Stan Benge likes the new IHSAA basketball tournament format. At least for this week.

“I only have to prepare for one team this week,” Benge said of Saturday’s regional rematch with Mount Vernon, a team the Giants beat 53-49 in last years regional.

After that win against Mount Vernon, the Giants lost to Mooresville in the regional championship. This year a win gives the lady Giants a regional championship thanks to a revamp of the tournament by he IHSAA.

This year regionals are a one-game event. Lawrence North plays Brownsburg in the 1 p.m. opener at Decatur Central while Ben Davis tackles Mount Vernon at 4 p.m. Both winners will be declared regional champions and will have to wait until Sunday to learn who and where they play in semistate, which this year will be a three-game one-day affair like last years regional.

On Sunday, the IHSAA will announce semistate pairings and locations of games.

Ben Davis advanced to the regional by winning the Southpport sectional with a 44-32 win over Franklin Central (see accompanying photos). Mount Vernon won its own sectional with a 50-36 win over Palestine. The lady Giants bring a 17-9 record into Saturday’s game while Mount Vernon is 19-6.

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