IndyStar Names 50 Players to Watch at 2026 IHSAA Boys State Finals

Class 1A State Championship | 10:30 a.m. ET

Barr-Reeve (27-1) vs. Triton (25-3)

1. Barr-Reeve (27-1) — Players to Watch

Barr-Reeve enters as the 27-1 favorite in the Class 1A finale, having edged Liberty Christian 39-37 in one semistate game before defeating Hauser 52-47 in the championship. With 13 combined championship appearances between these programs, the Vikings are tournament-tested and loaded with contributors IndyStar flagged for their efficiency and toughness in close games.

2. Triton (25-3) — Players to Watch

The Trojans defeated North Vermillion 51-45 in the Class 1A north semi-state championship, and are returning to the state finals for the first time since 2013, when they lost to Borden. Neddenriep's feature identifies the key contributors who have powered Triton's run through a punishing bracket.

Class 2A State Championship | Approx. 12:45 p.m. ET

Parke Heritage (26-4) vs. Westview (27-1)

3. Parke Heritage (26-4) — Players to Watch

Parke Heritage has won 13 straight games heading into the finale. The Wolves beat Triton Central and Linton in semi-state. This is the second time Parke Heritage has made the state championship game; their other appearance was in 2021, where they lost to Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian. Parke Heritage has won five straight regional championships, making their pursuit of a first state title in any sport a defining storyline of the 2026 tournament.

4. Westview (27-1) — Players to Watch

Westview has won 26 consecutive games entering the title game. Its only loss this season was to Northridge, a 4A school, by 12 points on December 1. The Warriors defeated Fort Wayne Luers 69-48 in the Class 2A north semi-state final. Westview last played in the state finals in 2014, falling to Park Tudor, and won back-to-back titles in 1999 and 2000. IndyStar's preview identifies the players driving Westview's current 26-game run.

Class 3A State Championship | 6 p.m. ET

Indianapolis Cathedral (24-5) vs. New Haven (22-7)

5. Keaton Aldridge, Indianapolis Cathedral

Aldridge posted a double-double and hit a game-winning shot with 1.9 seconds to play as Class 3A No. 3 Indianapolis Cathedral edged Class 3A No. 10 Brebeuf Jesuit 69-67 in the Martinsville Regional. The junior forward has been Cathedral's most clutch performer down the stretch of the tournament.

6. Owen Peterson, Indianapolis Cathedral

Peterson has been a three-point threat for Cathedral throughout the postseason, drawing attention from Neddenriep's feature as a perimeter weapon capable of swinging momentum in the 6 p.m. title game.

7. Julien Smith, Indianapolis Cathedral

Smith has been a key initiator in Cathedral's offense, driving to the basket in big moments throughout the postseason. His ability to create off the dribble gives the Fighting Irish a secondary scoring option beyond Aldridge.

8. Indianapolis Cathedral (24-5) — Team Context

Cathedral is playing for its third title and knocked out the top two ranked teams last Saturday in semi-state. The Fighting Irish arrive at Gainbridge Fieldhouse with the deepest championship pedigree of any team in this year's field, and Neddenriep's feature reflects that with multiple Cathedral players spotlighted.

9. New Haven (22-7) — Players to Watch

This is New Haven's first state championship appearance. This season is also New Haven's first regional championship in program history. The Bulldogs are an entirely first-time experience at this level, and IndyStar's preview highlights the contributors who made the unprecedented run possible.

10. New Haven Team Storyline

This is the first year that New Haven has ever won a regional and a semistate title. Head Coach Brandon Appleton said his team is full of guys who work hard. They lost their last game of the regular season to Fort Wayne South Side before going on this postseason run.

Class 4A State Championship | Approx. 8:15 p.m. ET

Mt. Vernon (Fortville) (27-3) vs. Crown Point (25-1)

11. Mason Darrell, Crown Point

The most fully detailed player in Neddenriep's feature, Darrell is a 6-2 senior and Bellarmine commit averaging 13.5 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 2.3 assists, shooting 51.4% from the field. IndyStar notes that "Darrell is capable of getting hot" — a four-word scouting report that tells Mt. Vernon's defense exactly what kind of night they could be in for.

12. Crown Point (25-1) — Team Context

The Bulldogs are seeded No. 2 in the Class 4A bracket with a 25-1 record under head coach Clint Swan, who is in his 20th year at Crown Point with a 306-162 record at the school. Crown Point is making its first-ever appearance in the boys basketball state finals.

13. Crown Point's Road to the Finals

Crown Point defeated Northridge 66-40 in the Class 4A semistate championship after beating Fort Wayne Snider 76-47 in the semifinal. That dominant semistate run, outscoring opponents by a combined 49 points across two games, signals a team that may be hitting its peak at exactly the right moment.

