Patriots to play Mississinewa (02/02/04)

Jay County and Fort Recovery need to look ahead to see the big sectional challenge. The South Adams Starfires have their biggest obstacle looking them right in the face.

Indiana and Ohio girls basketball sectional drawings and seedings took place Sunday, with all three local teams discovering their fate.

The Patriots open with Mississinewa (3-15), while the Indians will take on St. Henry (3-10). However, South Adams (3-14) will meet sectional host and favorite Fort Wayne Harding (12-5) in its opening-round matchup.

Jay County (9-7) will meet Mississinewa in the first round of the Elwood sectional Tuesday, Feb. 10 at 7:30 p.m. Delta (7-11) and Elwood (15-3) will battle in the other first round game at 6 p.m.

The winners of those two contests will meet Friday, Feb. 13 at 6 p.m. in the first of two semifinal contests. Tipton (8-11) and Blackford (8-9) received first-round byes and will play in the other semifinal contest at 7:30 p.m.

The championship game will be Saturday, Feb. 14 at 7:30 p.m.

The Patriots defeated Mississinewa 67-23 in their regular-season meeting this year. They lost to Blackford 45-43, and did not play Elwood or Tipton.

They will visit Delta Thursday at 6:30 p.m.

In other regular-season games between sectional teams: Delta defeated Elwood 52-49, Blackford topped Delta 39-35, Elwood beat Blackford 57-35, Mississinewa knocked off Blackford 60-52 in overtime, Elwood defeated Tipton 66-44 and Elwood blasted Mississinewa 83-33.

In Ohio’s New Bremen sectional Fort Recovery (10-6) takes on St. Henry Feb. 24 at 7:45 p.m. Spencerville (7-6) will play New Knoxville (9-6) in the other bracket at 6:15 p.m.

The winner of the Fort Recovery-St. Henry contest will play Marion Local (12-2) one sectional championship game Saturday, Feb. 28 at 7:45 p.m. The Spencerville-New Knoxville winner will take on top-seeded Minster (11-2) in the other sectional championship game at 6:15 p.m.

The Indians defeated St. Henry 76-60 in their regular-season contest. They lost to Marion Local 50-45, which is seeded second in the New Bremen sectional despite being ranked fifth in the state.

Minster is rated 10th in the state poll. The teams are scheduled to play at Minster Saturday at 1 p.m. in a game which will likely determine the Midwest Athletic Conference championship.

In regular-season games between teams on the other side of the sectional bracket New Knoxville crushed New Knoxville 56-28 and Minster clobbered New Knoxville 52-25. Minster and Spencerville do not meet in the regular season.

South Adams will play Harding in the first round of the Harding sectional Tuesday, Feb. 10 at 7:30 p.m. The other first-round contest will pit Woodlan (4-13) against Adams Central (9-10) at 6 p.m.

The winners of those two contests will play in the first of two semifinal games Friday, Feb. 13 at 6 p.m. Bluffton (10-8) will meet Heritage (4-13) in the other semifinal contest at 7:30 p.m.

The championship game will be Saturday, Feb. 14 at 7:30 p.m.

The Starfires did not play Harding during the regular season. In games against other sectional teams this year they defeated Heritage 55-48, lost to Woodlan 60-46, fell to Bluffton 67-41 and lost to Adams Central 67-54.

In other games between sectional teams this year: Harding bashed Heritage 64-34, Harding pounded Adams Central 51-26, Harding got by Woodlan 68-57, Bluffton beat Woodlan 54-46, Bluffton topped Adams Central 58-51, Bluffton smacked Heritage 61-40, Woodlan edged Adams Central 60-56, Adams Central smoked Heritage 66-40 and Woodlan beat Heritage 47-35.[[In-content Ad]]