Indiana Preps Hoops – 2021-2022 Boys Basketball Preview: Teams To Watch

Class 1A: 

Barr-Reeve (aside from a scare against North Daviess in the Sectional) rolled to the State Championship last season.  Sr. F Hagen Knepp is the leading returning scorer for the Vikings, who stand to remain a strong contender in Class 1A.  North Daviess returns quite a bit from its 2020-2021 squad, including Jr. G Jaylen Mullen, and will likely start the year highly ranked.  Loogootee, with Jr. G Peyton Bledsoe anchoring its backcourt, also figures to be a factor in 1A.  Each of these teams will play in Sectional 63, making the team that emerges from it a strong favorite in Class 1A. 

Elsewhere in Class 1A, Indianapolis Lutheran returns double-digit scorers (‘20-’21) in Senior Guards Montasi Clay and Mitchell Lee, along with Jr. F/C Kam Patterson (9.1 PPG, 6 RPG last season).  Edinburgh, coming off an 18-6 campaign in ‘20-’21, returns Jr. Guard Caleb Dewey (14.3 PPG, 6.5 RPG last season) and Sr. F Travis Jones (11.3 PPG, 7.6 RPG).

Class 2A:  

FW Blackhawk, led by 2021 Mr. Basketball Caleb Furst, emerged victorious with the Class 2A State Championship.  Parke Heritage used a strong defense to make a run to the State Championship Game.  The Wolves return Sr. G Noble Johnson and Jr. G Christian Johnson to anchor its backcourt in ‘21-’22.

Linton-Stockton, under Head Coach Joey Hart, has put together a consistently successful program, with multiple deep runs in the 2A State Tournament.  While the Miners lose Lincoln Hale to graduation, they return a Jr. All-Star candidate in Joey Hart.  Another player to watch for the Miners is Soph. F Braden Walters.

Central Noble, anchored by Wisconsin commit Connor Essegian, returns quite a bit from a strong 24-2 campaign in ‘20-’21.

Class 3A:

Silver Creek, anchored by 2 Indiana All-Stars in Trey Kaufman-Renn and Kooper Jacobi, outlasted Leo to be the last team standing, emerging with the 2021 Class 3A State Championship.  Sr. PG Branden Northern will lead the way for the Dragons in ‘21-’22.  While Leo graduated several guards from its backcourt, the Lions promise to have a strong frontcourt, as Sr. F Caedmon Bontrager will team with Sr. F DJ Allen.  In the southern half of 3A, Heritage Hills graduates one Sisley (Blake) and plugs in another in Freshman (Class of ‘25) Trent.

Elsewhere in 3A, Hammond returns Jr. G Jordan Woods (10.2 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 5.8 APG, 3.0 SPG).

Class 4A: 

Carmel defeated Lawrence North in an all-MIC 4A State Championship Game in 2021.  The Greyhounds, anchored by Seniors Charlie Williams and Pete Suder, figure to be a strong contender yet again in 2021-2022. 

4A, top to bottom, is absolutely loaded this year.  Sectional 10 is easily the toughest Sectional in the state, as there are several highly-recruited and committed future college basketball players sprinkled throughout each school in the Sectional.  Whichever team emerges from this meat grinder of a Sectional will be a legitimate threat to make a deep run through the 4A State Tournament.  

Fishers returns quite a bit from its ‘20-’21 team, and also adds Freshman G Jalen Haralson, as the Tigers take aim at perennial power Carmel in Sectional 8.  In the southern half of the state, Jeffersonville figures to have an outstanding team, as well, as it returns both Will Lovings-Watts and Branden Rayzer-Moore to form one of the top backcourts in Class 4A.