Patriots draw Yorktown

INDIANAPOLIS — It’s a Delaware County road for the Patriots.

Jay County High School’s boys basketball team got Yorktown in the IHSAA tournament draw held Sunday and would meet Delta if it can get through that first-round game.

The Patriots (11-9) will play Yorktown (6-15) in the first game of the Class 3A Sectional 24 tournament at New Castle at 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 4. The winner will advance to take on defending sectional champion Delta (14-6) in the semifinal round at 6 p.m. Friday, March 7.

The other half of the New Castle bracket features Hamilton Heights (13-8) taking on Connersville (9-13) in the opening round at 7:30 p.m. March 4. The winner will advance to play the host Trojans (8-12) in the second semifinal on March 7.

The championship game is slated for 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 8.

Jay County’s game against Yorktown will be a rematch after it won the regular-season game 42-36 on Feb. 15. The Patriots lost 60-44 to Delta on Dec. 20.

Delta, which has made the semi-state championship game in each of the last two seasons, is undefeated against sectional rivals this year at 4-0. Hamilton Heights is also perfect against Sectional 24 at 2-0. (Those two teams do not play during the regular season.) JCHS is next at 2-2, with New Castle 2-3, Connersville 0-2 and Yorktown 0-3.

The Patriots have not won a sectional championship since 2011.