All the fun begins at 10:30 a.m. Saturday. People think that its the biggest game of your life, and you have to do something different. Ben Davis goes for its 33rd straight win on Saturday night when it battles Kokomo in the IHSAA class 4A boy's state championship game. What do you remember about how you felt walking into Hinkle Fieldhouse for the first time? Ben Davis seeks to finish season with unblemished record, state The Tigers are 29-0, winning every game this season by at least double digits. Back when we were playing, I dont know, there were other teams that were good too. Hogan went on to play at the University of Florida, where he set a school record with 120 3-pointers. For many high school athletes, competing for a state championship is the pinnacle of their careers. Schwartz was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in 1995. It might come off the wrong way and he might be mad at me sometimes, but he wants to be pushed.. A mountain of a challenge stands in its way. So just to see all the fans there dressed in red, huge support. He was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010. Kokomo High School (merged with Haworth High School in 1984) is a four-year public high school in Kokomo, . We werent able to stop their runs enough to get it done.. Kokomo's Tom Schwartz won the award in 1944, and Jimmy Rayl won the award in 1959. And he was open to coaching, even hard coaching. And for them to be doing what theyre doing this year has been really great to see. Its great to see, and its exciting for us as a family to go watch and just be a part of. Hogan averaged 4.8 points as a junior and 4.7 points per game as a senior. ET - Class 3A State ChampionshipNorthWood (27-2) vs. Guerin Catholic (20-8), Approx. But then we got there (to the semistate) and should have won., Kokomo was stopped by a tough-minded and undefeated Chesterton team, 42-40, in the semistate. Brian Hogan The 6-2 Hogan was an Indiana All-Star in 1987-88 as the point guard averaged 14.4 points per game. Playing in front of a full house every single game, you could only buy half a season ticket because everyone wanted one, so you could only buy one half at a time. So we got back to Purdue and won to make it to the state finals. In 3A, we're going to watch Guerin Catholic try to come up with their third state basketball title. Maybe even some senior point guard will stand there again at halfcourt, smiling and teary-eyed, wondering how it all happened so fast and ended so perfectly. And it's a fun group, so it's been a heck of a ride. The Giants are trying to become the first team in history to win 33 consecutive games in a season and win the state title. One rule: No school would have more than a 10-player roster. Do what your coach has always told you to do and what youve always practiced. This came in 1961 in a thrilling 68-66 overtime win against Indianapolis Manual, capping a 28-1 season. KHS holds the state record with 69 sectional championships in the 97 years of the IHSAA state tournament, and they have only once had a drought of at least 4 year between titles. Im still in shock. Every time I go back home, we link up, and its like were back in high school. She nished her career as the all-time leading girls' scorer in Howard County with 1,132 points. It means so much to our school and our student body. But it was just a bigger arena than obviously than Memorial Gym or Mackey Arena over at Purdue. And our starting point guard, Brian Reaves, his son actually plays now for the Los Angeles Lakers. Kokomos Bidunga, who has only been in the United States since August of 2021 after coming from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, was in tears after the game. He graduated No. Indiana basketball: Kokomo best players in history - IndyStar He returned to IUPUI to work on Todd Howards staff for two seasons before starting his high school coaching career at Arlington for three seasons, then was hired at his alma mater in 2018. Weve had a lot of success with basketball. Matt Johnson, member of 1989 Wildkats team. The program has been the subject of at least five books. Now they have to do it again with a title on the line. He found a job teaching conversational English at the International School of Paris, where he was also tabbed to coach the middle school girls basketball team and high school boys. Kokomo's girls basketball team has more than its own share of success, and indeed can be considered more successful than the boys' program. Video highlights, photo galleries, stories from all four games, 14th team in the states high school boys basketball history to finish undefeated, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Its just one of those things you work toward. Flory Bidunga puts up a shot. In 1989, Kokomo High School's Matt Johnson plays in the State Basketball Championship against Laurence North. The Wildkats have rolled off 17 consecutive wins, led by Flory Bidunga, one of the top players in the entire country. And they assumed Indianapolis, and I would say, No, Im from Kokomo. Being a Kokomo Wildkat really means something in this state, and I took that with me in my college, my professional and now my coaching career. In the history of this tournament - which goes back to 1911 - no team has gone 33-0 and won a . In Class 3A, Guerin Catholic is trying to win another