Hawaii State | Archive | March, 2005

Following are the results from the IHSAA girls basketball semistates Feb. 26.

ELKHART CENTRAL

Class 3A: No. 1 South Bend St. Joseph���?�s 48, NorthWood 41

Class 4A: Gary West 49, Kokomo 47

PLYMOUTH

Class A: No. 6 Tri-Central 49, South Central (Union Mills) 47

Class 2A: No. 8 North Judson 49, Taylor 37

SOUTHPORT

Class 2A: No. 7 Shenandoah 51, No. 10 Charlestown 48

Class 3A: No. 7 Corydon 49, Mt. Vernon (Fortville) 38

SOUTHRIDGE

Class A: No. 5 Northeast Dubois 52, Bloomfield 50

Class 4A: North Central (Indianapolis) 58, No. 6 Castle 37

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Following are the results from the 30th Annual IHSAA Girls Basketball State Finals March 5 at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

Session I

Class A: No. 6 Tri-Central 47, No. 5 Northeast Dubois 46

Class 2A: No. 7 Shenandoah 54, No. 8 North Judson 49

Session II

Class 3A: No. 1 South Bend St. Joseph���?�s 70, No. 7 Corydon 57

Class 4A: North Central (Indianapolis) 57, Gary West 54

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Following is a narrative from Jon Howell, who just wrapped up his 23rd season as coach of the Alexandria girls basketball team led by his daughter, standout senior guard Jodi Howell. She was just named Indiana Miss Basketball, and HA.com brings you this look back at her career … from a dad’s point of view.

Probably one of the most telling “Jodi stories” has to be when she was a freshman playing in her first sectional game. We were undefeated and ranked No. 2 behind Brebeuf in Class 3A. We had drawn Delta (ranked #9, 19-1 and we were the only team to beat them that season) in the opening game of the tournament.

As it turned out, my seniors were very nervous and played as such. Junior guard Jackie Closser, who would be an Indiana All-Star the next year, had a horrible shooting game as well. Delta jumped out from the start and our shots were not falling. After falling behind by seven points early in the first quarter, Jodi took over and brought us back to go into halftime ahead by two. On the first play of the second half, Delta hit a 3 to take the lead by one.

To that point in the season, we had never trailed any team in the second half.

With Closser struggling (2 points on the night), and our other players missing shots they normally hit, we had to rely on the little freshman Howell. She hit from long range, took the ball to the hoop with power, posted up on the block. She simply willed us to win that evening, scoring 35 points and converting from the free throw line late in the game (she was 9 for 9 from the line that evening) to keep us ahead. Four of those free throws came with under one minute to play.

It has to be one of the most impressive tournament performances from a freshman in history.

Later in the tournament that same year, when we were in the regional finals against Brebeuf, Jodi tallied 35 points against the No. 1-ranked team in 3A. We lost by about five points, but you can blame that one on the coach!

With about 4:30 to go in the game, Jodi connected on a fast-break 3-pointer. That shot put us up by six, and we were on a roll. When she was coming down from the shot, though, the girl guarding her backed into her, and Jodi sprained her ankle.

We took a timeout and the trainer started taping Jodi’s ankle as quickly as possible. We went back onto the floor without Jodi, and two minutes later, when Jodi re-entered the game, we trailed by six. She quickly nailed a 3, but we never regained the lead as Brebeuf hit all their free throws to keep them ahead and Jodi simply traded points with them the remainder of the game.

The blame for that loss falls directly on the coach, as I could have — and should have — burned all my timeouts while Jodi was getting taped. Ouch!

Some lessons are more painful than others.

As you may or may not know, Jodi has her name engraved on a plaque in the James Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. In 2000, as a seventh grader, she won the Elks National Hoop Shoot free throw contest in Springfield, Mass., connecting on 24 of 25 free throws to win her age group (12-13). The Elks have a huge plaque on one of the walls with all the national Hoop Shoot champions engraved on it through the years.

So, her connecting on critical free throws in the final minutes of close games doesn’t surprise anyone that knows her.

Todd Salkoski (the Shenandoah coach) doesn’t like this story too well, but in Jodi’s third game in high school, she set the school single-game scoring record by hitting 41 against Shenandoah. Ever since then, Todd always told her to hurry up and score 50 on somebody else because he didn’t like that every time an article on Jodi appeared, it mentioned the 41 against Shenandoah!

