MEDIA INFORMATION

January 29, 2009

RECORD NUMBER OF SCHOOLS PAIRED IN GIRLS BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT

A record 397 schools, six more than last year, were put into brackets this evening in downtown Indianapolis as the 34th Annual IHSAA Girls Basketball State Tournament begins 11 days from now. The previous high of 393 schools entered the 1981 state tournament.

Sectional games are scheduled to begin Monday, Feb. 9, through Saturday, Feb. 14, at 64 sites around the state. The regional round is slated for Feb. 21, semi-states on Feb. 28 and the state finals on March 7 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. In all, 393 games will be played over the 27-day period.

One change from previous years is the structure of the six-team bracket. Last April, the IHSAA Executive Committee approved a proposal from the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association that calls for each of the two bye teams to play a winning team from the first round. Previously, the bye teams played each other in the second semifinal game.

In Class 4A, Sectional 12 host Ben Davis, ranked first in both polls sponsored by the Indiana Coaches of Girls Sports Association and Indiana Basketball Coaches Association, drew Indianapolis Manual for its opener. In 3A, top-ranked Benton Central drew a bye and will face the West Lafayette-Western winner at home in Sectional 20. Three-time defending 2A champ Heritage Christian again sits in the 2A catbird seat and drew a bye and will take on the Indian Creek-Triton Central winner in Sectional 43 at Triton Central. Vincennes Rivet, No. 1 in Class A, drew North Daviess in Sectional 63 at Barr-Reeve.

Among the other defending state champions, Class A’s Fort Wayne Canterbury will host Elkhart Christian in Sectional 51. Class 3A winner Plymouth will face South Bend St. Joseph’s in the first round of Sectional 19 at Glenn and, in 4A, Carmel will meet Noblesville in Sectional 9 at Zionsville.

Four member schools will be making their first appearances in the state tournament while one, Indianapolis Crispus Attucks, will compete in the tournament for the first time since 1986. Attucks, Fall Creek Academy and Indianapolis Metropolitan are assigned to Class A, Sectional 59 at University. Bowman Academy and Seton Catholic will make their debuts in Class A, Sectional 49 at Washington Catholic and Sectional 55 at Tri, respectively.

Castle (4A) and Shenandoah (2A), lead the state with nine consecutive sectional championships. Heritage Christian and Northeast Dubois follow with six in a row.

> Tournament Pairings (AP style)

Sectional Brackets: 4A | 3A | 2A | A

Regional, Semi-State, State Finals Brackets: 4A | 3A | 2A | A

Facts & Figures

No. of Schools Entered: 397, State tournament record; Previous record was 393 in 1981.

Total No. of Games: 393 games in 27 days.

Schools Entered for First Time (3)

4A: None.

3A: None.

2A: None.

A: Bowman Academy (Sectional 49 at Washington Township); Fall Creek Academy (Sectional 59 at University); Indianapolis Metropolitan (Sectional 59 at University); Seton Catholic (Sectional 55 at Tri).

Note: Indianapolis Crispus Attucks (Sectional 59 at University) will play in state tournament for first time since 1986.

Defending State Champions

4A: Carmel (Sectional 9 at Zionsville).

3A: Plymouth (Sectional 19 at Glenn).

2A: Heritage Christian (Sectional 43 at Triton Central).

A: Fort Wayne Canterbury (Sectional 51 host).

Defending Sectional Champions

4A: Anderson, Ben Davis, Carmel, Carroll (Fort Wayne), Castle, Columbus East, Elkhart Memorial, Fort Wayne South Side, Franklin Community, Gary West Side, Kokomo, Martinsville, Michigan City, North Central (Indianapolis), Seymour, South Bend Washington.

3A: Calumet, Corydon Central, Eastbrook, Fort Wayne Elmhurst, Gibson Southern, Greensburg, Hammond, Indianapolis Bishop Chatard, Leo, Northwestern, Owen Valley, Plymouth, Rushville, Vincennes Lincoln, Wawasee, Western Boone.

2A: Carroll (Flora), Covenant Christian, Eastern Greene, Fort Wayne Bishop Luers, Garrett, Hanover Central, Heritage Christian, Jimtown, North Miami, Oak Hill, Shenandoah, Southwestern (Hanover), Tell City, Winchester.

A: Fort Wayne Canterbury, Kouts, Lafayette Central Catholic, Northeast Dubois, Oregon-Davis, South Central (Elizabeth), South Decatur, Southern Wells, Southwestern (Shelbyville), Tri, Turkey Run, University, Vincennes Rivet, West Central, White River Valley, Wood Memorial.

Schools that Won First Sectional Championship Last Year

4A: None.

3A: Greensburg.

2A: Covenant Christian, Eastern Greene.

A: University, Vincennes Rivet.

Active Sectional Championship Streaks (Three or more years)

9: Castle, Shenandoah.

6: Heritage Christian, Northeast Dubois.

5: Elkhart Memorial, Fort Wayne Canterbury, South Bend Washington.

4: Anderson, Hammond, Southwestern (Hanover), Wood Memorial.

3: Gibson Southern, Lafayette Central Catholic, Owen Valley, Tri.

Most Consecutive Sectional Championships

18 by Rushville (1980-97).

Most Sectional Championships Last 10 Years

9: Castle, Northeast Dubois, Shenandoah.

8: Ben Davis, Fort Wayne Bishop Luers, Fort Wayne Canterbury

7: Evansville Memorial, Gary West Side, Kokomo, Southwestern (Hanover)

6: Clinton Prairie, Elkhart Memorial, Garrett, Heritage Christian, North Knox, South Bend St. Joseph’s, South Bend Washington

5: Cass, Corydon Central, Fremont, Highland, Huntington North, Indianapolis Cathedral, Jasper, Kouts, North Central (Indianapolis), North Judson, North Montgomery, Rushville, South Central (Elizabeth), Tippecanoe Valley, Valparaiso, White River Valley, Wood Memorial.

Top 10 All-Time Sectional Championships

25: Rushville.

20: Bedford North Lawrence, Ben Davis, Kokomo, Valparaiso.

19: NorthWood.

18: Huntington North, Sullivan.

17: Columbia City, Crown Point, New Castle.

Schools Seeking First Sectional Championship

4A: Fishers, Greenwood, Indianapolis Broad Ripple, Northridge, Northview.

3A: Crawfordsville, Gary Wirt, Mishawaka Marian, Mount Vernon, Muncie Southside, Whitko.

2A: Centerville, Central Noble, Churubusco, Cloverdale, Fairfield, Guerin Catholic, Lake Station Edison, Milan, Providence, River Forest, Sheridan.

A: Bowman Academy, Cannelton, Christian Academy of Indiana, Cowan, Crothersville, Daleville, Edinburgh, Elkhart Christian Academy, Fall Creek Academy, Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian, Frontier, Greenwood Christian, Hamilton, Indiana School for the Deaf, Indianapolis Metropolitan, International, Keystone, LaCrosse, Lakewood Park Christian, Lanesville, Liberty Christian, Marquette Catholic, Medora, Morton Memorial, Orleans, Rock Creek Academy, Seton Catholic, Shakamak, Shawe Memorial, Shoals, Tindley, Trinity Lutheran, Westville.

IHSAA 08-09/21