Quartet Claim First State Hoops Titles
INDIANAPOLIS – It was a day of firsts Saturday at the boys basketball state championships.
A quartet of teams all claimed their first-ever state titles as the prep season concluded in Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
Morristown, along with Oak Hill, Culver Academies and Warren Central each were victorious to garner the biggest prize in the Hoosier State.
Morristown put on a record-setting display to rout Southwood 89-60 in the Class 1-A finale to open action. Morristown, making its first state finals appearance since 1911, set Class 1-A finals records for points score, points in a half and margin of victory in the contest. The teams combined to set 10 Class 1-A marks in the game.
Eli Streeval poured in 35 points to pace the champs, who finish at 28-2. Logan Laster had 24 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists.
Peyton Traxler led Southwood with 18 points. Matthew Nose had 12 for the Knights, who finish 25-4.
Oak Hill topped Forest Park 56-44 in the Class 2-A title game.
The Golden Eagles used a 12-2 run to open the final quarter to pull away for the win. Caleb Middlesworth had 25 points and nine rebounds for Oak Hill, which finishes 26-5.
Forest Park shot just 34 percent and had 20 turnovers.
Curt Hopf led Forest Park, which finishes 25-5, with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Culver Academies claimed the school’s first state title in any sport with a 64-49 win over Evansville Bosse in the Class 3-A finale.
The Eagles were up 30-8 in the first half before Bosse rallied within 34-29. CMA hit 17-23 free throws in the final period to seal the win.
Junior Ethan Brittain-Watts led CMA with 20 points. Sophomores Deontae Craig and Trey Galloway each had 14 points for the champs.
CMA, which had lost 74-64 to Bosse back on Dec. 16, finishes 23-6. The Eagles are coached by former Bethel College standout Mark Galloway.
Warren Central rallied in the final half to outlast Carmel 54-48 in the Class 4-A title tilt.
Carmel used a 20-0 run to lead 22-14 at halftime. The Greyhounds were up 28-17 in the third period before Warren Central rallied to the win.
Carmel had 20 turnovers, including 13 in the second half, and shot just 2-10 from 3-point range.
Dean Tate scored 22 points to pace Warren Central, which finishes 32-0. Warren Central edged Carmel 66-65 on Feb. 16.
John Michael Mulloy, a Butler recruit, led Carmel with 21 points.
Warren Central becomes just the second school to win both the boys and girls basketball state titles in the same year. Oregon-Davis did it in Class 1-A back in 2007.