title, and Lutheran is going for their first-ever title when they face Southwood for the Class A crown. He turned around and elbowed him and dunked on him. IHSAA basketball state finals: Ben Davis beats Kokomo for 4A title By that point, Bidunga, who had 21 points, 12 rebounds and four blocked shots against Westfield, was becoming a statewide curiosity. There are some that have eight or nine, but most have 10. The 1993 squad featured four Indiana All-Stars in its starting line-up, and was ranked #1 in the Nation by USA Today for two weeks. Shaun Arnold. I think this will be a defensive battle. I cannot even imagine trying to say which one is better. And then I had several friends who didnt play on the basketball team, but they were mount men and cheerleaders, so them heading down to Market Square Arena, they had some deal where they would dribble down there. What does it mean to you to be a Kokomo Wildkat? Its great. And just treat it like a regular game. But that made me a better coach.. Then, the other people would buy the other half. proporcionarte nuestros sitios y aplicaciones; autenticar usuarios, aplicar medidas de seguridad y evitar el spam y los abusos, y. medir el uso que haces de nuestros sitios y aplicaciones. Once I got on the court, I dont remember the crowd or anything. They take on NorthWood. Indiana High School Athletic Association, Inc. 9150 Meridian Street Indianapolis, Indiana . A lot of people ask me about playing with Goose Ligon, and everybody has heard that name. Fans filled the gym expecting a show. South beat Kokomo 56-42, giving Balentine plenty of motivation for his senior season. Boys High School Basketball. Kokomo (24-5) had the crowd behind it and the momentum at the start of the fourth quarter. mesurer votre utilisation de nos sites et applications. You start thinking about how far hes come from when those guys were doing that to him.. Kokomo Memorial Gym - Kokomo Wildkats - Stadium Journey To this day, I know theyre amazing. Ben Davis did it with a team that played together and unselfish, turning on the jets when necessary with an in-your-face press and sharing the ball like a team that truly did not care who received the credit. None had gone 33-0. They play with high intensity, and it seems like they have great comradery with each other. Standing in their way is the Kokomo and the 6-10 Bidunga, the player Carlisle calls one of the better players in the country, comparing him to former Lawrence North and Ohio State star Greg Oden. What do you remember how you felt walking into the RCA Dome for the first time? 12:45 p.m. NorthWood (27-2) vs. Guerin Catholic (20-8) 6 p.m. Kokomo (24-4) vs. Ben Davis (32-0) Approx. Prediction: Ben Davis 60, Kokomo 57. 8:15 p.m. This group has really only heard my voice and my assistants (voices), Carlisle said. Those other guys do a great job helping him out. I think a balanced team is better than a team with one guy averaging 30. I live in Fort Worth, but when I go back a couple times a year to visit, my wife probably gets sick of me driving around pointing to all of the athletic places that I played growing up. I went to Kokomo games all my life, so the Kokomo spirits always been in me. State finals games begin at 10:30 Saturday morning at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. We didnt have any success in the tournament at all, senior Shayne Spear said. I can remember coming back on the bus. He scored more than 40 points in a game six times as a senior and was the runaway choice for Mr. Basketball in 1959 as Kokomo reached the state championship game, losing to Crispus Attucks. That team, Carlisle jokes, would probably lose to this Ben Davis team by about 150 points. That was his last year playing professional basketball. Top 12 Greatest IHSAA Boys State Basketball Championship Games in Low 56F. "Of course, they have a great team, well coached and one of the best players to come through Indiana in a really, really long time. When you went on Friday nights, that was the thing to do. Youre still playing basketball. I think it means a lot. Even fewer could probably appreciate the moment, truly soak it in, like Sharp did there at midcourt Saturday night. Kokomo is the opponent, a team that has been piling up wins heading into Saturday's state championship game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. They had the VanArsdale twins, and nobody from the Indianapolis area wanted Kokomo to win of course. Ben Davis completes perfect 33-0 season for its Fourth State - IHSAA And it was cool the next year to be able to play in that game. What is your favorite memory of that magical state run? The tournament has often featured future NCAA and National Basketball Association (NBA) players. Bidunga, admittedly, had hardly played any organized basketball. In a 60-58 overtime home win over Western, he had 11 points, 14 rebounds and two blocked shots. The crowd, the noise, the ball, the rim, everything was just a different feel at state. So the bus going to the tunnel, security checking our bags, I think thats when it first hit us. What do you remember most about the state tournament? We worked extremely hard. From the beginning of the season we wanted to be 33-0 and break the record. 