One inch of rain was measured by an automated weather station in Washington.  Radar estimates up to three inches of rainfall at some locations in Daviess County.

There has also been radar estimated rainfall totals in an upwards of  three inches in portions of Lawrence County, IL where there is also an urban and small stream flood advisory in effect until 1:30 p.m. CDT.

A Flash Flood Warning remains in effect for southern Knox-Daviess-Martin counties until 4:30 p.m. EDT. Several reports of heavy rain and flooded roadways have come in from those locations including the cities of Vincennes, Shoals and Washington.

No other severe weather warnings are in effect at this time.

Storm Team 10 will keep you posted throughout the day with the very latest. Here is the direct link to the Live Streaming Storm Team 10 Fury http://www.wthitv.com/subindex/weather/radar_center/live_radar

Tonight: Thundershowers will become less numerous during the overnight. Temperatures stay mild with overnight lows near 60°.

Tomorrow: Scattered rain and thundershowers will be around again on Friday, but temps will be a bit cooler with highs in the lower 70s.

Extended Outlook: Dry and cooler conditions move in for Mother’s Day weekend. Highs will be near 68 Saturday, only 60 on Sunday with overnight lows in the upper 30s Sunday night into Monday morning.

Playoff basketball in Indiana is something special. It’s do or die. It’s back to the wall. It’s lose, and go home. We’ve got some very talented seniors in the Wabash Valley who unfortunately will be done playing basketball after this weekend, and other’s that will survive to play another day as they take a step closer to the state finals. At Sports 10, we get to see so many great sectionals this time of year. It was hard to narrow it down to just five, but rules are rules. Here’s the special Sectional Edition of the RPI, in no particular order.

Mooresville Sectional

Game 1: Terre Haute South vs. Mooresville

Game 2: Terre Haute North vs. Martinsville

Here in the Wabash Valley, particularly Terre Haute, we would love to see a North-South showdown for the championship. The bracket is aligned for that to happen, now both teams just need to take care of business.

Terre Haute South plays in the opening semi-final Friday night against Mooresville.  Mooresville comes in at 10-11 while the Braves come into play at 9-13. South has lost three straight games, but all three have been to teams better than Mooresville. Indy North Central is a powerhouse, Evansville North is tough, and Rockville looks to be poised to return to Bankers Life for the title game, cruising through the year without a blemish. A season in the MIC has the Braves well prepared for this game, now they need to take advantage. The Braves start with Jeffrey Turner and he’ll undoubtedly be keyed on by the Mooresville defense. Another source of scoring will have to play hero for the Braves to advance. For much of the season, that’s been Kevaris Gregory. He’s a shot maker, and long and rangy on the defensive end.  This one will be tight, but I think the fresh legs from the bye will get South over the hump. Logan Steward, takes open shots and makes four threes on his way to a 14 point night. He’s the extra spark the Braves need to play on Saturday night.

The other side of the bracket features Martinsville against Terre Haute North. After losing three straight during a brutal portion of the MIC schedule to end the season the Patriots appear to be back. They blasted Plainfield by 23 on opening night and will try to keep it rolling against Martinsville. At 11-9 the Artesians are no slouch. When South wins the early game, North will have to focus on Martinsville first and not look ahead to their rivals the following night. North has a nice combination of size, ability and most importantly senior leadership. I look for the seniors to draw deep down into their experience from a great tournament run last year. Calvin Blank will be a matchup problem for anyone in this sectional. He plays so hard every night and will pace the Patriot offense. When teams double Blank, they can’t leave Stephen Davis. He is a sniper from long range and is long and athletic enough to get his shot off over the defense. Austin Lewis, a D-1 football recruit, provides more athleticism and Nate Jahn runs the show to perfection. I look for North to march on decidedly Friday night and meet South in the finals.

A rivalry game in the finals is really all we can ask for as a Terre Haute sports community. The draw made it possible and I think it happens. Blank and Turner both can put the ball in the basket, but at the end of the day I think it’s the tough defense from the North side that’s the difference. The Patriots pride themselves in defensive toughness and it’s on that end that they make it difficult for South in the title game.

