in the championship game.
Sectional 38 Winner: Lewis Cass
Sectional 39
Host: Sheridan
Taylor bounced back in a big way after a winless season. Unfortunately, the Lady Titans will struggle to slow down Lapel’s offense, and their season is expected to end in the sectional opener.
It’s not every year that the host school wins the sectional title, but Sheridan has everything it takes to do just that. After defeating Frankton and Tipton in their first two sectional games, the Lady Blackhawks will face their toughest test in a highly competitive matchup with Lapel for the sectional title. Home-court advantage will be crucial for Sheridan, as they are expected to outlast the Lady Bulldogs and win the sectional championship.
Sectional 39 Winner: Sheridan