2023 ABG-SI LLC. But they are a great team and you have to be able to stop their runs. Its like the exact opposite. Be in the moment. We werent supposed to be there last year, Spear said. They had the VanArsdale twins, and nobody from the Indianapolis area wanted Kokomo to win of course. mostrar anuncios y contenido personalizados basados en perfiles de inters; medir la efectividad de los anuncios y el contenido personalizados, y. desarrollar y mejorar nuestros productos y servicios. Kokomo Boys Varsity Basketball - Kokomo High School Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Mar. Jan 16, 2021 Reagan Outdoor Advertising has placed 100 billboards in the Indianapolis area advertising Kokomo High School's 1961 state basketball championship. Shaun Arnold added 12 points. The players on these teams, they will always remember one another and always have a fond memory of each other that will last a lifetime. I said, Why should I speak English? I joke when I grow up a little bit I will tell my teachers if I would have known, I would have listened more in classes.. What is your best advice for the team this weekend? In writing, every writer knows when he or she is laboring to achieve an effect. He jokes now that he should have paid more attention to his English class when he was in the Congo. I always have fond memories of the sports. Noelle Duncan, a 16-year-old sophomore at Kokomo High School, sang the national anthem before the Class 3A and 4A championship games and quickly showed how deserving she was of the special opportunity.. Singing the anthem in front of a near-capacity crowd on Saturday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, with the spotlight shining down on her, was the three-months-in-the-making . He was 9-for-12 from the field, but was unable to cash in at the free-throw line, shooting 1-for-7. He was a really good shooter, but we were able to stop him enough to pull out the win and make it to the state championship. Wood scored 1,114 points at Kokomo. We always stay in touch with one another. Thats not a possibility. Rayl went on to star at Indiana, where he scored 1,401 points for his career. All Rights Reserved. It felt amazing. He is a member of the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame and IU Athletics Hall of Fame. But for whatever reason, the Kokomo program sputtered during Wonnells tenure. I was trying to figure it out and pick it up. It should be a great matchup. Meet the Team | Howard County Sports Hall of Fame State Championships; Sport Year(s) Baseball (1) 1985 Boys Basketball (1) 1961 . Things we learned in third or fourth grade in Indiana, they hadnt been taught. The big game is in Class 4A with top-ranked Ben Davis taking on Kokomo. They complied. And just remember your strengths as a team and your scouting report. INDIANAPOLIS There is at least one Indiana high school boys basketball team hoping to make history this year. It was a fun time obviously, but I dont really remember the extra stuff. "You know, it's fun walking into the gym every day and seeing those 2012, 2015 years up on the wall," said Guerin Catholic head coach Matt Labus. I remember just all the cheerleaders with the decorations of our rooms and all that stuff. Kokomo vs Ben Davis: Free Live Stream High School Basketball - How to Photo gallery: Ben Davis holds off Kokomo to win Class 4A title. If Butler and Windham are hitting 3s, the Giants are tough to beat. Russell Rut Walter Walter was Kokomos first star player and considered on the states best all-round athletes of the 1920s. That can't happen again. They came close to a 3-peat in 1994, falling to Lake Central 44-42 in the championship game after holding a 10 point fourth quarter lead. The year before, we got to the semi-finals over at Purdue, and we got beat. . I love the people and they love me too, he said. The award is given to the top 12th grade player in the state of Indiana for that specific season. Call Star reporter Kyle Neddenriep at (317) 444-6649. Were not the big city like Indianapolis. Peckinpaugh acknowledges there have been moments when he has had to talk to players about Bidungas attention as he rose to be ranked No. I would say my best advice I could give is to be in the moment. Kokomo High School - Basketball History - LiquiSearch We watched Shawn Kemp in the state finals and Damon Bailey as well. Local news, sports and entertainment when you want it. Make 3-pointers at a 40% clip. Balentine brings the ball up the court against Bloomington South in the Class 4A state championship game in March 2014. But we were up and coming and wanted to show everybody what we could do too. And 85%-90% of those guys that were on that team, we still talk to this day. Winning one is even better. What is exciting about this years team? Example video title will go here for this video. Kokomo High School and Middle School Physical and Consent Form (2022-2023 School Year) . We barely had people at the games. It was just one of those things that Ive always gone to Kokomo games. Participating schools also have tickets available at the respective schools. Every time I go back home, we link up, and its like were back in high school. 12) 1913 Wingate vs South Bend One, "Yea Wildcats," was a fictional work of art written in the 1960s. 10 Warsaw. There will probably be another team that comes along someday and goes undefeated, maybe even matches the Giants 33-0 mark. