Three of the top five teams in 3A to battle for title at Col. City
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Dale Hubler-dhubler@timesuniononline.com
AKRON – Meredith Brouyette admitted she’s heard all the talk about second-ranked Heritage Christian ... in the community, and in the hallways at school. Brouyette, a standout on Tippecanoe Valley High School’s fourth-ranked varsity girls basketball team, has a simple message for those talking about the two-time defending Class 2A state champs who moved up to 3A this year. “It’s really, really hard not to look past the first game and think about playing Heritage Christian, or whoever, Norwell is really good too,” Brouyette said at Valley’s media day Wednesday. “I’ve heard so many people talking about Heritage Christian. We’re just staying focused on the first game. We play Fort Wayne Concordia first ... that’s our main goal, beating Concordia first.” Valley will play Concordia at approximately noon Saturday in the second semifinal game of the Columbia City Regional. The Lady Vikings, who were the 3A state runners-up in 2015, are on a 19-game win streak and take a 24-1 record into the game at Donald S. Weeks Gymnasium. Concordia is 14-11 this season and has won its last five games, including a 52-49 overtime victory over Fort Wayne Dwenger in the championship game of the Garrett Sectional. Heritage Christian (22-4) and fifth-ranked Norwell (23-2) play in the first semifinal at 10 a.m. The championship game is scheduled for 8 p.m., with the winner advancing to a one-game 3A semistate on Feb. 20 that will be hosted by either Carroll or Crown Point. The state finals are slated for Feb. 27 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. “We’re going to have to play really well and win two games to win the regional,” said Valley coach Chris Kindig. “Heritage Christian is, I think, one of the top five teams in the state (not just in Class 3A). We can’t even get to them until we play Concordia, who is playing really well. And Heritage Christian has to beat a really good Norwell team. You don’t win a sectional unless you’re playing pretty well.” The Lady Vikings are certainly playing well. Valley cruised through the sectional with winning margins of 28, 23 and 23. Valley scores an average of 60 points per game, while giving up just 33 points per game. In 25 games this season, the Lady Vikings have given up more than 42 points just twice – in a 50-44 loss to Westfield on Nov. 28 and in a 61-51 win over current 2A No. 2 Rochester on Jan. 16. Concordia scores an average of 50 points per game and gives up an average of 49. Valley and Concordia are meeting on the hardwood for the first time since the 2007 regional, when the Lady Vikings fell 44-38. Junior Shania Kelly leads Concordia in scoring with 16 points per game, while freshman Carissa Garcia and Sylara Starks average 10 points each. Junior Anne Secrest leads Valley with 17 points and eight rebounds per contest, while Brouyette and sophomore Addy Miller average nine and eight points, respectively. “We’re just looking at Concordia right now,” said Secrest. “They’re a pretty good team ... you gotta be a good team to make it to the regional. We’re just focusing on them right now. “If we win that game, then we’ll prepare for the night game. The Heritage Christian and Norwell game should be a pretty good game ... they’re ranked No. 2 and No. 5. That should be a pretty good game, and I’m interested to see how that will come out. “Anything can happen in the tournament. I don’t even think rankings matter. Really, anything can happen. You’re going to get everyone’s best effort every game.” Saturday’s first semifinal game features a Heritage Christian team that won its three sectional games by margins of 50, 37 and 29. The Lady Eagles beat No. 8 Marion 74-37 in the sectional semifinal. Heritage Christian is led by 5-9 senior guard Tyasha Harris, who is ranked 10th nationally by ESPN in the 2016 class. According to a story published in the Indianapolis Star, Harris has dwindled 60 college offers down to 10. Among the schools she’s still considering are (in alphabetical order) Evansville, Florida State, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan State, Ohio State, Purdue, Rutgers and South Carolina. In the sectional win over Marion, Harris scored 40 points and outscored the Lady Giants by herself. Norwell, who lost 47-45 in overtime in last year’s regional final, has won nine-straight games and 14 of its last 15. Norwell’s two losses this year are a 74-57 setback to current 4A No. 2 Homestead on Dec. 16, and a 59-58 decision to Leo on Jan. 8. “If you can get through this regional, then you get maybe South Bend St. Joe or Benton Central,” said Kindig. “Those are two very good teams ... St. Joe is No. 3 and Benton Central is No. 6. I think we can play with anybody on a given night. We’re gonna have to play two good games on Saturday to win, but I think we’re capable of it.”
