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Posted in Uncategorized
Posted on 10 March 2010 by .
Kingsley Ah You- Owner
HawaiiDigitalSports.com
kahyou@digitalsports.com
Aloha
and Welcome to Hawaii Digital Sports. We are featuring the awesome
photos of the HHSAA Hawaiian Airlines Boys Day 3 DI/DII Basketball Tournament by Jonathan Bello of www.Jonbphotography.com
PHOTO GALLERIES: Click on your game below to view Photo Gallery:
RADIO/STREAM LIVE:
CLICK ON LINK:
STARCOMM SPORTS RADIO broadcast schedule for the HHSAA Hawaiian Airlines Boys State Basketball Championships.
RESULTS:
Natalie Iwamoto
Hawaii High School Athletic Association
www.sportshigh.com
| SATURDAY, MARCH 06, 2010 |
|
GAME |
|
|
SITE |
TIME/RESULT |
| 5th Place |
9 |
Roosevelt |
St. Joseph |
Stan Sheriff |
St.
Joseph, 48-42 |
| 3rd Place |
10 |
Kapaa |
AOP |
Stan Sheriff |
Kapaa,
55-37 |
| Championship |
11 |
Pahoa |
Kailua |
Stan Sheriff |
Pahoa,
41-38 |
|
|
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Posted in Uncategorized
Posted on 07 March 2010 by .
By Mike McGraw
Executive Director
FORT WAYNE – “Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum for the Class A state championship game. In the next 90 minutes, you will be given an instructional seminar in how the game of basketball is supposed to be played.”
That should have been the public address announcement prior to second-ranked Fort Wayne Canterbury’s 69-65 victory over No. 1 Vincennes Rivet for the 1A title March 6 – the second straight season that Canterbury upended top-ranked Rivet. That’s because on this championship Saturday, the small schools delivered the big prize.
CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT PICTURES FROM THE CANTERBURY-RIVET 1A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME BY OUR OWN MARK GRICIUS, WITH EQUIPMENT PROVIDED BY ROBERTS IMAGING!!
The day’s first lesson came in a first-quarter performance from Rivet that was a textbook example of how to overcome an opponent with superior size. The Patriots employed a smothering man-to-man defense that consistently kept Canterbury’s Indiana All-Star candidate, 5’11” center Tabitha Gerardot, surrounded by defenders with enough pressure on the perimeter to discourage any attempts to pass her the ball.
The private school Patriots blocked out to perfection, allowing them to control the boards against the taller Cavaliers. They then pushed the ball in transition at every opportunity so that Canterbury could not clog the lane defensively with that height.
It all worked to near perfection. Rivet limited Canterbury to 3-of-13 shooting, held Gerardot – whom Rivet coach Tim Young referred to as “an unbelievable force” – scoreless, and raced to a 13-8 lead after the initial eight minutes.
The second lesson, “How To Make In-Game Adjustments,” was delivered by Canterbury. The Cavaliers made some changes at the quarter break and changed the way the game was being played. They slowed the tempo considerably and used much more patience in the half court trying to find Gerardot.
Canterbury (25-2) increased its own defensive pressure and forced Rivet onto uncustomary turnovers. Gerardot became more aggressive, and hence more of an offensive weapon.
The adjustments brought the Cavaliers back to eventually grab a 23-22 lead late in the half and trial by only 25-23 at intermission.
Lesson No. 3 was delivered by both squads. It was all about how to battle for control. Canterbury pushed its advantage. With Rivet now forced to concentrate even more on stopping the powerful Gerardot, the Cavaliers started the second half by opening up the perimeter attack.
An 8-2 run gave them early command in the period with a 31-27 lead. The Patriots responded by instituting full-court pressure to return the game back to the open-court style that had served them so well early.
It worked. Canterbury turned the ball over three times versus the press and hurried a number of ill-advised shots. The problem for Rivet, however, was an inability to take advantage.
The Patriots shot only 6 of 15 from the field in the third stanza, while Canterbury sniped at an 8-for-14 clip on the strength of its hot early shooting. The end result was that despite the turnovers, Canterbury held a four-point advantage heading into the fourth at 44-40.
The early minutes of the final quarter saw the two squads trade 4-0 runs. Rivet tied the game at 44 with 6:23 to play, then Canterbury regained its four-point advantage. Rivet landed another haymaker with a 5-0 spurt, giving the Patriots the lead at 49-48.
That is when the day’s last instructional lesson was delivered. It came via Canterbury and was called “How To Use Your Superstar for Ultimate Victory.”
Gerardot, who entered the final eight minutes with 11 points, responded to Rivet taking the lead by cashing in an old-fashioned three-point play. Her post move leading to that basket was a thing of beauty, and it was also the key play of the entire game.
The standout senior went on to score 16 points in a physical fourth quarter, including a procession of deadly free throws in the closing minutes.
“You don’t replace her – she is absolutely one of the finest basketball players you will ever see,” said 12th-year Canterbury coach Scott Kreiger. ”She’s a big-game player, she brought it again today.”
Rivet never fell from striking distance, but the Patriots could never again mount a charge to the front as one female fan shrieked, “This is basketball, ref, not frickin’ WRESTLING!”