Jodi wears jersey number 00 because her grandfather, Jack Howell, wore the same number when he played basketball at Anderson College. There were two colleges that wanted Jodi’s grandfather to play

basketball for them: Anderson College, and Adolph Rupp from Kentucky.

This season, in the Madison County Tournament semifinal against Anderson Highland, Jodi had some foul trouble. We led by about 10 the whole game. But as Jodi was sitting due to fouls, our lead kept dwindling.

Jodi would go back in and help build the lead. In the 4th quarter, she sat a bit until with 4:00 to go, we made three straight turnovers and Highland took a three-point lead. Over the next two minutes, though, Highland scored two points . . . while Alexandria scored 20.

Jodi had 19 of them.

She posted up and scored. She hit free throws. She hit 3-pointers as well as pull-up, fast-break jumpers. That two-minute time span was the most impressive offensive display I have ever seen.

During Jodi’s sophomore season, we played Shenandoah at Middletown. (Remember, Jodi had 41 her freshman year at Alex.) Shenandoah did a nice job on Jodi in the first half, and we didn’t do a good job of getting her touches. She had 10 points on very few touches, and we trailed by about seven at the half.

I could tell that Jodi was mad in the locker room, and I knew that if we gave her a chance, she would go off in the second half.

Well, she had 29 in the second half, and we won by about five or seven points. So that’s two games against Shenandoah . . . and she scored 41 and 39. Todd always smiled and told everybody that if she played Shenandoah every night, she’d average 40 a game!

Of course, I’ve seen her play all the way up, so I know what she’s capable of doing. The other night at Knightstown, with about 45 seconds left to play, we were down by eight or so. Todd looked over to me and said, “Jodi looks tired.” I smiled, and he smiled, because we both knew the same thing: Jodi Howell can score a mess of points in a hurry.

I simply marvel at the people who claim that Jodi scores like she does because we play a 2A schedule. What they don’t realize is that her biggest numbers came against the toughest teams.

She scored 50+ points twice this year. I always wondered how a player can score that many points in a game. This year I found out . . . you don’t miss. You get a couple of steals and pull up for fast-break

3-pointers and convert. You get — and hit — 12 free throws. The startling thing about Jodi’s first 50-point night is that she did it in only three quarters of play!

The first time we played Shenandoah this season, Jodi scored 8 points. But what wasn’t known by anyone except our team is that she broke the knuckle of her right ring finger in warm-ups before the game. We literally had to tape a cast to her right ring finger to where she could barely dribble the ball, much less shoot with any accuracy.

Twice during the game, she reinjured the finger by catching the ball on it — we just added more tape. Add to that fact that we weren’t very good at all back then, and our only hope was that we could learn to set good screens for her. And that night we didn’t.

Jodi’s stats for this season are in:

�?· 631 points (a state-leading average of 28.7 points per game)

�?· 124 of 145 free throws (85.5 percent)

�?· 141 of 244 field goals (57.8 percent)

�?· 75 of 177 3-point field goals (42.4 percent)

�?· 138 rebounds (6.3 rpg)

�?· 76 assists (3.5 apg)

�?· 88 steals (4.0 spg)

�?· 17 blocked shots

Jodi finished her career with 2,026 points — 17th on the girls all-time scoring list. She only played four games her junior season, and she was averaging 31 points per game when she injured her knee.

“Love never fails, character never quits, and with patience and persistence, dreams do come true.”

— Peter “Press” Maravich

For more information on Jodi Howell’s incredible career, as well as all sorts of goodies on the Alexandria Lady Tigers, go to www.angelfire.com/in4/ladytigers and www.eteamz.com/alexladytigers.

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By E. Shawn Aylsworth

HA.com Managing Editor

Following is the final installment of a series on the Shenandoah girls basketball team. Aside from being highly successful over the past few seasons (the Lady Raiders won the Class 2A girls crown in 2003 and were runners-up the two previous years â�?��?? and won the 2A title again March 5), the team is coached by Todd Salkoski, who just happens to be my nemesis in one of my fantasy football leagues. In fact, Iâ�?��?�d like to think that Toddâ�?��?�s first state championship on the hardwood came in large part due to the overwhelming karma he attained by thumping me but good in the championship of our fantasy gridiron league 😉

INDIANAPOLIS ���?? Shenandoah���?�s Todd Salkoski was the dean of Indiana girls basketball coaches at the 30th Annual IHSAA Girls Basketball State Finals March 5 at Conseco Fieldhouse.

