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Everyone loves an underdog, right? Well, this year's Class 2A state championship game features two of them with unranked Oak Hill vs. unranked Eastern (Pekin).
Neither team was expected to make it this deep into the tournament. Heck, the computers didn't even project Eastern to win its sectional.
But here they are, playing in a rematch of the 2017 state championship game.
"We've been predicted to lose almost every step of the way," Eastern senior Sidney Burton said. "But we came out on top every time."
"No one thought we could win the first (semistate) game, but I believe in everyone on the team and I know they believe in me," Oak Hill sophomore Bri Dailey said. "Our team is so close. We're like a family and that's what pushes us. We fight for each other."
Dailey and the Golden Eagles are coming off a semistate doubleheader for the ages, having beaten top-ranked Whitko by eight in a game that was not even that close most of the way, and a high-flying Bremen team that rolled into the state semifinals with a demonstrative win over Butler commit Laniah Wills and Lapel.
Conversations about Oak Hill will begin in the frontcourt with Dailey, a 6-foot-1 center and 5-11 junior forward Morgan Cates.
"When Cates catches it at the high post, her and Dailey have such a connection — they just know where each other's at," said Alexandria coach Mickey Hosier, whose team lost to Oak Hill twice this season. "So she catches it without even looking and puts it in the right place."
Dailey averages 15.8 points (60% FG) and 6.5 rebounds, while Cates logs 7.6 points (50% FG) and 4.7 rebounds. They're a difficult matchup for most teams and fourth-year coach Kerri Barcomb does a good job taking advantage of that size advantage, dedicating time at practice to work on the high-low and drilling various ways to work the ball inside.
But they also work on the inside-out, Dailey said, in an effort to instill confidence in the guards. "We focus on getting everyone on the team in the mentality that we all play our part and just because the forwards are there, that doesn't mean they shouldn't shoot it," she continued. "If they shoot it and miss, we get the rebound."
"That's what makes us so special," added 5-8 guard Erika Newhouse, who averages 4.4 points, 5.9 rebounds and 2.8 assists. "We have those guards who can shoot. We have the threats outside, but if they try to stop us, we have the inside threats."
To their point, Oak Hill does have some backcourt talent. Kora Pond, Landri Hardman and Lilly Edwards are all averaging 6-7 points per game, with Hardman, a 5-11 junior point guard and three-year starter, dishing out 5.2 assists per game, and Edwards shooting 39%.
"They're so dynamic and with Edwards, when you're trying to stop the inside-out game, she can come in and just knock down open shots," Hosier said. "They're a tough cover."
Eastern has been hampered by injuries most of the season.
Ashton Johanningsmeier was sidelined coming into the season; Bailee Robins, one of the team's leading scorers at 8.3 points per game, missed six games due to concussions; 5-7 forward Avery Smith, a key rebounder (6.6 per game), missed multiple games with a foot injury; and Abby Fowler, a senior reserve, tore her ACL on senior night.
That made for a roller-coaster regular season and changed everyone's roles "quite a bit," senior Addi Smith said. The guards had to start rebounding more when her twin sister went down, then the injuries to Robins (she missed two stints) tasked someone else with bringing the ball up.
The pieces began falling into place during the Scottsburg tournament in late December, Addi and Burton agreed, then in February this team took off, bouncing Providence in the sectional semis, Austin in the regional and No. 4 North Knox and upstart Parke Heritage at semistate.
Eastern has the size to match up with Oak Hill with Burton and Katie Hauner, both listed at 5-10, and it has a top-line defender in Addi Smith, whose exploits include limiting North Knox standout Lexi Primus to just 11 points (three in the first half) last Saturday.
"I feel like we're playing a lot better team basketball," Addi said. "Everyone's stepping back into their original roles, but also doing things they had to do when we had those injuries. That's been a key detail to how we've gotten this far."
WHEN: Saturday, 12:45 p.m.
HOW TO WATCH: IHSAA.tv ($20 per game or $25 for all four)
COACHES: Eastern — Taylor Drury (4th year, 47-54); Oak Hill — Kerri Barcomb (4th year, 65-32)
SERIES: First meeting
STATE FINALS: Eastern — 2 (2017*, 2026), Oak Hill — 5 (2008, 2009, 2017, 2019*, 2026)
TEAM STATS: Eastern — 52.4 ppg (36% FG / 28% 3FG / 63% FT), 41.7 ppg allowed, 28.7 rpg, 10.5 apg; Oak Hill — 48.3 ppg (43% FG / 29% 3FG / 54% FT), 29.9 ppg allowed, 25 rpg, 13.9 apg)
PREDICTION: The more I've learned about Oak Hill, the more I like them. That's by no means a knock on Eastern — which seems to be *Peakin* at the right time (I am so sorry) — but the Golden Eagles are such a well-rounded outfit both statistically and in terms of personnel. I'm looking for a statement performance from Dailey in the second title bout Saturday as Barcomb's bunch pulls away late. Oak Hill 50, Eastern 41
Follow Brian Haenchen on Twitter at @Brian_Haenchen. Get IndyStar's high school coverage sent directly to your inbox with the High School Sports newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: IHSAA girls basketball: Eastern Pekin vs. Oak Hill preview, prediction
Continue reading...