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. But we were very confident the entire season, and we were nervous the way athletics are, but it wasnt to the point where it was going to affect our game. In eight ABA seasons, Ligon averaged 12.8 points and 10.9 rebounds per game. That means the best team you can put together,not just the 1971 East Chicago Washington team, but players across all eras of basketball. Former players offer advice, reflect on own state runs They accomplished feat in the same season that KHS celebrated the 100th anniversary of the first team being fielded in 1903. I heard he was 6-10 and thought, This season could change really fast," Spear. We hit a buzzer beater the next week in semistate. The girl's team has featured even more success with three state championships in 1992, 1993, and 2003. Michigan City. Yes, this is fun for Flory. And the crowd was just overwhelming and very supportive from the Kokomo people. Its hard to do something and live by it. So the best advice is just to take advantage of the opportunity that you have. Kokomo, unable to get its offense going again, fell behind by 11 points when Doughty scored again and Mark Zackery threw one down after a steal. The Wildkats finished 7-17, a third consecutive losing season for Bobby Wonnell, a good coach who won at Tindley and Taylor. "Kokomo is a special place when it comes to high school sports and then especially basketball. Butler is the teams best 3-point shooter, quick with his release. What does it mean to you to be a Kokomo Wildkat? Dont look past the moment. Of course everybody knew Jimmy Rayl as Mr. Basketball growing up. Kokomo quickly went on a 9-0 run with Bidunga scoring eight of those points. Its such a historic place. They're No. Ron Hughes The 6-1 Hughes was No. Going undefeated wasnt my goal, it was theirs, Ben Davis coach Don Carlisle said of his team. We played really well from January on, and we won sectionals and regionals. I said, Zane, there will be a time when you are a senior and youll be doing that.' Kokomo Wildkats Calendar - Kokomo Wildkats - Kokomo, IN The equivalent in basketball is aiming your shot, a kind of strained and usually ineffective purposefulness. When the school song came on, it was electric. Somebody took the time to teach us. Thats just me. Ben Davis wins 4A state title, defeats Kokomo 53-41. One team chasing history. What is your favorite memory of that magical state run? To go with the championships, the Wildkats also appeared in the "Final 4" in 1925, 1941, 1944, 1959, 1962, 1989, and 1997. BOYS BB: Kats' Spear closes basketball career with Trester Award. Its going to be sad I just played my last game with them, but I love them all. IHSAA basketball finals roundup: Video highlights, photo galleries, stories from all four games, Theres a lot of emotions going on right now, Sharp said. Charlie Hall Hall led the North Central Conference in scoring as a junior and senior in 1972-73 and 1973-74. What do you remember about walking into Bankers Life Fieldhouse for the first time? INDIANAPOLIS Shortly after the final buzzer sounded Saturday night ending Ben Davis' victory over Kokomo in the Class 4A Boys Basketball State Championship, Kokomo seniors Shayne Spear. The Giants need to get off to a good start and not rely on the third quarter, though that has proven to be a reliable script. Listen to their coach, follow his instructions and enjoy the moment because it will last them more than 60 years. Ben Davis looks to finish off an undefeated season on Saturday evening when it takes on Kokomo in boys high school basketball. Im getting calls from people from college and asking whats going on in Kokomo. I realized we had to do some things different. Nine state championship games have featured two NCC teams at the same time, by far the most of any conference in the state. And the feeling that gave us, to this day, we still talk about it. Im proud to say I am from Kokomo. But I had faith in my team they would hold them off long enough to get me back in there. Si quieres personalizar tus opciones, haz clic en Gestionar configuracin de privacidad. Hughes went on to play at Purdue, where he averaged 7.6 points in 58 games over three seasons. Dont think of it as anything else. Thats the only state championship so far. Wood transferred to Michigan State in 2011-12 and averaged 8.8 points for the 29-win Big Ten champions. You had students just like they do today dribbling down from Kokomo to Indianapolis. At that time, we played a morning game and had the state championship at night. I really thought we had every position filled with really great talent. Ben Davis is seeking to become the first team in 113 years to win 33 games in a season and a state title. IHSAA basketball finals wrap: Ben Davis (4A), Lutheran (A) win titles I believed it was possible the summer going in. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. The girl's team is regarded as one of the top programs in the state of Indiana year-in and year-out. Thats the most important thing. And to do it in front of those fans every night at Memorial Gym, they travel well. "It just really helps us all the way around, just as a program, because winners win, and you know, as much as you can be around winners is the best thing you ever could be, so I feel like that helps a lot.". And they got it. As a team, collectively, we just came together and got there and tried to get a win.