The ninth-year coach was making his fourth finals appearance (in five years, no less). That���?�s one more than coach Kathie Layden of three-time Class A state champion Tri-Central, which had just defeated Northeast Dubois, 47-46, for the 3-peat.

â�?��?Kathie Layden is my hero, and until I catch her Iâ�?��?�ll never be satisfied,â�?� said the dean.

Salkoski���?�s getting awfully close.

His seventh-ranked Lady Raiders outscored No. 8 North Judson 21-9 in the fourth quarter, rallying from a game-long deficit when it mattered most to capture Shenandoah���?�s second Class 2A title in three years with a 54-49 victory.

â�?��?We were just fortunate to have some great kids who work their tails off â�?�¦ and they had to,â�?� Salkoski said.

Salkoski���?�s second conquering of Indiana���?�s 2A female hoops foes not only got him one win away from his hero, but also earned him a new set of golf clubs from the missus, who had promised her hubby that prize if the Lady Raiders won state again.

So what kind of clubs will it be?

â�?��?I donâ�?��?�t know,â�?� Salkoski chuckled before he and six of his upperclassmen addressed the media in the post-game interview room (where, left to right, were situated junior forward Amber McKinley, senior guard Jessica Green, senior guard Chelsea Miller, junior forward Jasmine Rogers, senior guard Kara Keesling, and senior supersub Charli McCord). â�?��?But itâ�?��?�ll be something nice.â�?�

Something nice was getting to watch another patented Shenandoah comeback from the Conseco press row ���?? though one last cardiac comeback looked increasingly unlikely before that fourth-quarter surge.

After jumping out to a 4-0 lead on a bank shot and pair of free throws from Rogers, then pushing the advantage to 8-6 on a turnaround jumper by McCord, Shenandoah went scoreless for 7:24 over the first and second quarters to fall behind 19-8. That drought included a 6-0 North Judson run over the final 88 seconds of the first period that brought to life a crowd that, to that point, was silent compared with the Class A game.

But Keesling led a charge right before halftime, scoring three times on her familiar ****-bent drives to the bucket and adding 2 of 3 free throws to get Shenandoah within 21-16.

“Todd says sheâ�?��?�s the best athlete heâ�?��?�s ever coached, boys or girls,â�?� said Dana Salkoski, buyer of golf clubs.

And when Rogers swatted a shot by North Judson senior guard Nicole Dobson at the buzzer, it seemed as if perhaps the Lady Raiders — despite horrid 29-percent shooting (including 0 for 6 on 3-point attempts), getting out-rebounded 21-11, and Miller being scoreless — had regained momentum.

Not really, but sort of.

Miller finally got going in the third quarter, scoring 10 of Shenandoah���?�s 17 points on a free throw; a 3-pointer from the left corner; a drive in the lane; a baseline jumper; and a leaning j just ahead of the buzzer.

But Dobson popped a couple 3s of her own after canning a jumper to start the second half, and short-range buckets from three different players late in the quarter propelled the Lady Bluejays to a 40-31 lead with 12.4 seconds left in the third.

â�?��?We knew it would be a defensive battle, and thatâ�?��?�s what we had in the first half,â�?� said North Judson second-year coach John Hampton. â�?��?In the second half, both teams played better offensively.â�?�

That leaning j by Miller, however â�?�¦ itâ�?��?�s almost as if nobody noticed it as the buzzer sounded, what with all the North Judson fans going nuts.

â�?��?Sheâ�?��?�s been our leading scorer the last two seasons but she had a tough first half, even ending up on the bench,â�?� Salkoski said. â�?��?She was running over people so we told her to stop and take a jump shot instead.â�?�

BOOM! An instant 3-pointer by Miller to start the final 8:00 had shrunk that nine-point lead to just four in only 11 seconds. When freshman guard Tyla Warner converted a layin on a pass from Miller one minute later, the Lady Bluejay lead was down to 40-38.

And another 2005 state finals fantastic finish was on its way:

�?· A determined drive and bucket by North Judson junior forward Miranda Howard makes it 42-38.

�?· A nutty baseline toss by Miller after picking up a loose ball cuts it to 42-40.

�?· Two Howard free throws push it back to 44-40 â�?��?? the last points North Judson would score for nearly three minutes.

�?· Rogers goes off-hand in the paint with her second lovely left-handed kiss off the glass, cutting it back to 44-42.

�?· McKinley ties it up with a put-back bucket in the paint.

At this point, bedlam has arrived at the Fieldhouse in the form of screaming Shenandoah supporters.

