Who advanced to the IHSAA girls basketball sectional championship round? Here's our takeaways from the semifinals around Evansville.
NEWBURGH — There's a reason this night is considered the best of the high school basketball calendar.
The IHSAA sectional semifinal round is in the books, and did it ever deliver around Southwestern Indiana. A message against a defending state champion. A Division I player putting the team on her back. Multiple pre-tournament favorites advancing. There was so much more too.
What did Friday night give us? Here's my thoughts from the semifinal round.
Bailey Hape put Reitz on her back in the fourth quarter
This wasn't the sole reason the Panthers (19-2) advanced to Saturday night. But when it mattered, the ball went into the hands of their Division I guard. The end more than justified the means.
Reitz defeated Gibson Southern 58-49 in the Class 4A semifinals Friday, Feb. 6 at Castle. It was a one-point game at the start of the final quarter. That's when Samford recruit Bailey Hape went on a personal 11-0 run to provide enough cushion over the end stretch.
A Division I player rising to the occasion in the biggest moment.
"I believe in her no matter what," Reitz coach Brock Stone said. "That's what Division I basketball players do in big moments."
Yes, her personal statistics are down from previous seasons. That doesn't take into account a deeper lineup and more defensive attention thrown her way. But when push comes to shove, there's little question who gets the ball. The senior started the fourth with a bomb from the perimeter before attacking the basket. Four trips ended in layups or free throws.
A one-point game ballooned to double digits midway through the quarter. Gibson Southern (17-7) got within five ― Paige Schanus finished with 18 points and 10 rebounds ― but Reitz never lost control. Hape finished with a game-high 20 points. Considering the setting, it was her finest effort this season.
"I'm a senior," Hape said. "I only get to do this a couple more times. Really got to make the most out of it. Stay grounded and know that any time could be my last time out on the court. We practice for these situations. We were prepared for that moment."
This night wasn't perfect. The Panthers struggled to shoot from deep or find much space inside. The equalizer was a pressure defense that forced 19 turnovers. Keilah Mitchell added 16 points and Kierstyn Kaiser contributed 11. A fine overall effort from the lineup by the final horn.
But if Reitz (19-2) wins its first sectional championship in 35 years, expect its senior captain to make an impact.
"She gave us a chance to play 32 more minutes," Stone said. "She's not averaging 18-20 points like most people think Division I players should be. But she sacrificed a lot to bring these young girls along. The only thing she wants to do is make sure Reitz wins. She brought us home tonight."
Castle made a rematch official with an emotional victory
Josh Kain is giving his team a pass. It seems fair considering what Castle went through this week.
The Knights advanced to the sectional championship with a 63-50 win over Harrison. It was much closer than many anticipated, given Castle won the regular season meeting by 47 on Jan. 17. The Knights were sluggish in the opening half and let a double-digit lead slip to nine with under four minutes remaining. Give a healthy dose of credit to Harrison. But considering the events of three days prior, focus was understandably shaken.
Jack Mitchell, the father of senior guard Paiton Mitchell, passed away suddenly on Tuesday night following the sectional victory against North. It affected the team on a personal level.
"All of the emotions this week probably drained us," Kain said. "Our focus level wasn't quite there, which is understandable considering the circumstances. But after all that, we still have a chance to do something special."
Castle (20-4) had four in double figures: Jayden Scott 18, Jordyn Poelhuis 15, Paiton Mitchell 12 and Izabell Grantz 10. A pair of important stretches allowed the Knights to earn a spot in the championship. First was a 16-3 run to close the first half. The other came when Harrison closed the gap to nine in the fourth. Azaria Finn hit a three before Scott converted a breakaway layup following a turnover.
The end result is a much-anticipated rematch with Reitz. Castle beat the Panthers by 10 on their home floor in January.
"We turned the ball over a little bit too much against them," Kain said. "They do that very well. Limiting that, getting more good shots up and trying to slow them down offensively. We did a decent job (of that) last time. We've got to repeat that."
North Knox sent a message against the defending state champions
There can't be any other way to interpret what went down at Eastern Greene. Right?
No. 4 North Knox hammered No. 3 South Knox 72-48 in the Sectional 47 semifinals. It's not just winning that game; it's how the Warriors (17-6) did it. They were physical and relentless against their county rivals. Lipscomb recruit Lexi Primus had a team-high 25 points. Caroline Yenne added 16 and Jade Richter netted 12.
A thorough victory to not only alter the sectional but beyond. South Knox (18-4) was among the top contenders to reach the Class 2A state championship again. There's now a path for someone else. Kendal Hill had 28 points and 13 rebounds for the Spartans in the loss.
Of course, North Knox was in this same position two years ago. It faces Linton-Stockton (14-7) in the championship – the same opponent who upset the Warriors in the 2024 sectional final following an emotional win over South Knox. Time to see if this senior class learned from is past.
The Class 3A semifinals at Vincennes and Central went chalk
There were zero surprises in Sectional 31 or 32. The result could be an entertaining Saturday in the former.
No. 6 Washington defeated Vincennes Lincoln 67-37 behind double-digit efforts from Katie Reed (16) and London Gilley (15). Princeton cruised to a 53-11 victory over Southridge with Ailie Taylor netting 19. The championship is a rematch from Jan. 10 – an overtime victory by the Tigers.
No. 10 Central cleared another hurdle in a quest to repeat in Sectional 32. The Bears pulled away in the second half to eliminate Boonville 67-51. Maddy Shirley delivered another All-Star worthy performance with 35 points. Olivya Hile added 11, while Karsyn Moore and Madelyn Bender had eight apiece.
Central will be the favorite in a championship rematch with Memorial. The Tigers defeated Mount Vernon 41-26 in the other semifinal.
What happened elsewhere in Southwestern Indiana
There are a couple more interesting championship matchups on the schedule. The first comes in Sectional 48.
Mater Dei defeated South Spencer 46-39 at Tell City to set up a meeting with North Posey. The latter is the defending champion and beat Perry Central 51-35. The Wildcats won the regular season meeting by six on Dec. 18.
The other game to follow comes in Sectional 64. No. 8 Evansville Christian meets No. 10 Springs Valley in the championship at Tecumseh. The Eagles have never won a sectional championship since becoming full-time IHSAA members. They earned a spot with a 37-34 victory against Wood Memorial.
Kyle Sokeland is a sports reporter for the Courier & Press. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @kylesokeland or email at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: Takeaways from IHSAA girls basketball sectional semis in Evansville
Category: General Sports