The moral of the fourth quarter was that intensity fades and speed fatigues, but size never shrinks. When that size is as talented as Gerardot, it becomes lethal late in a game.
The 1A final was by far the most entertaining game of the day. These two clubs are tremendously coached, completely disciplined, and overwhelmingly skilled. It marks the second straight battle between the two for the championship with Canterbury grabbing both tilts in close decisions.
The Cavaliers utilized a veteran group in winning their third straight 1A crown, and Gerardot now heads to the collegiate level.
“Someday I’ll tell you how to sum this up, but right now I can’t put it in to words,” Kreiger said. “And we’ve been living this dream for three years and you just never want it to stop. It’s just an amazing, exhilarating feeling to share it with these kids and these coaches, and our school and community.
“It’s more than about the tournaments and the trophies. I think it’s the relationships and that they trust each other. What they do together is important. They represent themselves, the school, and community with great honor and integrity. As a coach, that means more than any championship you can ever win.”
On the other hand, Rivet is loaded with underclassmen and poised for yet another run at the small-school title.
“We got beat by a very good basketball team today, but it seemed like they got every bounce and every break,” said Young, now 68-7 in three seasons at the tiny Vincennes school. “We’ll be back. Things have turned around at Rivet High School. Things are looking bright.
“Third-, fourth-, and fifth-grade girls are in the gym wanting to play for Rivet. If you think things are over for Rivet, you better think twice.”
Canterbury’s Gerardot named Mental Attitude Award winner
Following the game, members of the IHSAA Executive Committee named Tabitha Gerardot of Fort Wayne Canterbury as the winner of the Patricia L. Roy Mental Attitude Award. Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance, the IHSAA’s corporate partner, will present a $1,000 scholarship to the school in her name.
The award is named in honor of former IHSAA Assistant Commissioner Patricia L. Roy, who oversaw the girls basketball state tournament from its inception in 1976 until her retirement in 1999. It’s presented annually to a senior participant in each classification who was nominated by her principal and coach and has demonstrated excellence in mental attitude, scholarship, leadership, and athletic ability.
Gerardot helped lead the Cavaliers to three straight Class A state finals championships and holds the top spot as the single-game rebounding leader in Class A with 17 boards, which she set in 2008 and matched again in 2009.
She is a member of the *** Laude Society, the Student Athletic Advisory Committee, and the Canterbury Peer Tutoring Program. Tabitha is active in her church youth group and has volunteered with the Women’s Care Center and Boys & Girls Clubs of Fort Wayne. Most recently, she coordinated a donation program to assist Burmese refugees living in the Fort Wayne area.
Academically, the daughter of Chris and Pam Gerardot of Fort Wayne is ranked seventh in her class and has been named to the Headmaster’s List every semester. She will attend Valparaiso University this fall and major in foreign language.
The box score:
Vincennes Rivet 13 12 15 25 – 65
Canterbury 8 15 21 25 – 69
Vincennes Rivet 65 (26-1)
## Player FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA Off Def Tot PF TP A TO Blk Stl Min
21 WEHRHEIM, ERIN f 2-6 0-1 1-2 1 2 3 4 5 3 1 2 0 24
44 MONTGOMERY, EMILY f 2-7 0-0 0-0 1 2 3 3 4 1 0 0 1 15
03 MEEKS, CHELSEA g 3-14 1-4 11-12 3 3 6 2 18 2 4 0 5 29
14 BROCKSMITH, CASAND g 7-14 0-0 0-0 3 3 6 3 14 1 2 0 3 27
22 YOUNG, SARA g 5-11 5-10 0-0 1 3 4 5 15 4 8 0 1 27
02 FINCH, JULIA 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 4
11 BROCKSMITH, VICTORI 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0+
15 KELLER, ELIZABETH 1-5 0-0 1-2 3 7 10 1 3 3 3 0 3 22
24 NIEHAUS, MALLORY 2-2 0-0 0-0 1 2 3 1 4 0 1 1 0 10
34 TUCKER, LAUREN 1-1 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 2 2 0 0 0 0 2
Totals 23-60 6-15 13-16 14 23 37 22 65 14 19 3 13 160
FG % 1st Half: 9-30 30.0%, 2nd half: 14-30 46.7%, Game: 23-60 38.3%
3FG % 1st Half: 2-7 28.6%, 2nd half: 4-8 50.0%, Game: 6-15 40.0%
FT % 1st Half: 5-6 83.3%, 2nd half: 8-10 80.0%, Game: 13-16 81.3%
Fort Wayne Canterbury 69 (25-2)
## Player FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA Off Def Tot PF TP A TO Blk Stl Min
22 KREIGER, CASSIE f 4-13 1-4 5-5 1 3 4 3 14 0 3 0 0 30
34 MOYLE, MADISON f 2-9 0-0 2-2 0 3 3 2 6 1 2 0 1 23
33 GERARDOT, TABITHA c 8-13 0-2 11-13 5 7 12 4 27 4 4 3 5 31
00 PEDRO, BECKY g 3-8 0-2 2-4 0 2 2 1 8 5 5 1 3 31
20 WELLS, PAIGE g 4-8 1-1 1-2 1 2 3 2 10 2 1 0 6 30
23 SEKAR, MOLLY 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0+
32 FARLEY, BAILEY 1-2 0-0 2-2 2 4 6 1 4 0 3 0 0 11
40 TROXEL, MATTE 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 4
Totals 22-53 2-9 23-28 11 23 34 13 69 13 19 4 15 160
FG % 1st Half: 9-26 34.6%, 2nd half: 13-27 48.1%, Game: 22-53 41.5%
3FG % 1st Half: 0-4 0.0%, 2nd half: 2-5 40.0%, Game: 2-9 22.2%
FT % 1st Half: 5-6 83.3%, 2nd half: 18-22 81.8%, Game: 23-28 82.1%
Points …
• In Paint: Rivet 24, Canterbury 40
• Off T/O: Rivet 13, Canterbury 14
• 2nd Chance: Rivet 6, Canterbury 16
• Fast Break: Rivet 4, Canterbury 12
• Bench: Rivet 9, Canterbury 4
Largest lead: Rivet by 8 2nd-06:24, Canterbury by 7 4th-00:17
Score ties: 5
Lead changes: 9
Officials: Gregory Reece, Bob Filipek, Jeff Gwin
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Posted in Uncategorized
Posted on 07 March 2010 by .