Pick: Terre Haute North

North Knox Sectional

Game 1: Bloomfield vs. Sullivan

Game 2: Linton vs. North Knox

North Knox knocked off the defending champs on opening night and now will take on mighty Linton in the semis. Home court advantage works out nicely in this case.  Linton brings to the table everything 2A schools dream of. They have tons of size, the schools all time leading scorer in Dess Fougerousse. Pair him with 6’8” standout Austin Karazsia and you have one of the most dynamic 1-2 punches in the Wabash Valley. The Miners are 19-3 with losses to Sullivan, Casey-Westfied, and Clay City. They have the star power to win a title, but first have to get past the Warriors on their home floor.

After getting the lone bye in the sectional, Bloomfield now has 20-3 Sullivan in the semis. That doesn’t seem like much of a reward. The Cardinals have been solid this season and have a nice inside outside combo with Ben Hayes and Kyle Robinson. The Arrows have to be the favorite in this sectional. They haven’t lost since Rockville beat them in the Pizza Hut Classic. Since that game they’ve won 13 straight. It’s a combination of a stellar point guard in Brooks Weszely, size and strength inside with Jake Kinneman and Michael Hutchcraft, and Nate Pirtle and Max Gregory providing sparks on the wing. This is a complete lineup and they’ll be hard for Bloomfield to contain.

It’s lined up for Sullivan and Linton to meet in the championship game. The two teams have combined for a 39-6 record this season. This will be a clash of the titans. If Linton can establish Karazsia early and often inside against the Arrow bigs they have a good chance. The Miners are probably the underdogs, but I’ve got to give them the nod ever so slightly over a talented Sullivan bunch.

Pick: Linton

Loogootee Sectional

Game 1: Loogootee vs. North Daviess

Game 2: Barr-Reeve vs. Shoals

Jack Butcher Arena will be packed to the brim Friday night for the Lions to get the semis going against North Daviess. The student crowd from North Daviess travels as well as anyone and they’ll be loud and proud as the Cougars try to knock off the defending champs. Loogootee got a scare in the opener when Vincennes Rivet took them to overtime. If they don’t kick up the urgency fast, they’ll be in trouble.  Just when the Cougars had gone 2-2, midway through February and looked to be a notch below mighty Barr-Reeve and Loogootee, they knock of Eastern Greene to finish the year and are right back amongst the big boys. North Daviess plays great defense and has a phenomenal leader in Nick Crays. The Lions will run their offense through forward Conner Wittmer. Both teams will look to control tempo and this one could end up being played in the 30’s. If it comes down to a last second bucket, which is very possible, I like the Cougars. I always say great guards win in March and that’s no different here. Crays makes the difference; North Daviess gets to the finals.

The other semi features Shoals and Barr-Reeve and might not be quite as close. Barr-Reeve looks like a team to be reckoned with. They are 21-1 and won by 40 in the opening round game against Washington Catholic. Barr-Reeve has every piece you need to make a deep run. I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if they are playing on the last day of the season at Bankers Life. Even though the Vikings didn’t get a bye, drawing opposite Loogootee and North Daviess is a win in itself. The Vikings shouldn’t have to play nearly as tight of a game as the Lions and Cougars. They’ll march into the title game and then win a barn burner in the sectional title.

Pick: Barr-Reeve

North Vermillion Sectional

Game 1: Turkey Run vs. Rockville

Game 2: Covington vs. Attica

There really isn’t much more you can say about this Rockville team.  I talked to a class just the other day about how fun it is to see a look in a players eyes that makes you know he’s not going to lose. That’s the look Lane Mahurin has had since Christmas. I really think Turkey Run is playing so hard right now that they could’ve won a game in this sectional, then they got the bye and play Rockville, that’s tough luck. It’s the championship game that could be fun. Rockville has blasted both Attica and Covington this season, and they’ll look to do it again. Coach Dave Mahurin told me, “I don’t like Attica or Covington. If we get past Turkey Run, I’ll be excited to try to get after either team. Attica might be playing better right now. There is definitely bad blood between the two teams. It should be exciting.” Those words are coming from a coach that comes into the new season undefeated and is rightfully confident. I don’t see the Rox getting a challenge until at least the second game of regionals. A Barr-Reeve, Rockville championship game would be fantastic and would turn the Wabash Valley upside down. I think the Rox start to hold up their end of the bargain with a sectional championship.

