Sectional Pairings Announced for East Central Indiana Girls Basketball Teams

The path to Gainbridge Fieldhouse is set for the upcoming girls basketball season. The Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) officially announced its girls basketball sectional pairings through its annual blind draw selection show on Sunday, Jan. 25. Sectionals will begin on Tuesday, Feb. 3, with sectional championships scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 7.

Last season, two East Central Indiana teams claimed sectional championships. Delta made history by winning its first sectional title in 33 years and went on to secure its first regional title in program history before falling to eventual Class 3A state champion Norwell at the semi-state round. Monroe Central also celebrated a milestone by capturing its first sectional title since 2019, though it fell in the regional to eventual Class 1A state runner-up Lafayette Central Catholic.

Class 4A: Sectional 9 at Pendleton Heights

• Game 1: Pendleton Heights (17-3) vs. Mt. Vernon (Fortville) (11-9)
• Game 2: Greenfield-Central (8-11) vs. Muncie Central (4-14)
• Semifinal 1: Richmond (3-15) vs. Game 1 Winner
• Semifinal 2: Anderson (6-14) vs. Game 2 Winner
• Sectional Championship: Semifinal 1 Winner vs. Semifinal 2 Winner

Pendleton Heights, the host and reigning sectional champion, is the favorite in this bracket. Ranked No. 10 in the state by the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association, the Arabians will face Mt. Vernon (Fortville), the only other team above .500 in the bracket, in the tournament opener. Muncie Central, ECI’s lone 4A team, will take on Greenfield-Central in the other first-round game. Richmond and Anderson drew byes to the semifinals.

Class 3A: Sectional 24 at Yorktown

• Game 1: Jay County (13-7) vs. New Castle (13-7)
• Game 2: Hamilton Heights (14-6) vs. Connersville (15-6)
• Semifinal 1: Delta (15-7) vs. Game 1 Winner
• Semifinal 2: Yorktown (9-10) vs. Game 2 Winner
• Sectional Championship: Semifinal 1 Winner vs. Semifinal 2 Winner

This 3A bracket hosted by Yorktown features five teams with 13 or more wins and all four of the ECI teams in the class. Jay County and New Castle will face off in an ECI matchup in the tournament opener, followed by another strong matchup between Hamilton Heights and Connersville. Delta, the reigning sectional champion, drew a bye to the semifinals, where the Eagles will take on either the Lady Patriots or Lady Trojans. The host Tigers also drew a bye and will take on the winner of Hamilton Heights vs. Connersville in the second semifinal game.

Class 2A: Sectional 40 at Wapahani

• Game 1: Muncie Burris (8-9) vs. Madison-Grant (4-17)
• Game 2: Wapahani (8-10) vs. Eastbrook (7-13)
• Semifinal 1: Alexandria-Monroe (18-3) vs. Game 1 Winner
• Semifinal 2: Blackford (9-12) vs. Game 2 Winner
• Sectional Championship: Semifinal 1 Winner vs. Semifinal 2 Winner

The ECI teams in this bracket are young and have come on strong lately, but reigning sectional champion Alexandria-Monroe is the heavy favorite. Muncie Burris will take on Madison-Grant in the first round for a chance to take on the Tigers, while host Wapahani will face Eastbrook for a shot at Blackford in the other semifinal game.

Class 2A: Sectional 44 at Hagerstown

• Game 1: Northeastern (14-7) vs. Union County (9-10)
• Game 2: Winchester Community (3-13) vs. Shenandoah (12-9)
• Semifinal 1: Hagerstown (10-9) vs. Game 1 Winner
• Semifinal 2: Centerville (6-13) vs. Game 2 Winner
• Sectional Championship: Semifinal 1 Winner vs. Semifinal 2 Winner

This balanced bracket features three teams with double-digit wins and a Union County team one win shy of .500. Northeastern will take on those Patriots in the tournament opener, followed by a matchup between the bracket’s two ECI schools, Winchester vs. Shenandoah. In the semifinals, Hagerstown will await the winner of the first game, while an ECI team will face Centerville in the second.

Class 1A: Sectional 55 at Southern Wells

• Game 1: Tri-Central (11-10) vs. Northfield (14-6)
• Game 2: North Miami (12-8) vs. Daleville (14-5)
• Game 3: Southwood (11-7) vs. Wes-Del (2-16)
• Game 4: Cowan (4-12) vs. Southern Wells (12-6)
• Semifinal 1: Game 1 Winner vs. Game 2 Winner
• Semifinal 2: Game 3 Winner vs. Game 4 Winner
• Sectional Championship: Semifinal 1 Winner vs. Semifinal 2 Winner

One of Class 1A’s most loaded brackets features six teams with double-digit wins. Four of those teams will face one another on the first night of the tournament, as Tri-Central will take on Northfield followed by North Miami against Daleville. Southwood will take on Wes-Del followed by Southern Wells vs. Cowan. While the Warriors and Blackhawks are unlikely to make it to the semifinals, Daleville is in the midst of one of its strongest seasons in recent memory. The Broncos’ road to a potential title run starts with a rematch of last year’s sectional championship, which North Miami won 47-41.

Class 1A: Sectional 56 at Union City

• Game 1: Cambridge City Lincoln (0-19) vs. Union City (4-12)
• Semifinal 1: Monroe Central (17-2) vs. Randolph Southern (9-12)
• Semifinal 2: Blue River Valley (3-19) vs. Game 1 Winner
• Sectional Championship: Semifinal 1 Winner vs. Semifinal 2 Winner

Monroe Central is the reigning sectional champion and heavy favorite to repeat in this bracket. The bracket will open with winless Cambridge City Lincoln against the host Union City, with the winner sent to the second semifinal game with Blue River Valley. The Golden Bears will take on the clear second-best team of the bracket, Randolph Southern, in the first semifinal game, and if they can take care of business there, they should have no trouble winning another sectional title.