Just seems like Northern Indiana Basketball has left the building. There used to be so many GREAT teams up there. Warsaw is the only NLC school I remember having real luck. Duneland used to have crazy good teams in the 80s through the 00s. Some of the NIC teams were really good as well.
Nothing comes close in comparison with Indy Metro teams these days.
Its mainly in 4A currently. Fair bit of state wide parity 1A-3A... Though Cathedral and New Pal dropping down in to 3A is going to challenge that a bit.
The reasons why Indy schools dominate 4A are obvious though...
1. TONS more overall talent in Indy, and then in Hamilton County. And with school of choice, most of the top kids flock to various bigger schools.
2. Quite a lot more facilities and AAU programs based out of Indy.
3. I'm sure there are a lot more former college and pro players settling down in the Indy area...they tend to have kids that are higher level.
4. Metro Indy and Hamilton County teams play each other all winter. Good, state title caliber teams outside of that, MIGHT play a few teams that same caliber in the regular season, but many don't see that level until Regionals, at the eariliest.
The "good" thing for whoever comes out of Northern Indiana this year is I don't think the Hamilton County teams have any teams that are as dominant as Fishers was last year. And there are a few more NIndiana teams that are capable of beating whoever the Hamilton County team ends up being. Crown Point, FW Wayne, Warsaw, Northridge, Valpo, Chesterton...amongst others...all capable of picking off Indy teams this year. Last couple years, not so much.
I'm NOT predicting we'll get a non Hamilton County team out of the north in the state title game...they're all probably better than the best Northern Indiana teams. But if the Semi state ends up looking like Fishers, FW Wayne, Crown Point, and either Warsaw or Northridge... it'll be more difficult for Fishers (or whoever it is, Noblesville, HSE, and Carmel are all going to be good too)...but it'll be more difficult for them to win both Semi State games.
Not sure there are as many legit southern teams this year, but Jeffersonville is one that sure could beat the Indy metro teams.