14. Luke Ertel, Mt. Vernon (Fortville)

Luke Ertel of Mt. Vernon is headed to Purdue University next season to play for the Boilermakers. Mt. Vernon lost to Crown Point 60-56 earlier in the season on December 23rd, and Ertel says they learned a lot from that experience. He is also a Mr. Basketball candidate and brings the highest individual ceiling of any player in the field.

15. Mt. Vernon's Semistate Performance

Mt. Vernon defeated Decatur Central 66-46 and then outlasted New Albany 77-69 in the Class 4A semistate championship. That 77-69 win over a tough New Albany squad confirms the Marauders can score and survive in close games when Ertel and company are challenged.

16. Jamaree Collins, Mt. Vernon

Collins was a visible presence for Mt. Vernon's fan base and on the court during their semistate run, identified in game action from the New Castle Fieldhouse championship. He is among the players IndyStar's feature flags from the Mt. Vernon roster.

17. Amari Smith, Mt. Vernon

Smith was celebratory after Mt. Vernon's semistate victory, reflecting the emotional stakes for a program playing in its first-ever state finals appearance. IndyStar identifies Smith as one of the contributors to watch alongside Ertel in the nightcap.

18. Max Vise, Mt. Vernon

Max Vise was active attacking the basket in the semistate matchup at New Castle Fieldhouse, providing interior scoring that complements Ertel's perimeter game. He is flagged in Neddenriep's preview as a player capable of impacting the Class 4A title game.

19. Mt. Vernon (27-3) — Team Context

Mt. Vernon is seeded No. 4 in the Class 4A bracket, coached by Joe Bradburn, who is in his 3rd year at the school with a 63-18 record and an overall career mark of 364-252 in 27 years of coaching. Mt. Vernon is also making its first-ever appearance in the boys basketball state finals.

20. The Crown Point vs. Mt. Vernon Rematch Angle

Mt. Vernon lost to Crown Point 60-56 on December 23rd. Ertel says they learned a lot from that experience: "It'll be a great opportunity to avenge that loss. To get another crack at them will be exciting." That earlier regular-season result gives the 8:15 p.m. finale a revenge narrative that few Indiana state championship matchups can match.

21. Venue

The four state championship games will be played on Saturday, March 28, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in downtown Indianapolis, home of the Indiana Pacers and Indiana Fever.

22. Television

All four state championship games will air live on Bally Sports Indiana. South Bend's WHME Channel 46 will also carry Saturday's games for viewers in the Michiana area.

23. Streaming

All four games will be streamed live via pay-per-view on IHSAAtv.org at $20 per game or $25 for all games.

24. Radio

Each game will be broadcast on affiliates of the IHSAA Champions Network.

25. Session Schedule

The morning session (1A and 2A) begins at 10:30 a.m., and the evening session (3A and 4A) begins at 6:00 p.m., both on March 28 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

26. First-timers across three classes

Three of the eight schools competing are in the boys basketball state finals for the first time ever: New Haven (3A), Mt. Vernon (4A), and Crown Point (4A). That unprecedented concentration of first-time finalists gives this year's field a particularly electric backdrop.

27. Parke Heritage's first-title chase

Parke Heritage is chasing the school's first title in any sport, not just basketball. That context elevates every player IndyStar highlights from the Wolves' roster from basketball prospect to potential school-history maker.

28. Westview's 26-game winning streak

Westview enters on a 26-game winning streak, looking for its third state title and first since 2000. The Warriors' streak is the longest active run among any team in the 2026 state finals field.

29. Cathedral's championship pedigree

Cathedral has knocked out the top two ranked teams in Class 3A in a single Saturday and is playing for its third state title. No team in the eight-game lineup carries more postseason experience into the building.

30. Barr-Reeve and Triton's combined championship history

The Class 1A final is the first meeting between two schools who combine for 13 championship game appearances, making it arguably the most decorated opener in Indiana 1A history.

31. The 116th IHSAA Boys Basketball State Finals

Saturday's event is the 116th IHSAA Boys Basketball State Finals, a tournament that has produced generations of Indiana legends and continues to be one of the most attended single-day high school sporting events in the country.

32. New Haven's historic run

New Haven's appearance is not only the program's first state championship game but also the first regional championship in school history. Every Bulldog player in Neddenriep's preview is already etched in program history before tip-off.

33. Triton's first state finals since 2013

Triton is returning to the state finals for the first time since 2013, when it lost to Borden. The Trojans' 13-year gap between appearances makes this game particularly meaningful for their community.

34. Westview's last finals appearance before this run

Westview last played in the state finals in 2014, falling to Park Tudor. The Warriors have been building since that loss, and a 27-1 record in 2026 suggests the program has arrived fully loaded.