Stay tuned Sunday for game stories and pictures and video galore from the girls basketball state finals!! Till then, check out the video gallery below to the right for video interviews with the state finals coaches following their games!
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Posted in Uncategorized
Posted on 07 March 2010 by .
By Mike McGraw
Executive Director
FORT WAYNE – Sometimes a team gains momentum during a contest. Sometimes the entire game gains momentum as it goes along.
That was certainly the case in second-ranked Austin’s 70-65 overtime victory over No. 12 Fort Wayne Luers for the Class 2A girls basketball state title March 6 at Allen County War Memorial Coliseum.
CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT PICTURES FROM THE AUSTIN-LUERS 2A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME BY OUR OWN MARK GRICIUS, WITH EQUIPMENT PROVIDED BY ROBERTS IMAGING!!
The clubs took the floor a short 30 minutes after a tremendous exhibition of basketball in the 1A final, and the comparison was not favorable through the first eight minutes of this one. The two teams combined in the first quarter to shoot 11 of 29 from the field and commit seven turnovers.
It didn’t help that the shot selection was questionable, especially true on the Eagles’ side of the ledger. The quarter ended with Luers holding a 14-10 advantage and all but those with a rooting interest quickly losing that interest.
The shooting heated up in the second quarter, but the quality of play was still less than scintillating. Luers’ size gave Austin trouble on the boards throughout the period, but the Knights were incapable of shaking the Eagles early in the period.
Then senior leader Chelsea Jones hit back-to-back 3-pointers midway through the quarter, and suddenly Austin (26-2) had a lead it did not relinquish before intermission. The two teams headed to the locker rooms with Austin up 29-26 and most people believing neither club could have kept pace with their 1A predecessors.
That was about to change dramatically. The game resembled a large locomotive leaving the station as the third stanza progressed – it just kept picking up more and more momentum.
It started with a vastly improved defensive effort from Austin at the outset of the half. The Eagles combined that effort with tremendously improved shot selection to put some tremendous pressure on Luers (18-8). Two early threes by Luers guard Brierra Young kept the Knights close early, but when Austin’s Jesse Davidson buried a trey at the 2:05 mark, the Eagles had built a nine-point cushion at 45-36.
The Knights’ response was to spend the rest of the period attacking in the paint, where they enjoyed a significant size advantage. It succeeded, but it could not keep Austin off the board at the other end, and at the end of three quarters the Eagles led 49-40.
It was a 20-point period for the Southern Indiana entrant and was reminiscent of the type of play that had gotten the Austin to the finals. The quality of play had improved, and the drama was close behind.
“These four seniors have been here before, and I trust them,” said fifth-year Austin coach Jared Petersen. “They have the green light. I don’t tell kids not to shoot because that’s when you mess with a kid’s confidence.”
Luers opened the fourth quarter on a quick 6-0 run, and suddenly the safe nine-point lead was down to three. Jones countered with a 3-pointer for Austin to make it 52-46, but the Knights smelled blood and the charge was on. The squads traded buckets to bring the score to 54-48.
That was followed by the key sequence of the second half. After scoring to regain that six-point advantage, Austin drew a charge at the other end of the floor. It appeared the Eagles had a chance to re-establish true control down the stretch.
Instead, they hoisted a quick 3-pointer at the other end, perhaps the only poor shot that Austin took the entire second half. Luers grabbed the rebound and capitalized with an old-fashioned three-point play at the other end, and it was 54-51.
Over the next two minutes, Luers’ Hillary Watts did her best Larry Bird imitation, sandwiching two 3-pointers around a pair of Austin free throws. The second trey gave Luers a 57-56 lead with 1:39 to play. Young added two free throws in the final minute, and suddenly the Knights were on the brink of a championship.
“In the first half, McIntosh (13 points) and Jones (11 points) hurt us a lot,” said first-year Luers coach Denny Renier, whose club lost for just the second time in seven state finals appearances. “We played pretty well even though we are not a high-powered offense.
“We got inside to Miracle (Woods) a lot in the second half, and they had trouble defending her. But we missed some easy shots.”