â�?��?Shenandoah has battled back all year, and they hit a lot of shots in the second half,â�?� Hampton said.

After North Judson senior guard and leading scorer Whitney Cole was fouled and hit the second of two free throws, Miller missed a baseline jumper before viciously rejecting a Dobson shot attempt in the paint at the other end.

It was then that McKinley drilled the shot heard ���?�round Middletown.

With just 1:15 to go, McKinley launched a 3 from the top of the key that swished perfectly through the net, giving Shenandoah its first lead since the middle of the first quarter, 47-45.

â�?��?Amber really responded to the challenge,â�?� Salkoski said. â�?��?We told her at halftime (when McKinley was 0 for 4 from the floor, including three missed 3s) she really needed to step up her game, and she did.

â�?��?And in turn, so did all our other girls.â�?�

The experience of â�?��?having been thereâ�?� undoubtedly assisted Shenandoah, and not just the players. When North Judson senior forward Brenna Fort got fouled on the next possession, putting the Lady Bluejays in the one-and-bonus, Salkoski called timeout to ice her.

Fort missed the front end as the free throw went in and out, and North Judson was forced to foul Shenandoah in order to stop the clock.

Fouling Shenandoah â�?�¦ now why is that ringing a bell?

(Ohyeah. Harken back to the sectional-opening win against Alexandria, when Salkoskiâ�?��?�s brother-in-law uttered the infamous: â�?��?Toddâ�?��?�s M.O. is get a 10-point lead, get in the bonus, and free throw â�?��?�em to death.â�?�)

Keesling hit 1 of 2 free throws to make it 48-45, Shenandoah. Dobson then hit a floater in the paint at :30.8 to cut it to 48-47 as North Judson called timeout.

(Dagger alert!) The fact that Keesling and Miller were laughing and joking with each other as the teams lined up for the ensuing in-bounds play spoke volumes about their confidence level.

Thus, it came as little surprise when Rogers hit the front end and the bonus (:28.3), Keesling hit the front end and the bonus (:18.7), and Miller knocked down both her free throws (:06.6) to clinch the title.

â�?��?It seems we just always find ourselves in a position to have to come back,â�?� Keesling said. â�?��?I donâ�?��?�t think any of us panicked.â�?�

Added Miller: â�?��?I really wasnâ�?��?�t scared of losing because weâ�?��?�d done it before.â�?�

Indeed. Miller and Keesling each scored 14 points as sophomores in Shenandoah���?�s similarly thrilling come-from-behind 52-51 state championship victory two years ago over defending champ Southwestern (Hanover).

Salkoski was grateful for their effort and more.

â�?��?Jessica Greenâ�?��?�s defense was great, Tyla Warnerâ�?��?�s defense was great,â�?� he said. â�?��?We got out-rebounded again. Six times in seven tournament games we have been out-rebounded.

â�?��?Amber McKinley reminded me, â�?��?Itâ�?��?�s OK if you get out-rebounded if you outscore the other team.â�?��?� â�?�

Shenandoah finished the season 22-5, while North Judson â�?��?? which nearly sidetracked eventual 2004 champ Rochester in last yearâ�?��?�s sectional semifinal, falling just 51-49 — ended at 22-4.

Miller had 17 points to lead all scorers, while Keesling added 13 and Rogers (who was 6 for 6 from the line) had 10 for Shenandoah. After hitting just 6 of 21 shots in the first half, the Lady Raiders heated up to 60 percent (12 of 20) in the second, including a crucial 4-of-6 effort from behind the 3-point line.

North Judson was paced by Dobson���?�s 16 points, while Howard had 13. Each had eight assists.

â�?��?Youâ�?��?�re looking at four seniors that just won their 91st game,â�?� Salkoski said. â�?��?They know what it takes to win, they know how to win, and they would do anything to win.â�?�

Keesling wins mental attitude award

Keesling was named the Class 2A 2004-05 recipient of the Patricia L. Roy Mental Attitude Award following the game. She becomes the second Shenandoah player to receive the award (Amanda Norris, 2002-03).

Just the sixth player in Shenandoah history to score 1,000 points, she has won 10 varsity letters in basketball, track, and volleyball, and is a Wendy���?�s Heisman state finalist. A National Honor Society Scholarship nominee, Keesling ranks third in her senior class of 84.

