Page 20 - 2017-18 Boys Basketball State Finals Program

Last Year’s State Finals in Review

Unranked Ben Davis Outlast Fort Wayne North Side for 4A Crown

Down as many as nine points and hit a free throw to give the Giants a
shooting just over 30 percent from the three-point lead, and the Legends
floor in the first half, it looked like Ben missed a 3 at the buzzer.
Davis’ magical postseason ride was
going to end. But the Giants weren’t Windham led the Giants (23-5) with 15
ready to go quietly. points, while Datrion Harper added 14
and Aaron Henry 10. Jaylen Butz and
Finding its shooting touch in the Juan Quarles scored 11 points apiece
second half and taking control down for the Legends. Butz also grabbed a
the stretch, Ben Davis knocked off game-high 12 rebounds.
fourth-ranked Fort Wayne North Side
55-52 for its third state title – and first Fort Wayne North Side (27-3) was able
in 21 years. It was the third win of a to extend a 13-9 lead after one quarter
team ranked eighth or higher in the to 25-16 with 3:13 left in the half. But
postseason for the unranked Giants, the Giants sandwiched a pair of Henry
who ended the season on a 14-game baskets around a Windham 3-pointer
win streak. to close the half on a 7-2 run, creeping
within 27-23 at the break.
With the game tied at 46 with 3:12 left,
the Giants’ Jalen Windham knocked The Giants scored the first five points
down the go-ahead 3-pointer. After of the third quarter to take their first championships in 1995 and ’96. Fort
a Legends’ miss, R.J. Turner was lead of the game since 2-0. The teams Wayne North Side, coached by Shabaz
fouled, hit his first free throw and then traded the lead five more times the rest Khaliq, ended an even longer finals
rebounded his own miss and laid the of the way before Ben Davis’ closing drought, advancing to the final game
ball up, giving the Giants a 52-46 lead run. for the first time since a runner-up
with 1:19 left. finish in 1965.
The Mark James-coached Giants were The state championship was the first
Fort Wayne North would get within 54- making their first state finals appear- for James, now in his 35th year coach-
52 with 18 second left, but Josh Brewer ance since winning back-to-back state ing Indiana high school basketball.
Jamal Harris’ Late Putback Wins the 3A Title for Crispus Attucks

Attucks had three state titles on its A 10-0 run to start the second quarter
résumé but hadn’t won a cham- put Twin Lakes back on top by four,
pionship since 1959. It won its but the Tigers again battled back,
fourth in exciting fashion and did using a 20-7 stretch – including nine
so in front of a man who played straight points during a three-minute
a huge part in two of those state span – to take a 39-32 lead with 1:10
titles: NBA Hall of Famer Oscar left in the half.
Robertson, who graduated from
Attucks in 1956 after leading the But Bennington hit a trey just before
school to back-to-back titles. the half ended, and the Indians then
opened the third with nine straight
Attucks (25-4) had trailed by points to take a 45-39 lead. The
seven points early in the fourth Indians would push the margin to 59-
quarter but fought back to take 50, but a 3-pointer and then four-point
a 71-70 lead with 1:29 left on a play by Nike Sibande brought Attucks
basket by Teyon Scanlan. Bryce to within 61-57 after three.
Bennington hit a foul shot with
36.9 seconds left to tie the game, Scanlan led the Tigers, who made
setting up Harris’ heroics. the final under first-year head coach
One of the most storied programs in Chris Hawkins, with 24 points, while
Indiana high school basketball added A back-and-forth first half saw both Sibande added 23 points and eight
another chapter in thrilling fashion. teams go on scoring runs to appear to rebounds.
Jamal Harris’ rebound basket from take control of the game. Twin Lakes
the left baseline with just 0.9 seconds jumped on top 11-6 early, but Attucks Bennington scored a game-high 32
left gave Crispus Attucks the Class 3A would eventually surge in front 25-19 points for the Indians, who were mak-
state championship with a 73-71 win on Teyon Scanlan’s 3-pointer just ing their first state finals appearance
over Twin Lakes. before the end of the first quarter. under longtime coach Kent Adams.

20 IHSAA State Basketball Tournament presented by the Indiana Pacers and Indiana Fever