Enter Austin’s Katy McIntosh. She is to steady what teammate Jones is to spectacular. She is also the toast of Austin these days. McIntosh penetrated and finished, drawing a foul and adding the free throw to tie the game at 59 with less than 30 seconds to play.
Luers called a timeout with 13.7 seconds to play but failed to get a good look at the basket in the closing seconds. The Knights settled for a 27-foot desperation heave from Young, and the game headed to overtime.
If the early play in this game was less than inspiring, the overtime was spectacular. Austin scored on its first five possessions, the Eagles receiving points from four different players during that span. Luers post player Miracle Woods did her best to counter the tide, draining two free throws on the Knights’ first possession and scoring on their second.
However, the offensive perfection of the Eagles finally paid dividends when Luers could not connect on its third trip down the floor. The Eagles’ fourth basket of the session gave them a 67-63 lead, and they were never headed again en route to the 70-65 final.
“I knew the charge was coming,” Petersen said.” I told the kids they (Luers) are not gonna quit – they’re gonna come and make a run. After they took the lead, we were finally able to get some stops.
“Stops are something we’ve preached on for years in that we gotta get some stops in the man-to-man defense. Tonight, we got the stops we needed to get into overtime.”
It marks the first state title for Austin and sent Luers home as the only loser out of three Fort Wayne entrants in the finals. Austin was led by the 23 points of Jones, while McIntosh had 19 and Michelle Goodin added 18.
“I’m just trying to take it all in right now,” Petersen said. “I’m a little speechless – it’s a feeling I can’t describe. To be with these girls since they were freshmen … they were kind of thrown to the fire. And now as seniors, to get over that hump is an unbelievable feeling.
“We’ve had this goal since they were freshmen. Early on, we were blocked by Heritage Christian. This was our goal to achieve before they graduated. I **** to lose them, but what a way to go out.”
Luers was led by Woods’ 17 markers and dozen rebounds, while Brooke Ridley had 15 points and Young added 12 points while slogging through a 4-for-17 shooting effort.
“Austin is a very good ball club,” Renier said. “In overtime, they got the lead on us and made some plays, and we didn’t.
“I’m disappointed in the outcome, but I’ve never been around a bunch of players who fought like they do.”
Austin’s McIntosh named Mental Attitude Award winner
Following the game, members of the IHSAA Executive Committee named Katy McIntosh of Austin as the winner of the Patricia L. Roy Mental Attitude Award. Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance, the IHSAA’s corporate partner, will present a $1,000 scholarship to the school in her name.
The award is named in honor of former IHSAA Assistant Commissioner Patricia L. Roy, who oversaw the girls basketball state tournament from its inception in 1976 until her retirement in 1999. It’s presented annually to a senior participant in each classification who was nominated by her principal and coach and has demonstrated excellence in mental attitude, scholarship, leadership, and athletic ability.
“Katy possesses a drive and determination that ‘seals the deal’ when it comes to basketball or anything that she is involved in,” said Austin Principal Sherman Smith. “She is focused on a particular goal and works tirelessly to achieve that goal.”
McIntosh is a four-year varsity basketball letterwinner for the Eagles and was nominated as a McDonald’s All-American for her accomplishments throughout the 2009-10 season. The multi-talented athlete has also been the top singles player for Austin’s tennis team for the past four years.
She is a member of several organizations and clubs at Austin, including the National Honor Society and Student Council. She was part of the Austin Youth Volunteers group that performs numerous services within the community.
The daughter of Lanny and Belinda McIntosh of Austin is ranked second in her class. She will attend the University of Indianapolis this fall to pursue a degree in nursing.
The box score:
Austin 10 19 20 10 11 – 70
Fort Wayne Luers 14 12 14 19 6 – 65
Austin 70 (26-2)
## Player FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA Off Def Tot PF TP A TO Blk Stl Min
31 GRAY, SHANTEL f 2-6 0-0 0-0 2 3 5 3 4 0 1 1 0 24
32 GOODIN, MICHELLE f 7-15 0-4 4-5 4 3 7 5 18 2 2 0 1 32
12 JONES, CHELSEA g 9-15 5-11 0-0 1 2 3 1 23 3 1 0 2 34
14 MCINTOSH, KATY g 8-13 0-0 3-6 4 4 8 4 19 4 5 1 1 36
41 DOWLING, ASHLEY g 0-5 0-4 1-2 0 7 7 2 1 5 3 0 0 33
10 HOLLAN, KELLY 0-1 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0+
24 STOLLINGS, BROOKE 1-2 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 12
25 DAVIDSON, JESSIE 1-2 1-1 0-0 0 0 0 1 3 0 0 0 0 9
Totals 28-59 6-20 8-13 12 20 32 16 70 14 12 2 4 180
FG % 1st Half: 12-26 46.2%, 2nd half: 11-27 40.7%, OT: 5-6 83.3%, Game: 28-59 47.5%
3FG % 1st Half: 3-13 23.1%, 2nd half: 3-7 42.9%, OT: 0-0 0.0%, Game: 6-20 30.0%