Pick: Rockville

White River Valley Sectional

Game 1: Eminence vs. White River Valley

Game 2: Clay City vs. Shakamak

The sectional at White River Valley should be an absolute battle. I like the Wolverines to move on over Eminence in the semis, especially on their home court.  The second game is the one to watch. Clay City and Shakamak are sure to grind it out in an all out war. The Lakers have played a brutal schedule on their way to an 11-11 record. This time of year is when that pays off. If you like scorers, this is your game because Blake Cesinger for Clay City and Brodie Crowe for Shakamak can fill it up. Clay City will be the favorite, sporting a 13-8 record, but I’m going to say the tough schedule pays off for Crowe and the Lakers as they march to the finals to take on the Wolverines.

In their first meeting this season the Lakers edged the Wolverines 42-40 in Switz City. While WRV has some really nice players with Cade Hill and Luke Mowery, I think the star power Crowe brings to the table will be the difference. The Lakers move out of a sectional after knocking off Clay City and White River Valley by 5 points, combined.

Pick: Shakamak

The RPI has been a blast to debut this season. If you’re a regular reader, or a first timer, I hope you’ve enjoyed it. I’m going to try and blog regularly during the basketball offseason and possibly about individual matchups as the playoffs continue. If you have any topics you’d like to hear about email me or shoot me a tweet. Until then, I’ll see you at the gym.

-Ross

Tonight: The rain showers are associated with a trailing cold front which will move through as the rain exits before 3 a.m. early Friday morning. Temperatures will drop back near 30° and there is a slight chance for any left over moisture to change over into a light wintry mix early on. The Futurecast images below are for 8 p.m. tonight, 2 a.m. and 7 a.m. Friday.

Tomorrow: Skies will completely clear out for Friday afternoon as temperatures stay a bit cooler with highs near 40°.

Extended Outlook: A slight warmer trend returns this weekend with rain showers expected on Sunday. Temperatures will stay in the 40s through next Tuesday before a little pattern change mid-week next week bringing in some cooler air. Slight chance for a wintry mix next Wednesday.

Tonight: We’ll stay mild tonight with temps steady in the mid 50s as winds continue to usher in the mild air from the south. It’ll be a bit breezy too with winds up near 20 mph at times. Rain showers are possible throughout the overnight hours.

Tomorrow: Rain remains in the forecast for Tuesday afternoon with even warmer temps. Look for highs in the mid 60s with a rather strong southerly breeze. The current record for January 29th is 65°, and there is a good chance of tying/breaking that.

Tuesday Night/Wednesday Morning: A Flood Watch will go into effect for our Indiana counties late Tuesday night into Wednesday morning as a line of showers and thunderstorms brings heavy rain to the Wabash Valley. The Storm Prediction Center has also put the entire Valley under a slight risk for severe weather with the main threats being heavy rain, gusty winds and hail.  The line of possible severe weather is associated with a passing cold front and once it is through Wednesday morning, temperatures will really drop! Any left over rain will change into a wintry mix by Wednesday afternoon.

Extended Outlook: The brief warm-up will definitely come to an end by Thursday as high temperatures return to the 20s. The average is in the upper 30s, so we’ll go from well above that to well below that. The weather pattern will also settle down a bit as rain chances come to an end by Thursday.

Tomorrow: The chance for light snow begins tomorrow morning and continues through midday before skies become partly cloudy. There isn’t much moisture with the system, so total snowfall accumulation looks to be minimal with up to an inch in the very most in isolated locations. Roadways could develop slick spots with the light precipitation amounts, so just keep that in mind for your Friday morning commute. Highs tomorrow will be near 33°.

Extended Outlook: Look for mostly sunny skies Saturday with highs near 25°. A wintry mix returns for Sunday with highs in the lower 30s before warmer temps and rain showers return to kick off next week.

Many people are in the market for a new computer….or maybe a tablet. Can’t decide? Don’t worry, you’re not alone!

