This weekend marks the first time all five Jackson County girls basketball teams will be in action.
Trinity Lutheran and Brownstown Central had to delay the start of their seasons due to the success of their volleyball teams, while Seymour, Crothersville and Medora are in their second weekend of their year.
Though the season officially began Nov. 4, it’s now time to leave fall behind and pack gyms across Jackson County to take in some hoops.
Here’s what I’m looking forward to this season:
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The gyms
I’ve never had the privilege of covering a basketball game at Seymour’s Lloyd E. Scott Gymnasium before.
My previous jobs have kept me mostly in the central part of the state, and prior to coming here to Jackson County, the only gym in southern Indiana I visited before was the Hatchet House in Washington.
I’m a big fan of Brownstown Central’s gym. It kind of reminds me of New Castle Fieldhouse with the court surrounded by a bowl of bleachers. Just, of course, not as steep.
Small-school gyms like Medora, Crothersville and Trinity Lutheran are also fun since they make you feel like you’re closer to the game.
How far will Trinity go?
The Class A No. 4 Cougars have a lot of talent on this season’s team that hopes to improve upon last year’s sectional shortcoming.
Sydney Jaynes and Bailey Tabeling stand to be an impressive duo, but there will be more than just those two.
Rebounding machine Hannah Sabotin as well as a strong cast of supporting players could lead the Cougars to the program’s fourth sectional title.
On the heels of a volleyball state runner-up title, you know the Cougars are going to be hungry to pack their trophy case once again.
That’s not to say the rest of the county won’t make some noise this postseason, but the pressure to produce may already be riding high for the Cougars.
Brownstown Central vs. Seymour on Dec. 5
I really enjoyed my first Jackson Bowl experience this fall, and I’m interested to see how the rivalry exists in a confined space.
We get our first taste of the Brownstown Central vs. Seymour rivalry Dec. 5 at Brownstown Central High School.
The Owls won an overtime thriller at home last year, which was part of a string of three straight OT losses for the Braves.
Since the 2000-01 season, the teams have met 19 times. The Owls are 15-4 over that span, and the Braves are looking for their first victory over Seymour since Nov. 30, 2017.
Small-town feel
I’ve spent a lot of time covering sports in the greater Indianapolis area, and while it has its appeals, it doesn’t quite have the same feel as a small town.
One of the things that makes high school sports a lot of fun to cover is the fans. Small-town basketball fans almost always come out in force to support their local teams.
Fans can also be one of the things that makes high school sports not fun to cover, but that’s a different story.
Packed gyms make Friday and Saturday night hoops have an electric atmosphere. I got to see that every once in a while before, and I hope to see it a lot this year.
Holiday tournaments
Late December basketball tournaments can be hectic, but a full day’s worth of basketball is something I’m usually not keen on passing up.
I’ve been taking a look at some of the schedules for the upcoming tournaments, and some of the potential matchups are pretty great.
I know we’ve only just gotten to November, but I’m already looking forward to December.