FT % 1st Half: 2-5 40.0%, 2nd half: 5-6 83.3%, OT: 1-2 50.0%, Game: 8-13 61.5%
Fort Wayne Luers 65 (18-8)
## Player FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA Off Def Tot PF TP A TO Blk Stl Min
25 GERARDOT, KRISTY f 2-3 0-0 0-0 3 5 8 3 4 1 2 0 1 22
32 RIDLEY, BROOKE f 7-13 0-0 1-2 4 1 5 1 15 2 2 0 2 28
45 WOODS, MIRACLE c 7-16 0-0 3-6 9 3 12 4 17 2 3 0 1 32
21 YOUNG, BRIERRA g 4-17 2-5 2-3 2 0 2 4 12 3 2 0 4 33
22 OBERLEY, MELISSA g 0-7 0-5 0-0 1 1 2 1 0 2 0 0 0 25
12 MCNAMARA, ANNA 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0+
24 WATTS, HILARY 3-4 2-3 0-0 0 2 2 2 8 2 2 0 0 21
33 WYSS, MCKENZIE 4-7 0-0 1-1 2 4 6 2 9 0 2 0 0 14
42 STOUT, AVE 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 2 2 0 0 0 0 2 0 5
43 SKORDOS, MORGAN 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0+
Totals 27-67 4-13 7-12 21 22 43 17 65 12 13 2 8 180
FG % 1st Half: 12-29 41.4%, 2nd half: 13-33 39.4%, OT: 2-5 40.0%, Game: 27-67 40.3%
3FG % 1st Half: 0-3 0.0%, 2nd half: 4-9 44.4%, OT: 0-1 0.0%, Game: 4-13 30.8%
FT % 1st Half: 2-5 40.0%, 2nd half: 3-3 100.0, OT: 2-4 50.0%, Game: 7-12 58.3%
Points …
• In Paint: Austin 24, Luers 34
• Off T/O: Austin 10, Luers 14
• 2nd Chance: Austin 13, Luers 21
• Fast Break: Austin 4, Luers 4
• Bench: Austin 5, Luers 17
Largest lead: Austin by 9 3rd-02:13, Luers 6 1st-06:59
Score ties: 6
Lead changes: 5
Officials: Grady Smith, Kim Yelich, Stu Casper
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Posted in Uncategorized
Posted on 07 March 2010 by .
By Mike McGraw
Executive Director
FORT WAYNE – The explosion never came. The patented burst of offense that always served as the knockout punch never happened.
That, in a nutshell, is the story of top-ranked Rushville’s 59-48 upset loss to No. 8 Fort Wayne Concordia Lutheran in the Class 3A state championship game March 6 at Allen County War Memorial Coliseum.
CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT PICTURES FROM THE CONCORDIA-RUSHVILLE 3A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME BY OUR OWN MARK GRICIUS, WITH EQUIPMENT PROVIDED BY ROBERTS IMAGING!!
On this night, the game went as so many before it. But when the critical time came, it was Concordia that exhibited the afterburners.
Concordia’s defense would be the story of this contest, and it took very little time for the Cadets to display it. Their man-to-man forced Rushville into misfiring on its first five shots of the game, and Concordia quickly took advantage in racing to a 10-0 lead with 4:39 to go in the opening quarter.
Rushville coach Melissa Marlow called a timeout, and when the Lions returned to the court they did what they had done so many times before during the season. They immediately responded with a 5-0 run and, by the end of the quarter, had battled all the way back to trail only 14-13.
The second period resembled a heavyweight fight as the two teams took turns throwing big punches. After Rushville took the lead 17-16 at the 6:27 mark of the period, Concordia (24-3) responded with an 8-2 run to retake control.
It mattered little to the Lions. They roared back to end the half on a 6-0 spurt that sent them to intermission with a 25-24 advantage.
Anyone who has seen Rushville (25-3) play was not surprised at the way the first half progressed. This team had played a number of close games during the season, and they all ended the same way. At some point, the poise and talent of the Lions surfaced, and they would suddenly take control.
Most of the thousands of Rushville fans in attendance were looking for a repeat in the final 16 minutes.
The first half of the third quarter, in retrospect, was a microcosm of the game from the Rushville perspective. Concordia used a 7-0 run to roar back from a 30-26 deficit. The Lions quickly tied the game at 33, then suffered what might have been the key minute of the game.
On its next two possessions, Rushville had five point-blank looks at the basket. None of them fell, and that futility was symptomatic of a day when the shots just didn’t fall. The Lions would end the contest by going just 8 of 28 in the second half, compared with the torrid 57-percent shooting (12 of 21) by a Concordia team playing mere blocks from its school.
“We like to play a fast-paced game and get up and down the floor,” said 10th-year Rushville coach Melissa Marlow. “Today we weren’t putting the ball in the hoop, and it made it hard to play our game.
“Our press helped us get a lead at halftime. Obviously they talked about that at halftime and did a wonderful job in the second half of breaking our press and converting it into points.”
For most of the game, that poor shooting can be attributed to the outstanding team defense of the Cadets. In the critical third-quarter stretch, though, it was just a case of the ball bouncing the wrong way.
In any event, all that led to the explosion everyone was expecting, except it originated from the Fort Wayne sideline. Over the last 3:20 of the third quarter, the Cadets shredded the Rushville defense on a 13-4 run that gave them a 46-37 lead at the end of three periods.
