Marion County tournament and plenty more Indiana high school hoops this weekend

There is something about Pike in the Marion County tournament.

Since the 2002-03 season, the Red Devils have won six county tourney crowns. No other school has won more than three in that span. Pike coach Bill Zych has led Pike to four titles since the 2010-11 season; no other coach has won multiple titles in that time frame.

“It might not mean as much to them now, but when they get older it will,” Zych said. “We showed them the story this week (in the IndyStar) on the history of the tournament. It’s a standard that we want to hold ourselves to. A lot of people don’t care about midseason tournaments, but if you have one you might as well win it.”

Pike (8-4) will face Class 4A No. 1 Warren Central (12-0) in the first semifinal at 6 p.m.  Friday at Southport. With a win, the Warriors will tie Crispus Attucks from 1955 and ’56 for the state’s third-longest winning streak in boys basketball at 45 games. Host Southport (8-4) will face fifth-ranked Lawrence Central (12-2) in the second semifinal game.

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A championship this year might take on extra meaning as this is the 100th edition of the Marion County tournament. Pike did not win a championship until coach Ed Siegel led the Red Devils to the title in 1973-74 with a 67-53 win over Southport. Pike has now won 12 Marion County championships overall, trailing just Southport (18) and Ben Davis (13) for the most titles.

The Marion County tournament will conclude with the championship game at 7 p.m. Saturday at Southport. Warren Central, the defending champion, has seven county championships and Lawrence Central has five, though none since 1995-96.

There is plenty of other action this weekend in high school boys basketball. Here is a look at our Weekend Watch (games at 7:30 p.m. unless noted):

Friday in the area: The Johnson County tournament semifinals will be played at Edinburgh, where Center Grove (9-4) will play Greenwood (4-6) at 6 p.m. and Franklin (8-4) faces Whiteland (6-5) at 7:30 p.m. Center Grove, the defending county champion, has defeated all three of the other semifinalists this season. … Fishers (10-4) travels to Brownsburg (9-4) in a big Hoosier Crossroads Conference game. The Tigers and Bulldogs are tied at 2-0 with Zionsville atop the conference standings. … Class A third-ranked University (13-1) is at Cardinal Ritter (5-5). The Trailblazers won the Vincennes Lincoln tournament over the holiday break. … Mt. Vernon (7-2) gets a test when Avon (5-6) visits. Peyton Meadors, a 6-4 senior, has been on a roll for the Marauders, averaging 20.1 points and 6.1 rebounds on 59 percent shooting. … Westfield (6-3) is at Hamilton Southeastern (8-4). The Royals are looking to get back on track after losses to Lawrence Central and Warren Central last weekend. … Hamilton Heights (8-4) is at Lapel (6-5). Lapel senior Luke Richardson is averaging 22.5 points and 11.1 rebounds. … Noblesville (7-5) hosts Zionsville (10-3) as the Eagles look to stay unbeaten the Hoosier Crossroads Conference. Zach Johnson is averaging 16.3 points per game for the Millers.

Elsewhere in the state on Friday: Class 4A third-ranked Floyd Central (9-1) is at Jeffersonville (7-3) in a matchup of teams that could meet in Sectional 15 later this season. … Class 4A No. 10 Homestead (11-1) is at Fort Wayne Snider (8-3) in a rematch of the championship of the SAC Holiday tournament – a 65-49 Homestead win. Luke Goode, a 6-6 sophomore, is averaging 18.1 points and 6.0 rebounds for the Spartans. … Class 2A second-ranked Tipton (10-1) at Class 3A second-ranked Northwestern (10-0). … Loogootee (5-9) is at Class 4A fourth-ranked Barr-Reeve (10-2) in a renewal of one of the best small school rivalries in Southern Indiana. Since Barr-Reeve opened in 1965-66, Loogootee holds a 63-38 advantage in 101 meetings. Barr-Reeve has won nine in a row in the series, including a triple-overtime game last season and a one-point win in the sectional. … Class 3A top-ranked Mishawaka Marian (10-0) is at South Bend Riley (10-2) in arguably its toughest test of the season. Junior Jaden Ivey is averaging 25.8 points per game for Marian. … Class 3A sixth-ranked Silver Creek (11-1) is at Brownstown Central (8-2). Silver Creek sophomore Trey Kaufman is averaging 18.2 points and 11.1 rebounds. … Rivals Jasper (8-2) and Washington (8-3) meet at the Hatchet House at 8 p.m. … Class A No. 2 Kouts (9-0) is at Washington Township (7-3) at 8 p.m. Kouts is averaging 83.0 points per game.

Saturday in the area: The Johnson County tournament championship is set for 7:30 p.m. at Edinburgh. … Class 4A second-ranked Carmel (10-0) hosts Fort Wayne Dwenger (6-3). Andrew Owens continued his hot stretch with 18 points in a 71-56 win over Cathedral. … Mt. Vernon (7-2) is at Class 2A eighth-ranked Howe. The Hornets look for a win as momentum going into next week’s City tournament. … New Palestine (5-4) has a big weekend with Pendleton Heights on Friday, followed by a trip to Mooresville (9-3).

Elsewhere in the state on Saturday: Blackford (7-2) is at Winchester (6-4). Blackford sophomore Luke Brown is averaging 38.0 points per game and shooting 37 percent (35-for-94) from the 3-point line. … East Noble (9-2) has not won a sectional since 2001. The Knights are at 4A No. 10 Homestead (10-1). … Greencastle (9-1) is at ninth-ranked Edgewood (11-2) in a matchup of 3A contenders. … Class A fifth-ranked Lafayette Central Catholic (9-2) is at Andrean (7-4). … Munster is quietly off to a 10-1 start. The Mustangs host Merrillville (7-4) at 8 p.m. … A couple of teams just outside the Class A poll meet as Shoals (8-3) is at Springs Valley (9-3). … The championship of the Allen County tournament is set for 6 p.m. at South Adams. Defending champion Heritage (8-2) looks like the team to beat. … It looks like a collision course for Delta (11-0) to meet Wes-Del (9-2) in the championship of the Delaware County tournament at 8 p.m. at Delta. ... The championship of the Northeast Corner Conference tournament could match Class 2A No. 7 Westview (10-4) against Angola (9-2) at Lakeland. … The winners of Thursday’s Southern Indiana Conference tournament semifinals – Evansville Memorial vs. Evansville Mater Dei and Castle vs. Evansville Bosse – will meet at 8 p.m. for the championship.

Call Star reporter Kyle Neddenriep at (317) 444-6649.