35. Mt. Vernon's December loss to Crown Point

Mt. Vernon (27-3) lost to Crown Point (25-1) earlier in the season back on December 23rd, 60-56. That regular-season result sets up one of the most compelling rematches in recent Indiana state finals memory, with both programs now meeting on the biggest stage either has ever reached.

36. Crown Point's semistate dominance

Crown Point beat Northridge 66-40 in the semistate championship after defeating Fort Wayne Snider 76-47 in the semifinal. A +49 point differential across two semistate games signals a team playing as well as anyone in Class 4A.

37. IndyStar's coverage commitment

IndyStar Insider Kyle Neddenriep is providing coverage all week long through indystar.com/sports with news, previews, and more. The 50-player spotlight is just one piece of a comprehensive finals week package from the state's leading high school sports outlet.

38. Kyle Neddenriep's role

Neddenriep serves as a high school sports reporter and assistant sports editor for the Indianapolis Star. His finals week previews have become essential reading for Indiana basketball followers, and the 50-player feature is a tradition that scouts, coaches, and fans rely on each March.

39. Cathedral's postseason run

Indianapolis Cathedral defeated Princeton Community 85-64 in the Class 3A semistate semifinal before winning the semistate championship 73-68 over Silver Creek. Dispatching a Silver Creek team that had entered that day at 29-2 underscores just how dangerous the Fighting Irish are.

40. New Haven's semistate path

New Haven defeated Delta 63-49 and then beat Columbia City 59-55 in the Class 3A semistate championship. A five-point win over Columbia City to clinch a first-ever state finals berth is the kind of pressure cooker that either forges a team or breaks it.

41. Parke Heritage's semistate path

Parke Heritage beat Triton Central 44-38 before defeating Linton-Stockton 66-53 in the Class 2A semistate championship. The Wolves survived a tight opener and then pulled away convincingly, a sign of a team that can grind and separate.

42. Barr-Reeve's semistate path

Barr-Reeve edged Liberty Christian 39-37 before defeating Hauser 52-47 in the Class 1A semistate championship. Both semistate wins were single-digit affairs, and IndyStar's player spotlights from the Barr-Reeve roster reflect players who perform under pressure.

43. Triton's semistate path

The Trojans defeated North Vermillion 51-45 in the Class 1A north semi-state championship after handling Tri-County 78-46 in the morning semifinal, showing both range and resilience across a long tournament day.

44. The Crown Point coaching tenure

Crown Point head coach Clint Swan is in his 20th year at the school with a record of 306-162, and 29th year overall with an overall mark of 444-234. Swan has built one of the most consistent programs in northwest Indiana, and reaching the state finals for the first time represents the culmination of that body of work.

45. Mt. Vernon's coaching tenure

Mt. Vernon head coach Joe Bradburn is in his 3rd year at the school with a 63-18 record, and has a 27-year overall coaching record of 364-252. Bradburn has the Marauders in the state finals in just his third season, a rapid ascent that speaks to the program's talent level.

46. IHSAA Commissioner on the moment

IHSAA Commissioner Paul Niedig noted that Indiana has "a culture that creates a community that's really passionate about high school basketball." He added: "We've got three teams that have never been here before. So they'll be able to have this experience. We're really excited because when communities leave their towns to make that pilgrimmage to Indianapolis to watch their team play for a state championship, it's just special."

47. Westview's only loss

Westview's only loss this season came against Northridge, a 4A school, by 12 points on December 1. That a 2A program's sole blemish came against a 4A opponent illustrates both the competitive level Westview has operated at all season and the challenge Parke Heritage faces Saturday.

48. Cathedral vs. Silver Creek semistate

Cathedral knocked off Silver Creek 73-68 in the semistate round to win the semistate championship. Silver Creek's only other loss this season was to Crown Point. That detail connects the Class 3A and Class 4A storylines in a meaningful way: the most dominant Class 4A team in the bracket has already beaten the team that gave Cathedral its toughest test.

49. The full IndyStar list

The complete 50-player feature by Kyle Neddenriep covers standout performers across all eight championship rosters and remains the definitive pre-game reading for anyone headed to Gainbridge Fieldhouse on March 28. Only a fraction of the full list is publicly available ahead of the games; the complete breakdown lives at indystar.com/sports.

50. Mason Darrell's statistical profile in context

Crown Point's Mason Darrell enters the Class 4A title game averaging 13.5 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 2.3 assists while shooting 51.4% from the field as a 6-2 senior Bellarmine commit. His efficiency from the floor, described by IndyStar as the profile of a player who is "capable of getting hot," gives the Bulldogs a genuine scoring wildcard in the biggest game Crown Point has ever played. If Darrell catches fire at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, a 25-1 season ends the only way it should.