2022 IHSAA 3A State Finals Preview

By Randy Beckett
Updated: February 23, 2022

3A Class State Championship

IGBRR #1 South Bend Washington (26-3) v IGBRR #4 Silver Creek (26-2)

Sagarin Ranking: South Bend Washington #2, Silver Creek #17
Strength of Schedule: South Bend Washington #35*, Silver Creek #42*
ICGSA Final Poll: South Bend Washington #1, Silver Creek #4
IGBRR Preseason Poll: South Bend Washington #1, Silver Creek #13
Conference: South Bend Washington (Northern Indiana, Champion), Silver Creek (Mid-Southern, Champion)
Last State Championship Game: South Bend Washington 2021 (Runner-up), Silver Creek 2021 (Champion)

Leading Scorer: South Bend Washington Sr Mila Reynolds 21.5 PPG, Silver Creek Sr Kynidi Mason-Striverson 18.2 PPG
Leading Rebounder: South Bend Washington Fr Kira Reynolds 9.5 RPG, Silver Creek Kynidi Mason-Striverson 7 RPG

Preview: The 3A State Finals will be a rematch of last year’s finals that saw the Silver Creek Dragons come away with a 54-48 state championship win. This year the South Bend Washington Panthers will play the role of the favorite as they returned nearly all of their production from that state runner-up squad while adding arguably the top freshman class in the state. Silver Creek did graduate significant production from that state championship team but return key pieces and have had talent waiting in the wings to step in as their 26-2 record would suggest. The Dragons average 58 PPG and played a solid schedule which included nine 4A teams, a pair of out of state matchups and an always tough conference lineup. The Dragons return senior PG, Evansville commit, Kynidi Mason-Striverson, who was selected as an Indian Junior All-Star a year ago. Mason-Striverson leads her team in nearly every offensive category at 18.2 PPG, 7 RPG and 4 APG. Also featured is returning starter Emme Rooney who has knocked down 66 threes at 38% from behind the arch on the year and averages 11.7 PPG. Senior guard Sydney Sierota, who played starter minutes a year ago, has stepped in as an everyday starter this season and has been an athletic backcourt catalyst at 8.5PPG and 3.8 SPG. Merideth Wilkerson has taken over the responsibilities on the frontline 7.4 PPG and Lacey Tingle has provided steady production 7.4 PPG as well. Silver Creek leans on Foley and Decker off the bench to provide minutes. The Dragons look to duplicate Northwestern’s back-back 3A state titles in 2018 and 2019. Thier opponent South Bend Washington was perhaps the odds on 3A favorite for this year as soon as the horn sounded a year ago in their state runner-up finish. The Panthers boost the top 3A offense in the state at 67.9 PPG and have grabbed a state best 1111 rebounds. Those numbers come against the top 3A schedule in the state that included fourteen 4A schools, three out of state opponents and a prep school. The Panthers had the second biggest average margin of victory this season at 30 ppg, and the closest post season game was a 27-point win in the semi-state last weekend. The Panthers are led by Miss Basketball candidate Mila Reynolds, a Maryland commit, that has over 2000+ career points and is only seventeen rebounds shy of 1000. Junior sister Amiyah Reynolds, also a Maryland commit, is the do it all PG that averages 9 PPG, 5 APG, and 5 RPG. And newcomer and youngest Reynolds sister Kira is averaging a near double-double at 10 PPG & 9.5 RPG. Junior “The Spider” Rashunda Jones, Purdue commit, who led all scorers last weekend with 23 points checks in at 11.5 PPG. Freshman and waterbug guard Ryiah Wilson (6.5 PPG) also gets starts or starter minutes. Senior Shamarah Allen and freshmen Monique Mitchell both key roles as well. Washington will be eyeing their first state title since 2007.

Prediction: South Bend Washington 61, Silver Creek 51
Bottom line the Dragons will need to find a way to keep Washington off the boards and limit them to one shot. Easier said than done at 38 RPG, the Panthers have collected 430 offensive boards on the year. Silver Creek will also need to control the pace, limit SBW runs, and hit their open looks at a high clip. The Panthers will want to use the same formula that has got them to where they are, a balanced attack, pressure on the ball and hit the glass. Silver Creek has played some very talented 4A teams to the wire in BNL and Columbus East and I expect they will be up to the challenge but the talent juts runs too deep for the Panthers and look for them to avenge last year’s defeat to capture the 3A title.

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