Both purchases can be a pretty costly investment. So which one is right for you?

That all depends on how you plan to use it.

If you are the kind of person that mainly just wants to surf the web, play some casual games then a tablet will be for you. They are ultra portable; you can throw the smaller tablets into a purse or just pick it up and go.

The battery on them, for the most part lasts a whole lot longer then a laptop battery would. You are looking at 5-10 hours on one charge with a tablet. Most laptops will give you about 3 hours.

Another plus to a tablet is they are always on, much like a cell phone. It will just go into standby, and you can usually just swipe to get it going. This makes a quick check of Facebook or IMDB much easier then waiting for a laptop to boot up.

So with all of that said, what would make a laptop a better buy?

Do you write a lot? As you know, you just can’t beat a good physical keyboard. Most tablets offer an option, but at an additional cost.

Laptops also give you the option to use something BESIDES Wi-Fi. Wi-Fi is a great thing, but sometimes it’s not always the quickest or most dependable. You will be able to plug most laptops into an Ethernet port.

Into games? A laptop is your way to go. Tablets are getting better and better games, but they are still not up to par with a laptop.

The best reason to go with a laptop though is cost. Dollar for dollar you will get more bang for your buck with a laptop.

Do you have any questions or comments? Feel free to email me! You can reach me at CEssex@wthitv.com

After a day off, the championship day of the Pizza Hut Classic is upon us. I’ve been blogging about my thoughts and predictions since it started. Some have been right, some have certainly been wrong, and it’s been a lot of fun along the way. That being said, we might was well go out with a bang and break down all 4 games from Day 4. Here goes nothing, hope you enjoythe read.

Consolation Championship, 2:00 p.m. Eastern: Casey vs. Terre Haute South

Both of these teams can clearly complain about a tough draw. Even though neither will, it’s no coincidence that their first round opponents will meet in the championship game later in the day. Casey and Terre Haute South dropped games to Rockville and Robinson, and then won two in a row to meet in the consolation final. This will be a fun matchup featuring two big time scorers. Brandon Wolfe leads the Warriors into this game with a chance to break the tournament scoring record currently held by RJ Mahurin. Wolfe isn’t the only scorer for the Warriors. Trivette Scales can score in waves as well and I love the all around toughness and ability Zach Murphy brings to the table. My guess is Murphy will be the one charged with the task of guarding South’s Jeffrey Turner. Turner can score in so many ways with a combination of strength, quickness, and a nice jumper to put the ball in the hole. He’s a tough matchup for any defender, but Murphy can really guard and my guess is he’s the Warrior with the right combination of speed and strength to matchup with Turner. Kevaris Gregory has had a nice tournament for Terre Haute South. When he gets hot, he can really stretch a defense. That could allow more space inside for the Braves to work. I think this one will be really high scoring. Both teams like to run and score, while both coaches would probably admit defense isn’t their team’s strong suit. Casey had to beat a tough Linton team to get here, so the day of rest probably helps them more. I think Wolfe is a really smooth scorer, and we’ve watched him mature as a player over three years in this tournament. My prediction: the Braves will pay so much attention to Wolfe and won’t let him beat them-they hold him to 20. (That’s low for him lately). Even with his lowest scoring effort of the tournament, Wolfe has his most impressive game. He gets teammates involved and Murphy and Scales combine to score 45 points. Casey takes home the consolation championship with a tight win over the Braves.

Pick: Casey-Westfield

5th Place game- 3:30 Marshall vs. Terre Haute North

The Patriots came out of the gates on fire against Shakamak to start the game 17-0 and cruise their way into this game. The Patriots are tough and disciplined. Calvin Blank leads the charge on offense, and North brings a deep talented arsenal to the table behind him. Marshall will be undersized in this ballgame. To have a chance, Taylor Mauer needs to have the game of his life. If he scores 20+, they can slow the tempo, and limit turnovers against a daunting Patriot defense. That’s a whole lot of ifs. Marshall will win a lot of games this season. They’ve already gotten remarkably better from the beginning of the season and this game will continue to help them make strides. Terre Haute North is just too talented for the Lions to pull the upset. I’m going to say the attention Marshall is forced to show Blank allows Stephen Davis to get a lot of wide open looks and he scores 25, enough to be the third Patriot on the All-Tournament team with Blank and Austin Lewis. Terre Haute North drives the point home that they are better than the 5th best team in this tournament.

