Page 23 - 2008-09 Boys Basketball State Finals Program

Last Year’s State Finals in Review

(Washington Crowned 3A State Champs continued)
second quarter on back-to-back Underwood jumpers, but
Coy responded with consecutive layups to make it 31-23.
Zeller capped the first half with a two-handed jam, giv-
ing the Hatchets a 39-28 lead at intermission.
The second half was much of the same as Washington
opened with an 8-2 run and led by double-digits the rest of
the way.
The Hatchets used their size advantage for a com-
manding 42-27 advantage on the glass and 19-2 edge in
free throws made. Coy finished with 20 points, 16 rebounds
and six assists in 31 minutes work and Kyle Price chipped
in nine points and three assists.
Underwood led Harding with 20 points, hitting a Class
3A championship game record six treys on 12 attempts.
Senior Evan White scored 16 points, JaMarcus Collins had
nine points and Marquelo Suel added eight points and eight
rebounds. Washington’s extensive size bothered the Hawks
into shooting just 36.9 percent from the floor.

LUERS WINS CLASS 2A STATE CROWN OVER WINCHESTER, 69-67

Class 2A’s third-ranked Fort Wayne Bishop Luers came 5:45 left. There were six ties and five lead changes in the
up with key plays in the closing minutes to hold off No. 4 second half alone. Koch helped Luers push its lead back
Winchester, 69-67, sealing its first-ever IHSAA Class 2A to 51-45 before taking a 57-54 advantage into the fourth
state crown at Conseco Fieldhouse. The win capped a quarter.
24-3 season Luers’ Troy Amos opened the fourth with a trey to tie
for Luers Head the game at 57 all as the teams began to trade buckets.
Coach James Junior Jake Kuhn, who came in averaging just under
Blackmon, three points per game, got the decisive layup with 1:31
who was also left, making the score 66-64. After a Winchester turnover,
inducted into the Golden Flashes were forced to foul, putting Lawrence
the Indiana Barnett at the line. A 62 percent shooter, Barnett swished
Basketball Hall both offerings to give Luers a 68-64 lead with 44 ticks left.
of Fame on Winchester’s Brock Morrison had a shot to tie the game
Wednesday in at the end of regulation, but Thomas altered the shot and
Indianapolis. came up with the defensive rebound to ice the victory.
Winchester Despite facing constant double and triple-teams, the
was making its 6-foot-7 Thomas ended the game with 20 points, five
third state finals rebounds and three blocked shots and Barnett added 18
appearance, points and eight assists. James Blackmon’s nephew, Evan,
including falling chipped in 15 points and Amos scored 13 off the bench. Lu-
in double-over- ers shot better than 57 percent from the floor in the second
time in 2007. half including 5-of-10 from three-point range. Winchester’s
Winchester efficient attack ended the game shooting 51 percent from
had a penchant the floor.
for making Koch’s 37 set a new IHSAA Class 2A state champi-
shots all day, onship game record, eclipsing the previous mark set by
building a 20-12 lead after one quarter. By halftime, Batesville’s Jacob Garvin in 2001. He hit 15-of-24 shots and
the Golden Falcons’ lead was cut to 37-32 despite Tyler blocked three shots in defeat. Additionally, Morrison turned
Koch scoring 20 of his game-high 37 points in the first 16 in 15 points and a game-high eight rebounds in 24 minutes
minutes. Winchester shot 50 percent in the first half and as a reserve and Brock Ward had six points and six assists.
limited Luers to just 13-of-35 from the floor. Winchester closed the 2007-08 campaign with a 23-4
Luers opened the third quarter on a 10-2 run, led by record for 12th-year Head Coach Chip Mehaffey.
sophomore DeShaun Thomas to take a 42-41 lead with (continued on page 22)
IHSAA - Pure Spirit. Pure Sport! 21

70354-07_Text.indd 21 3/25/2009 7:07:09 AM