Concordia had used Rushville’s script on the Lions.
“Coming out in the second half, I thought we had good composure,” said seventh-year Lutheran coach Dave Miller. “We made a couple shots and had a couple stops, then it just kind of grew. Everyone picked up on that, and we were OK.
“We had a lot of contribution from a lot of people today, four in double figures. It’s been that way all year. People step up at different times.”
Marlow’s crew tried valiantly to close the gap in the early minutes of the final stanza, but the magic simply was not there. Trailing 48-40, Rushville stopped the Cadets on three straight possessions. But they failed to slice the deficit.
In that stretch, the Lions – one of the better free throw shooting teams in Indiana at 72 percent – went 0 for 4 from the charity stripe. Senior Alexa Bess fired the last bullet for the Rush County crew when she drained a 3-pointer to cut the margin to 50-43 midway through the quarter, but Concordia never blinked.
The Cadets took care of the ball and hit key free throws down the stretch, and Rushville never mounted a serious threat.
Make no mistake. These were two of the state’s best squads regardless of class. They were both balanced offensively, solid defensively (though with different styles of defense), and extremely intelligent clubs.
The game totals reveal the similarities.
Concordia placed four players in double figures in the scoring column: 16 points from center Erynn Meiklejohn, 12 apiece from Anna Goeglein and Angela Doerffler, and 11 from Andrea Newbauer. Junior standout Shelbie Justice led Rushville with 18 points, while Bess and Morgan Herbert each added 10.
Each team committed only 13 turnovers, and Rushville led the rebounding battle by just one at 34-33.
The difference was clearly in marksmanship. Concordia’s nearly perfect team defense held the Lions to 32 percent from the field while the Cadets cashed in at 45 percent on 21 of 47 attempts.
All was not lost for Rushville, which was making its fourth state finals appearance.
“These five seniors made a pact in the fourth grade to make it to the state finals,” Marlow said. “They had a dream come true.
“They’re disappointed right now, but I’m extremely proud of them.”
Concordia’s Doerffler named Mental Attitude Award winner
Following the game, members of the IHSAA Executive Committee named Angela Doerffler of Fort Wayne Concordia Lutheran High School as the winner of the Patricia L. Roy Mental Attitude Award. Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance, the IHSAA’s corporate partner, will present a $1,000 scholarship to the school in her name.
The award is named in honor of former IHSAA Assistant Commissioner Patricia L. Roy, who oversaw the girls basketball state tournament from its inception in 1976 until her retirement in 1999. It’s presented annually to a senior participant in each classification who was nominated by her principal and coach and has demonstrated excellence in mental attitude, scholarship, leadership, and athletic ability.
Doerffler served as captain of this year’s squad and was recently named to the All-Summit Athletic Conference Team. The talented athlete will earn 12 varsity letter awards from Concordia: four each in soccer, basketball, and softball.
She has been a youth camp instructor for basketball, soccer, and softball at Concordia and is an active member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church. She is a Sertoma Award winner, an award bestowed upon a student at Concordia who exhibits exemplary acts of service. A member of the National Honor Society, Doerffler owns a 3.9 grade-point average and is ranked in the Top 5 percent in her class.
The daughter of Dean and Barb Doerffler of Fort Wayne plans to attend Valparaiso University this fall.
The box score:
Rushville 13 12 12 11 – 48
Concordia Lutheran 14 10 22 13 – 59
Rushville 48 (25-3)
## Player FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA Off Def Tot PF TP A TO Blk Stl Min
23 ANDREWS, KALEIGH f 4-12 1-3 0-2 6 3 9 2 9 3 2 0 5 32
31 JUSTICE, SHELBIE f 5-12 0-1 8-10 4 6 10 2 18 0 3 1 3 32
33 BESS, ALEXA f 4-9 2-4 0-2 1 6 7 2 10 1 4 0 1 32
12 HERBERT, MORGAN g 3-12 0-1 4-4 1 2 3 4 10 2 0 0 0 31
24 HITTLE, MEAGAN g 0-4 0-2 1-2 0 3 3 4 1 0 4 0 0 16
04 BEAMAN, KRISTA 0-1 0-1 0-0 0 2 2 1 0 1 0 0 0 17
Totals 16-50 3-12 13-20 12 22 34 15 48 7 13 1 9 160
FG % 1st Half: 8-22 36.4%, 2nd half: 8-28 28.6%, Game: 16-50 32.0%
3FG % 1st Half: 1-7 14.3%, 2nd half: 2-5 40.0%, Game: 3-12 25.0%
FT % 1st Half: 8-9 88.9%, 2nd half: 5-11 45.5%, Game: 13-20 65.0%
Fort Wayne Concordia Lutheran 59 (24-3)
## Player FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA Off Def Tot PF TP A TO Blk Stl Min
20 GOEGLEIN, ANNA f 4-8 0-1 4-4 2 7 9 3 12 2 2 0 1 30
44 MEIKLEJOHN, ERYNN c 6-12 0-0 4-4 3 3 6 2 16 1 2 2 1 29
23 DOERFFLER, ANGELA g 4-7 1-4 3-6 1 2 3 3 12 2 3 0 0 30
24 BORCHELT, LAUREN g 0-2 0-0 0-0 0 1 1 4 0 1 3 0 0 13
34 NEWBAUER, ANDREA g 5-16 0-3 1-2 0 8 8 3 11 6 3 0 2 31
10 HOCKEMEYER, EMILY 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
12 KAMMEYER, ANNALISSA 2-2 1-1 2-2 0 2 2 3 7 1 0 0 0 21
13 WATSON, SHAUNA 0-0 0-0 1-2 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 5
Totals 21-47 2-9 15-20 7 26 33 18 59 13 13 2 4 160
FG % 1st Half: 9-26 34.6%, 2nd half: 12-21 57.1%, Game: 21-47 44.7%
3FG % 1st Half: 1-4 25.0%2nd half: 1-5 20.0%, Game: 2-9 22.2%
FT % 1st Half: 5-6 83.3%, 2nd half: 10-14 71.4%, Game: 15-20 75.0%
Points …
• In Paint: Rushville 24, Concordia 28
• Off T/O: Rushville 8, Concordia 10
• 2nd Chance: Rushville 11, Concordia 6
• Fast Break: Rushville 4, Concordia 4
• Bench: Rushville 0, Concordia 8
Largest lead: Rushville by 4 3rd-06:13, Concordia by 11 4th-07:46
Score ties: 6
Lead changes: 6
Officials: Mike Waisnora, Michael Eason, Tim Cartwright
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Posted on 07 March 2010 by .
