MEDIA INFORMATION                                                                     

February 17, 2008

Contact: Jason Wille, Sports Information Director

E–Mail: jwille@ihsaa.org

PAIRINGS ANNOUNCED FOR BOYS BASKETBALL STATE TOURNAMENT

Three hundred ninety-eight teams were bracketed this evening on Monument Circle in downtown Indianapolis for the 98th Annual IHSAA Boys Basketball State Tournament which begins next week.

The number of teams is two more than last season and the highest total since 399 entered the 1979 state tourney.

Sectional games are scheduled to run Monday, Feb. 25, through Saturday, March 1, at 64 sites around the state. The regional round is slated for March 8, semi-states on March 15 and the state finals on March 22 at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. In all, 394 games will be played over the four-week period.

Among the top-ranked teams in the latest Associated Press poll, Class A No. 1 Triton will host Westville in Sectional 50. In 2A, No. 1 Bluffton will meet Adams Central in Sectional 38 at Woodlan. In 3A, top-ranked Evansville Memorial drew the bye and will play Mount Vernon in Sectional 32 at Boonville. And in 4A, No. 1 New Albany takes on Bedford North Lawrence in the bye game in Sectional 15 at Seymour.

Among the defending state champions, East Chicago Central drew a first round bye and will host the Munster-Highland winner in Class 4A, Sectional 1; Class 3A winner Plymouth will host South Bend St. Joseph’s in Sectional 19. Last year’s Class 2A state champion, Northwestern, is one of 30 teams that have moved up a classification from last season. The Tigers, now in 3A, will play Benton Central in the opening game of the six-team Sectional 20 at Frankfort. And in Class A, defending champion Oregon-Davis faces Marquette Catholic in the bye game in Sectional 50 at Triton.

One member school, Tindley of Indianapolis, will be making its first appearance in the boys basketball state tournament. The Tigers will compete in Class A, Sectional 59 at Indianapolis Lutheran.

Tecumseh, in Class A, leads the state with nine consecutive sectional championships while Lafayette Central Catholic, also in Class A, has won six straight.

>> Sectionals (AP style)

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

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

Facts & Figures

No. of Schools Entered: 398 (highest number since 399 entered in 1979).

Total No. of Games: 394 games in 27 days.

Schools Entered for First Time

4A: None.

3A: None.

2A: None.

A: Tindley (Sectional 59 at Indianapolis Lutheran).

Schools That Moved Up a Class from Last Year (listed in current class)

4A: Connersville, Hammond Morton, Jay County, New Castle, Northridge, Pendleton Heights, Whiteland.

3A: Charlestown, Crawford County, Eastbrook, Glenn, Harding, Heritage, Mitchell, North Montgomery, Northwestern, Rensselaer Central, Rochester, South Vermillion, Southridge.

2A: Bloomfield, Carroll (Flora), Covenant Christian, Culver Community, Hauser, Hebron, Indianapolis Cardinal Ritter, Lapel, River Forest, West Washington.

Schools That Moved Down a Class from Last Year (listed in current class)

3A: Columbia City, Indianapolis Northwest, Muncie Southside, Shelbyville.

2A: Elwood, Evansville Mater Dei, Fort Wayne Bishop Luers, Indianapolis Washington, Tipton.

A: None.

Defending State Champions

4A: East Chicago Central (Sectional 1 host).

3A: Plymouth (Sectional 19 host).

2A: Northwestern (Class 3A, Sectional 20 at Frankfort).

A: Oregon-Davis (Sectional 50 at Triton).

Defending Sectional Champions

4A: Bloomington South, Carroll (Fort Wayne), East Chicago Central, Evansville Reitz, Fort Wayne South Side, Franklin Central, Lawrence North, Marion, Muncie Central, New Albany, North Central (Indianapolis), Penn, Pike, South Bend Adams, Terre Haute North, Valparaiso.

3A: Batesville, Brebeuf Jesuit, Edgewood, Evansville Bosse, Fort Wayne Bishop Luers, Gary Wirt, Hammond Clark, Indianapolis Howe, Jay County, Madison, New Castle, NorthWood, Plymouth, Tippecanoe Valley, Washington, Western.

2A: Cass, Cloverdale, Eastside, Fairfield, Harding, Lawrenceburg, North Montgomery, Northwestern, Park Tudor, Providence, Rochester, Shenandoah, South Knox, Southridge, Wheeler, Winchester.

A: Barr-Reeve, Blue River Valley, Covington, Eminence, Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian, Jac-Cen-Del, Lafayette Central Catholic, Lanesville, Morgan Township, Morristown, North Central (Farmersburg), Oregon-Davis, Orleans, Tecumseh, Tri-County, Wes-Del.

Schools that Won First Sectional Championship Last Year

4A: None.

3A: None.

2A: Fort Wayne Bishop Luers, Wheeler.

A: None.

Active Sectional Championship Streaks (Three or more years)

9: Tecumseh (A).

6: Lafayette Central Catholic (A).

5: Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian (A); Lawrence North (4A); Muncie Central (4A); Orleans (A).

4: Valparaiso (4A).

3: Bloomington South (4A), Harding (3A), New Castle (4A), North Montgomery (3A), Pike (4A), Plymouth (3A), Tippecanoe Valley (3A), Washington (3A).

Most Consecutive Sectional Championships

29 by Lafayette Jefferson, 1944-72.

Most Sectional Championships Last 10 Years

9: Lafayette Central Catholic, Tecumseh.

8: Evansville Mater Dei, Pike.

7: Blue River Valley, Boone Grove, Covington, Harding, Lawrence North.

6: Andrean, Loogootee, Muncie Central, Orleans, Plymouth, Tri-Central.

5: Batesville, Bellmont, Bloomington North, Bloomington South, Brebeuf Jesuit, Cass, East Chicago Central, Evansville Harrison, Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian, LaPorte, Morgan Township, New Castle, Penn, Sullivan, Terre Haute North, Valparaiso, Winchester.

Top 10 All-Time Sectional Championships

69: Kokomo.

68: Vincennes Lincoln.

64: Marion.

60: Lafayette Jefferson.

59: Richmond.

57: Muncie Central.

56: Connersville, Logansport, New Castle.

50: Anderson, Lebanon.

Schools Seeking First Sectional Championship

4A: Hamilton Southeastern, Westfield.

3A: Culver Academies, Franklin County, West Noble.

2A: Carroll (Flora), Churubusco, Covenant Christian, Frankton, Northeastern.

A: Bethesda Christian, Borden, Crothersville, Elkhart Christian Academy, Evansville Day, Fort Wayne Canterbury, Holy Cross, Indiana School for the Deaf, Indianapolis Lutheran, International, Keystone, Lakewood Park Christian, Liberty Christian, New Harmony, Oldenburg Academy, Rock Creek Academy, Shoals, Tindley, Trinity Lutheran, Union (Modoc), Vincennes Rivet, Washington Township, Westville, White’s.

IHSAA 07-08/27