Neither team was expected to make it this deep into the tournament. Heck, the computers didn't even project Eastern to win its sectional.
But here they are, playing in a rematch of the 2017 state championship game.
"We've been predicted to lose almost every step of the way," Eastern senior Sidney Burton said. "But we came out on top every time."
"No one thought we could win the first (semistate) game, but I believe in everyone on the team and I know they believe in me," Oak Hill sophomore Bri Dailey said. "Our team is so close. We're like a family and that's what pushes us. We fight for each other."
Dailey and the Golden Eagles are coming off a semistate doubleheader for the ages, having beaten top-ranked Whitko by eight in a game that was not even that close most of the way, and a high-flying Bremen team that rolled into the state semifinals with a demonstrative win over Butler commit Laniah Wills and Lapel.
Conversations about Oak Hill will begin in the frontcourt with Dailey, a 6-foot-1 center and 5-11 junior forward Morgan Cates.
"When Cates catches it at the high post, her and Dailey have such a connection — they just know where each other's at," said Alexandria coach Mickey Hosier, whose team lost to Oak Hill twice this season. "So she catches it without even looking and puts it in the right place."
Dailey averages 15.8 points (60% FG) and 6.5 rebounds, while Cates logs 7.6 points (50% FG) and 4.7 rebounds. They're a difficult matchup for most teams and fourth-year coach Kerri Barcomb does a good job taking advantage of that size advantage, dedicating time at practice to work on the high-low and drilling various ways to work the ball inside.
But they also work on the inside-out, Dailey said, in an effort to instill confidence in the guards. "We focus on getting everyone on the team in the mentality that we all play our part and just because the forwards are there, that doesn't mean they shouldn't shoot it," she continued. "If they shoot it and miss, we get the rebound."
"That's what makes us so special," added 5-8 guard Erika Newhouse, who averages 4.4 points, 5.9 rebounds and 2.8 assists. "We have those guards who can shoot. We have the threats outside, but if they try to stop us, we have the inside threats."
To their point, Oak Hill does have some backcourt talent. Kora Pond, Landri Hardman and Lilly Edwards are all averaging 6-7 points per game, with Hardman, a 5-11 junior point guard and three-year starter, dishing out 5.2 assists per game, and Edwards shooting 39%.
"They're so dynamic and with Edwards, when you're trying to stop the inside-out game, she can come in and just knock down open shots," Hosier said. "They're a tough cover."
Eastern has been hampered by injuries most of the season.
Ashton Johanningsmeier was sidelined coming into the season; Bailee Robins, one of the team's leading scorers at 8.3 points per game, missed six games due to concussions; 5-7 forward Avery Smith, a key rebounder (6.6 per game), missed multiple games with a foot injury; and Abby Fowler, a senior reserve, tore her ACL on senior night.
That made for a roller-coaster regular season and changed everyone's roles "quite a bit," senior Addi Smith said. The guards had to start rebounding more when her twin sister went down, then the injuries to Robins (she missed two stints) tasked someone else with bringing the ball up.
The pieces began falling into place during the Scottsburg tournament in late December, Addi and Burton agreed, then in February this team took off, bouncing Providence in the sectional semis, Austin in the regional and No. 4 North Knox and upstart Parke Heritage at semistate.
Eastern has the size to match up with Oak Hill with Burton and Katie Hauner, both listed at 5-10, and it has a top-line defender in Addi Smith, whose exploits include limiting North Knox standout Lexi Primus to just 11 points (three in the first half) last Saturday.
"I feel like we're playing a lot better team basketball," Addi said. "Everyone's stepping back into their original roles, but also doing things they had to do when we had those injuries. That's been a key detail to how we've gotten this far."
Eastern (Pekin) (20-7) vs. Oak Hill (24-3)
WHEN: Saturday, 12:45 p.m.
HOW TO WATCH: IHSAA.tv ($20 per game or $25 for all four)
COACHES: Eastern — Taylor Drury (4th year, 47-54); Oak Hill — Kerri Barcomb (4th year, 65-32)
SERIES: First meeting
STATE FINALS: Eastern — 2 (2017*, 2026), Oak Hill — 5 (2008, 2009, 2017, 2019*, 2026)
TEAM STATS: Eastern — 52.4 ppg (36% FG / 28% 3FG / 63% FT), 41.7 ppg allowed, 28.7 rpg, 10.5 apg; Oak Hill — 48.3 ppg (43% FG / 29% 3FG / 54% FT), 29.9 ppg allowed, 25 rpg, 13.9 apg)
PREDICTION: The more I've learned about Oak Hill, the more I like them. That's by no means a knock on Eastern — which seems to be *Peakin* at the right time (I am so sorry) — but the Golden Eagles are such a well-rounded outfit both statistically and in terms of personnel. I'm looking for a statement performance from Dailey in the second title bout Saturday as Barcomb's bunch pulls away late. Oak Hill 50, Eastern 41
Follow Brian Haenchen on Twitter at @Brian_Haenchen. Get IndyStar's high school coverage sent directly to your inbox with the High School Sports newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: IHSAA girls basketball: Eastern Pekin vs. Oak Hill preview, prediction
Continue reading...
