Big week starts well

County Tournament week is always a big week for Hancock County's basketball teams.

It signals the start of the 2nd half of the season -- and replicates the old Greenfield-Central sectional of single-class yore. It brings the rivalries we all know and love into a tournament atmosphere.

However, the 10th-ranked Mt. Vernon Marauders will be going into the tournament already coming off one title -- winning the prestigious Hall of Fame Classic on Wednesday. MV (6-2) beat previously-unbeaten 4A No. 5 Munster 56-42 in the opening game, and then knocked off Zionsville 50-38 in an impressive defensive performance in the championship game, using its size to suffocate the Eagles' offense with a well-played zone defense. As is custom for the Marauders, they had different players carry them at different times -- Daniel Turner, Jake Stafford and P.J. Hubert all scored in different spurts to lead the Marauders in the title game.

Congrats to the Marauders for winning the state's most prestigious invitational tournament -- making it an HHC sweep. Rushville won the girls tournament by beating Mooresville and Jay County.

MV faces New Palestine (4-2) in the opening game -- a rematch of the last three county champinship games. NP is coming off a sectional title, and the two teams played a one-point game in their last meeting in February, won by the Marauders. NP is 2-0 against county competition, having defeated both Greenfield-Central and Eastern Hancock so far. The Dragons haven't played since a Dec. 18 victory over Morristown, which they won 52-50 when Trevor Baker hit a shot at the buzzer.

The other New Year's Day game pits Eastern Hancock (6-2) -- coming off a big 65-55 victory at Blue River on Tuesday -- at Greenfield-Central (1-6), a team with a very deceptive record. The Cougars have an OT loss to Whiteland and a one-point loss to New Palestine on their docket, and are rapidly-improving under first-year coach Josh Johnson. This game will feature some outstanding guard play -- G-C's Jordan Conley and Wes McQueeney can fill it up from long range, as can EH's Dustin Smith, Zach Kissick and Steven Stunda.

Each game is at 6 p.m., with a girls game to follow.

We will be broadcasting the championship game from New Palestine on Jan. 2, again with a 6 p.m. tipoff. You can listen here. The consolation game will be going on simultaneously in the NPHS auxiliary gym, with girls games again to follow.

Enjoy the county tournament. If you can't make it in person, join our webcast on Saturday night.