State Tourney Insight: Class 2A Broad Ripple Sectional Preview

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By Anders Rotto

For VYPE Magazine

With the girls basketball state tournament already underway, boys teams across the state are scrambling to get in every possible minute of practice in hopes of making a deep state tournament run this winter.

One of the many boys sectional tournament sites that will kick off next week is the 2A Broad Ripple sectional. 

The first game at Broad Ripple is on Tuesday, Feb. 28th at 6 p.m. between Park Tudor (18-2) and Marshall (9-9). The winner of this game will take on Heritage Christian (13-9) at 6 p.m, on Friday. Broad Ripple (13-6) faces off against Shortridge (2-17) at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, as well. The team that wins this game will play Herron (4-16) on Friday March 2 at 7:30 p.m. 

The favorite to win the sectional is defending Class 2A state champion Park Tudor. Their only two losses on the season have been against 4A schools. Led by Indiana University recruit senior Kevin “Yogi” Ferrell, Park Tudor is averaging 67.25 points per game, good for the 39th best offensive average in the entire state. Not only do the Panthers boast a high-scoring attack, but the team also has the 26^th ranked defense. They are only giving up 46.4 points per game. 

Park Tudor’s seventh best average margin of victory has not been accomplished by playing an easy schedule. The Panthers own the 73rd toughest schedule in the state. Park Tudor enters its game with Marshall on a seven game win streak. Forward sophomore Trevon Bluiett, senior Paul Bayt, and junior Troy Spears, a New Mexico recruit, are major beneficiaries of Ferrell’s playmaking ability.

Virtually impossible to stop, Ferrell is capable of creating his own shot from the perimeter, as well as driving into the lane and hitting open shooters like 3-point specialist senior J.B. Rapp and senior Brendan Tannenbaum. 

Park Tudor has a very dynamic team this year. Coach Ed Schilling will undoubtedly have his team playing its best basketball at the beginning of their sectional schedule. The team’s plethora of seniors will also keep the focus and attention on their goal of winning a third straight sectional championship en route to their ultimate goal of a second state championship.

One team that will attempt to knock Park Tudor from its sectional throne is 2A newcomer, Broad Ripple. In its first year as a part of the 2A sectional, Broad Ripple will be looking for revenge against Park Tudor in a likely sectional championship matchup. The Rockets lost to Park Tudor 53-48 in the regular season and both sides would welcome a potential rematch. Senior guard and Indiana University recruit Ron Patterson, who scored 17 points in the game against Park Tudor, leads Broad Ripple. 

Patterson is the undeniable leader of this team and they need him to do well in order for the team to succeed. He is not afraid of big games either. In December, Patterson had 26 points against 4A Cathedral as well as leading the team with 16 points in a 53-50 win over 2A Guerin Catholic. Broad Ripple as a team has also been tested this year. The Rockets’ schedule is ranked 52nd most difficult in the state. For this reason, they will be well prepared for the difficulties they may face in their sectional matchups.

The third team expected to be a serious contender for the sectional championship is Heritage Christian. The Eagles come into the game having recently lost to 4A Cathedral by only a point as well as only losing to 3A Brebeuf Jesuit by six points. 

The Eagles are undeniably led by senior Joel Smith, who is part of the extremely select few to ever score 1,000 points in Heritage Christian's school history. Junior Anthony Warrum and senior Tyler Mink also are main contributors for the Eagles. Heritage Christian has not suffered a defeat of more than 16 points this season and has kept the scores of their games low with a stifling defense. 

With Warrum getting high percentage looks near the basket off the dribble and Smith continuing his impressive scoring from all areas of the floor, Heritage Christian will definitely be contending for the sectional championship. Despite losing to both Broad Ripple and Park Tudor during the season by eight and ten points, respectively, Heritage Christian is confident that their solid defense and rebounding will be able to propel them into the championship.

The assumed second round game between the Eagles and Park Tudor will be especially interesting to watch due to the fact that Park Tudor ended Heritage Christian’s season last year in the first round of sectionals. 

Certainly an underdog in the tournament, Marshall enters their first round game against Park Tudor averaging 68.94 points per game with an offense that averages the 24th best points per game in the state. They beat the other two sectional underdogs, Shortridge and Herron, by scores of 84-50 and 86-27, respectively. Marshall goes into their sectional game having won two out of their past three games. 

Despite having the fewest wins of any of the sectional teams, Shortridge did defeat Herron 69-44 when they faced off in the beginning of February. Herron had a strong record at the beginning of the year, yet they have fizzled toward the end. Their 3-4 record to start the year was positive, but that momentum has not carried over into the rest of the season as the Acheans have only won one game since.