Page 21 - 2021-22 Boys Basketball State Finals Program

2021 State Finals in Review 2021 State Finals in Review

Carmel Outlasts Lawrence North for Second 4A Crown in Three Years Furst Lifts Blackhawk Christian to Second Title in Three Years

Junior guard Josh Whack scored seven points in overtime
(all on free throws) to lift Carmel to a 51-46 win over Fort Wayne Blackhawk finished the Class 2A
Lawrence North in a battle of Metropolitan Interscholastic championship game on a 20-9 run to lift it to a 55-40
Conference entries in the Class 4A championship game. victory over Parke Heritage.
With the game tied at 38-38 after regulation time, Carmel Senior Caleb Furst, a 6-10 Purdue recruit, led three
opened the extra session with a 3-pointer by Connor Braves in double figures with 20 points as Blackhawk
Gioia, then scored its final 10 points from the free throw captured its second straight state title after winning in
line. Whack’s first free throw broke a 42-42 tie and the Class A in 2019. Zach Burke and Jacob Boyer each
Greyhounds (26-2) never trailed again. chipped in with 14 points for the winners.
The title is the second straight for Carmel, which also won Coach Marc Davidson’s top-ranked squad finished the
the 4A title in 2019. Coach Ryan Osborn’s squad also was season at 27-3, including wins over Class A champ Barr-
a finalist in 2018. It gives the program its fifth state title, Reeve and 3A finalists Leo and Silver Creek.
joining Marion, Muncie Central and Washington as the only
schools in the state to win as many state championships. Blackhawk trailed, 5-4, early before a 14-1 run gave the
Braves a lead they didn’t relinquish. The Wolves of coach
Lawrence North was also seeking its fifth title – all under Rich Schelsky did close within 35-31 late in the third
long-time head coach Jack Keefer. The Wildcats were 4-0 quarter, but fell victim to Blackhawk’s closing run.
in their previous state championship appearances.
Parke Heritage, in only its third year as an IHSAA
Lawrence North (28-3) will be left lamenting its free throw member, finished the season at 27-4. Connor Davis led
shooting as they missed seven of their first eight attempts, the charge for the Wolves with 18 points and a game-
finished 5-of-13 in regulation time and 6-of-17 for the game. high nine rebounds.
Brian Waddell led Carmel with 20 points and 10 rebounds,
while Whack finished with 11 points. C.J. Gunn led LN with
18 points.

Silver Creek Edges Leo for Second 3A Title in Three Years Barr-Reeve Tops Kouts for Second State Championship

Silver Creek’s Kooper Jacobi turned in an 18-point, 18- Class 1A’s top-ranked Barr-Reeve took command right
rebound performance and Trey Schoen hit a free throw with from the start of the state title game and rolled to a 64-48
11.3 seconds left to lift the Dragons to a 50-49 win over Leo win over Kouts.
in the Class 3A title game. Junior forward Hagen Knepp canned a 3-point basket
The winners (25-4) held a 10-point, 46-36 lead after two 33 seconds into the game and the Vikings never trailed,
free throws by Brandon Northern with 4:32 left, but Leo capping a 29-2 season to capture the program’s second
refused to fold as it did in the semi-state round when the state title. Barr-Reeve finished the season on a 23-game
Lions overcame a 16-point, halftime deficit to beat South winning streak.
Bend Saint Joseph. Coach Josh Thompson finished his third year at the helm
The Lions pulled within 48-47 after a basket by Blake and has guided B-R to an 80-6 record. The Vikings only
Davison with 40 seconds left, but a free throw by Northern losses this season came at the hands of Class 4A finalist
put the Dragons up, 49-47 with :13 left. Northern missed Carmel and Class 2A finalist Fort Wayne Blackhawk.
the second free throw, but Schoen rebounded, was fouled
and hit the first free throw to provide the eventual winning Barr-Reeve took a 26-14 lead at halftime and Kouts could
point. only climb as close as 37-30 during the second half.
The victory follows up the school’s girls Class 3A state Curt Hopf led the way for the winners with 23 points
championship in February. Silver Creek’s girls took the 3A and 19 rebounds, while Knepp added 16 points and
title with a 54-48 triumph over South Bend Washington, 10 rebounds. His 19 rebounds set a Class A state
making Silver Creek only the third school in IHSAA history championship game record topping the previous mark of
to win the boys and girls titles in the same school year. 15 set by Hauser’s Bobby Jolliff in 2006.
Silver Creek joins Oregon-Davis (1A in 2007) and Warren
Central (4A in 2018) to accomplish that feat. The Vikings’ Brycen Graber recorded 13 assists which,
was not just a Class A championship record, but tied an
The SC boys victory also gives them their second straight all-time record regardless of class set by Valparaiso’s
3A title after winning in 2019. Bryce Drew in the 1994 semifinals.
Purdue-recruit Trey Kauffman-Renn added 13 points and Kouts, making its first appearance in the state finals, got
10 rebounds for the Dragons of coach Brandon Hoffman. 21 points from Cole Wireman and 15 from Cale Wireman.
Davison led Leo, making its first-ever state finals The Mustangs of coach Kevin Duzan finished the season
appearance with 20 points. The Lions of coach Cary at 29-3.
Cogdell finished 24-5.
20 IHSAA State Basketball Tournament presented by the Indiana Pacers and Indiana Fever IHSAA State Basketball Tournament presented by the Indiana Pacers and Indiana Fever 21