She���?�s also a member of the National Honor Society, the National Society of High School Scholars, and National Art Honor Society. Keesling has volunteered with Senior Day of Caring, Pennies for Patients Leukemia Society, and Meals for the Elderly, in addition to serving as a nursing home volunteer.

â�?��?Kara does the very best that she can in all that she does, whether on the athletic court, in the classroom, or the community,â�?� said Charlie Willis, Shenandoahâ�?��?�s principal.

Miller time ���?? the IHSAA weekly press release

Miller even earned a spot on the IHSAA â�?��?News & Notes from Around the Stateâ�?� weekly news release for her breaking of Amanda Norrisâ�?��?� career scoring record in the championship game. (Miller had entered the state finals only one point back of Norris, the current University of Indianapolis sophomore who hit two free throws with :02.1 on the clock to seal the Lady Raidersâ�?��?� first championship in the one-point win over Southwestern two years ago.)

The IHSAA release:

â�?��?Chelsea Miller of Shenandoah became the schoolâ�?��?�s all-time leading scorer in girls basketball during the Raidersâ�?��?� state championship game against North Judson-San Pierre last Saturday. Miller scored 17 points in the contest and finished her career with 1,402 points, besting the previous record of 2003 grad Amanda Norris. Norris finished with 1,387. Miller will play next year at Oakland City University in southern Indiana.â�?�

Tough to say good-bye â�?�¦

After answering a multitude of questions in the post-game interview following the victory, Salkoski ���?? the weekend���?�s dean of girls coaches, remember ���?? was asked how four trips to the finals in five years felt.

â�?��?It never gets old,â�?� said Salkoski, who joined McCord in gettinâ�?��?� a little teary eyed upon the realization that so much had just ended. â�?��?We started the season (ranked) No. 1, and thatâ�?��?�s hard. We lost two games in a row (62-56 against Class 4A Richmond Dec. 29, then 49-48 at eventual sectional foe Frankton Jan. 4), and thatâ�?��?�s the first time thatâ�?��?�s happened in these seniorsâ�?��?� career.

â�?��?We thought weâ�?��?�d hit rock bottom, but we also thought that was a turning point.â�?�

Salkoski recalled â�?��?picture day,â�?� an ill-focused evening of post-primping practice where everybody got thrown out. But Keesling balked, disagreeing with the coaching staff and asking if the girls could go to another gym to practice on their own.

â�?��?Kara refused to let us (end practice),â�?� Salkoski said, â�?��?and thatâ�?��?�s when this became Karaâ�?��?�s team, win or lose.

â�?��?I love all these girls dearly.â�?�

Everything coming up Shenandoah

… The Class 2A championship came on Shenandoah Principal Charlie Willisâ�?��?� birthday. After running to midcourt for a boisterous group hug at the buzzer, the team was awarded their championship medals.

As Willis leaned over to get his placed around his neck, the announcer said, â�?��?Charles Willisâ�?� â�?��?? after which the Shenandoah fans in the stands shouted â�?��?HAPPY BIRTHDAY!â�?�

… The night before the girls finals, I ran into an old colleague from The Noblesville Daily Ledger at the Noblesville boys sectional semifinals. She was Shenandoah Class of 1982 â�?��?? the year after the boys basketball team made the state finals under coach Bob Heady.

… Then, after fortunately getting dismissed three days after the girls state finals from a potentially income-wrecking speeding ticket from the Marion Superior Court (â�?��?proper attire required â�?��?? no shorts or tanktopsâ�?�), I was driving near Warren Central High School. I looked up at the street that serves at the short cut to the Class 5A state champion Warriorsâ�?��?� football stadium and noticed the name on the street sign:

Shenandoah Court (or Drive, or Place ���?? I can���?�t remember which as I was freakin���?�).

(Ohyeah. Warren Centralâ�?��?�s basketball coach? None other than Scott Heady, son of Bob and star of that ’81 Shenandoah final four team.)

… Finally, the following e-mail from Dana Salkoski, coach Toddâ�?��?�s wife and the source of the quote about that Panthersâ�?��?� giant tongue at center court of the Knightstown gym, where this whole odyssey began at Sectional 41:

â�?��?It was fate — sectional games at Kâ�?��?�town with the Gene Simmons tongue,â�?� Dana wrote. â�?��?After the state championship game, the team and their families ate at Damon’s (on Indianapolisâ�?��?� eastside). The hotel had a KISS convention going on. I got my picture taken with a Gene Simmons impersonator.

â�?��?It was meant to be.â�?�

The End.

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