Sweet 16 Preview: Madison Central vs. Ballard

KSR’s Road to Rupp coverage continues with the main event, the Sweet 16. Over the next two days, we’ll be previewing each game of the tournament, which tips off Wednesday at Rupp Arena. So far, we’ve previewed Knott Central vs. Elizabethtown. Now it’s time to take a closer look at the third game, Madison Central vs. Ballard, from Region 11 expert Zack Geoghegan and Region 7 expert Nick Roush.

Madison Central Indians (Region 11) vs. Ballard Bruins (Region 7)

Wednesday, March 31, 5 p.m., Rupp Arena

Tickets, Radio affiliates, Streaming: NFHS Network

Sweet 16 Bracket

Here’s a closer look at this part of the bracket:

Team Capsules

Madison Central Indians (Region 11)

Record: 21-9

Head Coach: Allen Feldhaus Jr.

KSR Preps Ranking: No. T-13 (No. 8 among Sweet 16 teams)

Sweet 16 History: 5th appearance, first since 2013, one title (2013)

How They Got Here:

• 44th District Semifinals: 69-34 W vs. Model
• 44th District Championship: 71-58 W vs. Madison Southern
• 11th Region Quarterfinals: 101-97 W vs. Lexington Catholic
• 11th Region Semifinals: 67-51 W vs. Franklin County
• 11th Region Championship: 80-62 W vs. Frederick Douglass

The last time Madison Central was in the Sweet 16, Dominque Hawkins was leading them to a state title back in 2013. Fast forward eight years later and the Indians are back in the Big Dance once again after a surprise run in the 11th Region Tournament. Not only did they knock off Mr. Basketball candidate Ben Johnson and Lexington Catholic in the opening round (scoring 101 points in the process), but Madison Central also put a beating on top-10 ranked Frederick Douglass in the finals on Saturday.

Madison Central enters the Sweet 16 on a five-game win streak but prior to that, they were just one game removed from losing by 29 to Covington Catholic, who failed to make the Sweet 16. The Indians hold a respectable 21-9 record on the season, however, they’ve turned up the heat at the exact right time.

Led by 11th Region Tournament MVP Kole Browne, who averages 18.9 points per game on nearly 56 percent shooting this season, Madison Central can cover multiple areas on both ends of the floor. An imposing figure, Browne can bully his way into the paint and step outside if necessary. He tacked on 22 points and 12 rebounds in the Regional Championship. But Madison Central is hardly just Kole Browne. Two of his teammates, Will Hardin and Jaylen Davis, put up 16.2 and 14.1 points, respectively, while Braeden Ray contributes 9.2 per outing. All four of them were named to the 11th Region All-Tournament Team.

The Indians aren’t the tallest team among the remaining teams, but make up for a lack of overwhelming size with the ability to stretch the floor. Madison Central attempts more 3-pointers per contest than most teams across the state and do so rather effectively, converting on a 38.6 percent clip that ranks 19th in the state.

If Madison Central wishes to get back to the Sweet 16 Finals for the second time in school history, they’ll need to have a brilliant shooting performance against a Ballard squad that features plenty of size down low. — Zack Geoghegan

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Ballard Bruins (Region 7)

Record: 19-2

Head Coach: Chris C. Renner (9th Sweet 16)

KSR Preps Ranking: No. T-2

Sweet 16 History: 18th appearance, first since 2017, three titles (’77, ’88, ’99)

How They Got Here:

• 28th District: 87-38 W vs. KCD
• 28th District Final: 68-63 W vs. Eastern
• 7th Region: 80-47 W vs. Central
• 7th Region: 79-57 W vs. Trinity
• 7th Region Final: 83-55 W vs. Manual

Ballard has not lost in regulation in 2021. Only six of their 19 wins were decided by ten points or less. The only thing standing between the Bruins and a fourth Sweet 16 title are themselves and the stripes. Let me explain.

The first person you’ll notice when the Bruins take the floor is Maker Bar, a 6-foot-10 shot-blocking center. There won’t be another player like him at Rupp Arena. He’s not a statue either. Bar moves well. Even if he isn’t finishing post moves on offense or tallying blocks on defense, he’s altering shots and grabbing boards, more than 10 a game. Opponents must account for him at all times.

What makes Bar so dangerous is that he has so many weapons around him. If he draws a double team, there are three 35%+ three-point shooters ready to make the opponent pay. Gabe Sisk is the best player in the state you don’t know about. A 6-foot-5 wing, he makes at least two threes per game while averaging 18.6 points per contest. He’s able to let them fly with relative ease because Keno Hayden is cooking at point guard.

Hayden is a 41.5% three-point shooter, but that’s not what he does best. In the 7th Region Final he sliced up defenders, scoring 28 points against Manual, penetrating at will and finishing at the rim. There aren’t many out there who will be able to slow him down. Ballard’s big three complements one another, with each giving the other opportunities to play in space. When they are at their best, it’s a fun product to watch.

Ballard has the formula to win the Sweet 16, with one exception: experience. Chaunte Marrero is the senior in Ballard’s seven-man rotation. Even though they are not a senior-laden group, Coach Chris Renner has been in this position plenty of times before, taking nine different teams to Rupp, although he only has one title to his name, falling in the finals four times between 2003-13.

There’s one more big hurdle the Bruins must overcome: they are the best team from Louisville, a negative in this tournament. Every Louisville team arrives at the Sweet 16 with a Scarlet L on their chests. Despite having more talent than any other part of the state, only three teams from Louisville have won the Sweet 16 since 2000. Almost every single person at Rupp Arena will be cheering for the Bruins’ demise. This week we’ll see if they can overcome the odds and bring home a fourth Sweet 16 title.

— Nick Roush

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Previous Sweet 16 Previews:

• Knott County Central (Region 14) vs. Elizabethtown (Region 5) – Wednesday, 11 a.m.

If you go to the games, remember to share your pictures with us on Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #RoadToRupp. We’ll be posting fan galleries on the site and social media throughout the week.