Tipp girls earn #2 seed in postseason

Buckle in…the post season is here.

The Tippecanoe girls basketball team begins their second season next week as the OHSAA Division 2 sectional tournament draw was held on Sunday around the state, and the Red Devils earned the #2 seed in the Southwest District region among Dayton area teams.

The Red Devils will open their tournament action on Saturday, Feb. 17, 4 p.m. at Trotwood Madison High School against #17 seed Dayton Stivers out of the Dayton Public School league. Stivers comes into the draw with a 4-14 record, while the #2 seed Red Devils are 15-5 overall.

Katherin Jackson, a junior at Stivers, is their leading scorer on the season as they finished fourth in their conference.

“It will be an exciting time especially playing competition that you don’t see through the year,” Tipp coach Christina Pentaudi said. “It will be a test of handling their speed and athleticism, and hopefully our girls are ready for that.”

With a win, the Red Devils move back over to Tecumseh High School for the remainder of the sectionals. They will match up with #5 Dayton Northridge on February 22 at 7:30 p.m., an improved team out of the Three Rivers Conference who stands 15-6 on the season, a formidable test for Tippecanoe.

“It would be a rematch from last year and we are a different team than when we played them last year,” Pentaudi said. “It should be physical and fast paced.”

A trip to the finals should pit Tipp against the #1 seed Urbana with a trip to the district finals on the line.

“We scrimmaged them early in the season but both teams have come a long way,” Pentaudi said. “It would be a fun sectional final game if it happens. They have a lot of talent and we match up well with them.” Urbana sits 16-5 on the season and has three big scorers including Lyza Forson, sophomore point guard Alex Dixon, and returning first-team all-Ohio junior Peyton Mounce.

*Bethel had a rougher draw in the opening round of the Division 3 Sectionals, as the 2-18 Bees will battle the 21-0 and #2 seed Waynesville Spartans, a very balanced team. That game is set for February 17 at 12:30 p.m. at Covington High School.