Pick: Terre Haute North

3rd Place game, 5:00p.m. Eastern: Northview vs. Sullivan

The Sullivan and Northview game feature’s a point guard matchup that I really like. I’ve talked about Craig Peters and Brooks Weszely in every blog so far, and that’s because they’re both really good. I expect those two to go blow for blow with each other during this one. It may come down to the supporting casts. Both teams have quality size inside, though Northview seems to be a little deeper on the interior. The coaching story in this one is phenomenal. I’ve heard numerous people around the games this week say, “Never count out a Jeff Moore team”. His track record in this tournament is great. On the other side, Clint Weddle has been on all kinds of big stages. His first year as the head man at Northview, you can’t dispute how well he’s got the Knights playing lately. Weszely and Peters both cement places on the All-Tournament Team in this matchup. I think the bodies Weddle can rotate on the inside makes the difference here. I think Sullivan leads a back and forth game after three quarters but Northview is able to capitalize on foul trouble and fatigue in the 4th quarter and win at the wire.

Pick: Northview

Championship game, 6:30 p.m. Eastern: Robinson vs. Rockville

What a title tilt this one should be. Robinson knocked off the three biggest schools in the tournament on their way to the title game. Rockville is ranked #1 in the state in class A and has beaten Sullivan and Casey handily this week. Both teams are led by great players who couldn’t be more different. Point guard Aaron Siler leads the Maroons. He’s the best point guard in this tournament. Whether its from the three point line, getting to the rim, or somewhere in between, Siler scores in a variety of ways. He’ll need to have another big day for Robinson to win. Lane Mahurin leads Rockville and he does so many things well for the Rox. He gives them a fantastic post presence. Mahurin can also step outside and knock down a jumper. If Keyontre Wilkey isn’t in the ballgame, Mahurin will probably bring the ball up the floor from his point forward position. Mahurin is the type of player that could erupt for 30 any night he steps on the floor. However, he’s so unselfish, if he’s getting all the defensive attention he could also score 10 and impress everyone by getting sharpshooting teammates Gary Ulrich and Jordan McFall in on the action. So the question arises how do these teams neutralize the others best player. You don’t stop guys this good, but containing them could go a long way towards winning the title. Joel Whittenmeyer is the likely candidate to guard Siler. He’s athletic and a great defender. He makes a living picking pockets and scoring in transition. If Whittenmeyer is in the ballgame, either Wilkey or Nick Waltz goes to the bench. Waltz will need to be in the game for his size inside. Mahurin will be able to guard one Robinson big man, but they’ve got two really good ones. Michael Akande is most likely charged with the tough task of guarding Mahurin. He’s been in foul trouble in this tournament so I look for the Rox to go right at him early and try to continue that trend. The Rox need to get either Akande or Derrick Nicholas in foul trouble to neutralize the size advantage Robinson has. Rockville relies heavily on pressure defense. I don’t think that will make a difference to Siler. He handles the ball like it’s on a string, and off guard Cory Blount also is very capable of bringing it up the floor if the Rox deny Siler the basketball. Breaking this one down is tough. We know Mahurin and Siler will get theirs, and their also smart enough not to force the issue when their getting complete attention from the defense. The next tier of scorers would be Akande and Nicholas for the Maroons and Ulrich and McFall for the Rox. This is another quartet of really good high school players. The next two is where Robinson wins this game. Braden Scott and Cory Blount complement Siler, Nicholas and Akande to perfection. They both can really light it up if they’re open and the respect from a defense they require gives the Maroons’ big men room to navigate inside. The Rox will be no slouch. They’re fantastic, and the favorites to win the state title in Class A in Indiana. I picked Robinson to win when the field came out and I’ve got to stick with it. They keep the pace where they want it and take the Pizza Hut crown in their first year in the tournament. It’s Scott that has the big game today. He scores 17 in another fantastic championship game.

Prediction: Robinson