From ihsaa.org
FORT WAYNE – Dominating offense and overwhelming defense were the recipe for success for Stan Benge and top-ranked Ben Davis March 6 in the Class 4A state championship game. The Giants earned their second consecutive state title and set seven individual game state finals records in the process in a 99-52 victory over No. 5 Merrillville.
CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT PICTURES FROM THE BEN DAVIS-MERRILLVILLE 4A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME BY JIM HUNT!!
Ben Davis’ 99 points are a new state finals record for any class, topping the 90 points scored by Class A Bloomfield in 1998 against Morgan Township. The Giants’ 22 steals are the most in any state finals game, topping their own 2001 record set against Fort Wayne Snider.
The teams also combined to set a new state finals record for most combined points in a quarter in a 4A game as Ben Davis (28-0) poured in 35 points in the third quarter while Merrillville (25-2) added 18. The combined total of 54 topped the 2007 4A third-quarter total of 53 by South Bend Washington and Columbus East.
Junior Bria Goss, who had 22 points, and senior Demetria Nunley-Lash, who added 20, led the way for coach Stan Benge’s Giants, who got 10 players in the scorebook on the night. A huge key in the contest was the turnover differential as Ben Davis committed only six but forced a whopping 32 Merrillville miscues.
With the win, Ben Davis also established a new state record for consecutive victories with 58. (Fort Wayne Northrop held the old mark with 57 wins in a row from 1985-87.) That dominance dates back to the 2008-09 season, when the Giants went 30-0 and defeated South Bend Washington, 71-69, in a thrilling state title game.
The Giants also became the first Indiana basketball team, boys or girls, to complete two consecutive undefeated seasons.
Senior guard Bryonna Davis was a bright spot for coach Amy Govert’s Merrillville Pirates, who were making their first appearance in the state finals. Davis scored 25 points on 9-for-15 shooting, while sophomore guard Raveen Murry added nine points.
Coaches’ quotes:
Ben Davis coach Stan Benge
“I’m so happy the way these four seniors went out. It’s something I wanted for them; they all played outstanding. If you’ve got to lose them, this is the way to finish the year.”
On recent success: “A lot came together the right way. We’ve got four outstanding seniors, a great supporting staff, including parents and coaches. I have the best three assistants in the state. With all of those people and the great community and administration, it leads to this type of success. It just doesn’t happen all the time.”
On the kids playing with passion: “All the passion and energy comes from inside. It comes out in practice – in the game you’ve just got to be calm. We have high expectations for all of us.”
On playing with intensity: “This was the last 32 minutes you were going to play as a team, so how do you not be ready to play? We did have a sloppy second quarter, but we told them at half this was now the last 16 minutes to play as a team and to go out and show everyone how good you are.”
Merrillville coach Amy Govert
“No one else can say we made it this far to the state finals in 4A. I was very proud of these kids. If we would have taken care of the ball early, it might have been a little better.”
“We could have easily quit and put our heads down. In the second quarter, we played them even. We knew we needed to take care of the ball and rebound. We didn’t do either very well tonight.”
“Ben Davis puts a lot of pressure on the ball. They are obviously a very good defensive team. I am proud to say we played Ben Davis for the state championship – there’s no shame in that.”
“This season was the best in school history. It was due to all the hard work by these seniors. We battled all year, especially with injuries. We don’t have any player bigger than 5’9”. We never quit tonight even though we were down – this shows the character of this team.”
“We represented ‘The Region’ well. A Region team has not made it to the state finals in a long time.”
On Bryonna Davis’ play: “She is one of the top scorers in school history. She will be taking her game to Michigan State next year, and they will be lucky to have her.”
Ben Davis’ Williams named Mental Attitude Award winner
Following the game, members of the IHSAA Executive Committee named Dee Dee Williams of Ben Davis High School as the winner of the Patricia L. Roy Mental Attitude Award. Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance, the IHSAA’s corporate partner, will present a $1,000 scholarship to the school in her name.
