2019 State Finals Set
The 2019 IHSAA boys’ basketball State Finals are set. Here is a quick preview of the four games.
4A: Carmel vs. Ben Davis
3A: Culver Academies vs. Silver Creek
2A: Andrean vs. Linton-Stockton
A: Blackhawk Christian vs. Barr-Reeve
Carmel vs. Ben Davis
This is the second year in a row that conference rivals meet for the 4A title. Last year, it was Carmel against Warren Central. The Greyhounds won the MIC game with Ben Davis 49-39 this year. The Giants are a different team with Jalen Windham playing at an all-time high throughout the tournament. Stopping Dawand Jones inside is always a tough task as well. Carmel has made a tough road look easy. They have dispatched Fishers, HSE, Northrop, Zionsville, and Penn by a median average of 14 points per game. This should be a great game.
Culver Academies vs. Silver Creek
No surprise that these two teams are meeting in the 3A final. CMA has won 21 of its last 22 games. Trey Galloway, Ethan Brittain-Watts, and Deontae Craig are a tough trio on both ends of the floor. Silver Creek has won 13 of 14 behind Trey Kaufman, Kooper Jacobi, Zane Gross, Jack Hawkins, and Ty Kessinger. SC has the size to make things tough on Culver Academies. This should be a chess match to see which teams find the advantage and can exploit it.
Andrean vs. Linton-Stockton
Andrean has been a roller coaster throughout the tournament. Yesterday, the 59ers kept building a 7-9 point lead before Frankton came back to tie or take the lead. That scecanio occurred multiple times in the Semi-State game before Andrean prevailed. The 59ers had a 12-point lead heading to the fourth quarter against Marquette before giving up the lead then coming back to win. John Carrothers and Kyle Ross have been leading the way with Deshon Burnett and Nick Flesher making big plays as well. Linton-Stockton blitzed Shenandoah in the Semi-State. Kip Fougerousse and Sam Robins led the way. Sophomore Lincoln Hale has been the Miners’ leading scorer all year.
Blackhawk vs. Barr-Reeve
Number one and two in Class A most of the year, Blackhawk and Barr-Reeve have been on a collision course. Blackhawk has only had one game (Gary 21st Century) in the postseason that wasn’t decided by more than 20 points. Barr-Reeve hasn’t had the 40+ point wins, but the Vikings have only had one game decided by fewer than 20 points as well. Evansville Day with Noah Huppmann lost by seven. The depth of talent for Blackhawk is impressive – Caleb Furst, Frankie Davidson, Michael Pulver, Zane Burke. They have the talent of a good 4A team. Barr-Reeve relies on Keegan O’Neill and Gabe Gladish to do a lot of the heavy lifting along with Austin Ainscough, Isaac Wagler, and Brycen Graber.