The award is named in honor of former IHSAA Assistant Commissioner Patricia L. Roy, who oversaw the girls basketball state tournament from its inception in 1976 until her retirement in 1999. It’s presented annually to a senior participant in each classification who was nominated by her principal and coach and has demonstrated excellence in mental attitude, scholarship, leadership, and athletic ability.
“Dee Dee is an exceptional student-athlete who is a model for the behavior, attitude, and work ethic that this award represents,” said Ben Davis Principal Joel McKinney.”She has always put the team before herself and plays with a level of sportsmanship and humility that is second to none.”
Williams helped lead her team to back-to-back state championships and is a candidate for Indiana’s Miss Basketball award. She also played volleyball for the Giants and was named to the All-County and All-State teams.
The daughter of Charlene and Richard Williams of Indianapolis has served as a tutor and has volunteered both at her church and retirement homes in her community. She is a member of the National Honor Society and Senior Mentor Program, and she has participated in the NCAA Stay in Bounds program.
Williams will attend Purdue University this fall on a basketball scholarship.
The box score:
Ben Davis 30 12 36 21 – 99
Merrillville 10 12 18 12 – 52
Ben Davis 99 (28-0)
## Player FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA Off Def Tot PF TP A TO Blk Stl Min
00 HOLCOMB, VIVIAN f 5-7 0-0 2-3 3 0 3 3 12 2 0 2 1 22
15 NUNLEY-LASH, DEMETRIA f 9-14 0-0 2-4 5 0 5 1 20 2 1 0 6 23
02 WILLIAMS, DEE DEE g 7-12 0-1 0-0 3 5 8 1 14 5 1 2 3 23
05 HUBER, JORDAN g 3-13 3-10 0-0 0 4 4 4 9 2 1 0 1 18
13 GOSS, BRIA g 7-14 0-0 8-9 3 5 8 2 22 6 1 0 5 24
03 DOWLER, HUNTER 1-1 0-0 0-0 1 0 1 0 2 0 0 0 0 3
10 WINDHAM, JAZMINE 3-7 0-3 2-2 0 2 2 1 8 3 1 0 1 15
12 KIMBALL, JANEE’ 0-1 0-0 2-2 0 1 1 0 2 0 0 0 1 10
20 NICHOLSON, ASHLIE 0-1 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3
32 MILLS-HARRIS, JADE 3-7 0-0 0-0 0 1 1 1 6 1 1 0 4 12
40 JONES, AMBER 2-4 0-0 0-2 3 2 5 2 4 0 0 0 0 7
Totals 40-81 3-14 16-22 19 23 42 15 99 21 6 4 22 160
FG % 1st Half: 17-39 43.6%, 2nd half: 23-42 54.8%, Game: 40-81 49.4%
3FG % 1st Half: 1-9 11.1%, 2nd half: 2-5 40.0%, Game: 16-22 72.7%
FT % 1st Half: 7-9 77.8%, 2nd half: 9-13 69.2%, Game: 3-14 21.4%
Merrillville 52 (25-2)
## Player FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA Off Def Tot PF TP A TO Blk Stl Min
30 HAWKINS, LYDIA f 3-8 0-0 1-2 2 4 6 0 7 0 4 0 0 30
42 MITCHEL, TRACEE f 2-4 0-0 0-0 1 7 8 4 4 1 3 1 1 30
10 MERRIWEATHER, LATOI g 1-2 0-0 0-0 0 2 2 1 2 1 3 0 1 22
14 MURRAY, RAVEEN g 3-9 1-1 2-4 0 1 1 2 9 2 7 0 1 29
22 DAVIS, BRYONNA g 9-15 3-6 4-11 0 7 7 3 25 2 10 0 1 29
11 BROWN, CHAMBRIA 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
12 MILLER, JASMYNE 0-2 0-0 0-0 2 1 3 1 0 1 2 0 0 11
20 THOMPSON, BRIANNA 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 1
23 WADE, JASMINE 1-2 1-2 0-0 0 2 2 1 3 0 1 1 0 4
25 BANASHAK, AMANDA 0-1 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
32 COLE, KACEY 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
40 WILLIAMSON, ROBIN 1-1 0-0 0-0 1 0 1 0 2 0 0 0 0 1
Totals 20-44 5-9 7-17 7 26 33 12 52 7 32 2 4 160
FG % 1st Half: 10-25 40.0%, 2nd half: 10-19 52.6%, Game: 20-44 45.5%
3FG % 1st Half: 1-2 50.0%, 2nd half: 4-7 57.1%, Game: 5-9 55.6%
FT % 1st Half: 1-3 33.3%, 2nd half: 6-14 42.9%, Game: 7-17 41.2%
Points …
• In Paint: BD 70, Merrillville 20
• Off T/O: BD 45, Merrillville 11
• 2nd Chance: BD 24, Merrillville 8
• Fast Break: BD 22, Merrillville 10
• Bench: BD 22, Merrillville 5
Largest lead: Ben Davis by 47 4th-00:04, Merrillville none
Score ties: 3
Lead changes: 0
Officials: Michael Stoffers, Jay Slater, Darren Wright
Attendance: 7,032
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