The big game is in Class 4A with top-ranked Ben Davis taking on Kokomo. When the school song came on, it was electric. The Giants are trying to become the first team in history to win 33 consecutive games . The Ben Davis fans, feeling it with an 11-point lead, started up the We are BD! chants. IHSAA Girls Basketball State Champions Eight teams advanced Saturday to play for a state championship in Indianapolis this coming weekend. Class 4A. I do a lot of comparison with Flory [Bidunga] and Goose Ligon back when I played with him. We wont play together anymore. In writing, every writer knows when he or she is laboring to achieve an effect. I love them all truly, passionately. Awaiting the Wildkats was Manual (28-2) and its high-scoring twins Tom and Dick . Sheridan Sharp, the senior point guard, stood at halfcourt with his hands on his head, looking into the distance. POLICE: Person shot inside Fort Wayne mall, Solar storm on Thursday expected to make Northern Lights visible in 17 states, Live Doppler 13 Saturday evening forecast - July 8, 2023, Indiana boys basketball sectional scoreboard, Indiana Boys High School Basketball Regional scoreboard. That experience was an important starting point for the 43-year-old Carlisle. Shaun Arnold added 12 points. When Kokomo visits Anderson tonight, it's the final NCC game for both schools . Read more about this topic: Kokomo High School, Perhaps basketball and poetry have just a few things in common, but the most important is the possibility of transcendence. Dcouvrez comment nous utilisons vos donnes personnelles dans notre Politique de confidentialit et notre Politique relative aux cookies. Its great. So we got back to Purdue and won to make it to the state finals. Winning one is even better. 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. 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. The Wildkats were 15-7 at the end of the regular season before knocking off Harrison and Lafayette Jeff to win the sectional. And we still talk about those times and those days, what could have been different or what we could have done. Listen to their coach, follow his instructions and enjoy the moment because it will last them more than 60 years. For many high school athletes, competing for a state championship is the pinnacle of their careers. What did it mean to represent Kokomo to a larger audience? Were not the big city like Indianapolis. I cannot even imagine trying to say which one is better. Now they have to do it again with a title on the line. We've got one more game.". Its a difference when youre in a gym thats kind of closed in versus a gym that has big backdrops. Find Bidunga and keep him off the glass as much as possible. Even fewer could probably appreciate the moment, truly soak it in, like Sharp did there at midcourt Saturday night. Coach goes for 2nd three-peat in girls basketball state championships 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. The crowd, the noise, the ball, the rim, everything was just a different feel at state. Example video title will go here for this video, HeartThreads in the Zevely Zone | Inspirational People, Indianapolis Lutheran 55, Rock Creek Academy 47, Ft. Wayne Blackhawk 88, Gary 21st Century 82. We always stay in touch with one another. Like I said, Im in Fort Worth, and I tell people that in Indiana, its illegal to not have a basketball goal outside your house. He played back with the Wildkats as well. I dont know if we knew for sure that we could go to the state, but that was always the goal. Graduations, games or events, order prints of your favorites photos from the Kokomo Tribune. It was just like another game to me. I always have fond memories of the sports. If Butler and Windham are hitting 3s, the Giants are tough to beat. Bidunga was an impact player on the defensive end from the first game. We were just that much more energetic it seemed like, and we were able to jump that much higher. This score may be too high, but it's going to be a great game and awesome atmosphere. How Ben Davis can win: Pressure the guards. We always dreamed of this. Tribune sports staff Jul 1, 2023 The Kokomo Post 6 baseball team began play Friday in its Fourth of July Tournament at CFD Investments Stadium in Highland Park. Lorsque vous utilisez nos sites et applications, nous utilisons des, authentifier les utilisateurs, appliquer des mesures de scurit, empcher les spams et les abus; et. I really remember the fact that we were highlighted during the entire season. 2023 www.indystar.com. Kokomo was ranked first in the state all season and rolled into the final at Hinkle Fieldhouse with a 27-1 record. State finals games begin at 10:30 Saturday morning at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. I went to not only all my brothers basketball and football games, but I went to all the girls basketball games too. People think that its the biggest game of your life, and you have to do something different. What is your favorite memory of that magical state run? It makes us tough to prepare for.. This story has been cut from its original version due to space limitations. Ligon was also first-team all-state in football. Michigan City. Offensively, hes improved so much. By that point, Bidunga, who had 21 points, 12 rebounds and four blocked shots against Westfield, was becoming a statewide curiosity. He graduated No. He was already good defensively. What do you remember how you felt walking into the RCA Dome for the first time? In 2011, its not too long ago, but its some time. Its exciting that they show interest in you, Bidunga said. Thats something Ill always hold on to. There were people lined up on both sides of (U.S.) 31, all the way to Memorial Gymnasium. Windham. Hughes and we were getting beat like a drum, Carlisle said. It replaced the venerable Hawthorn Gymnasium that stood for 21 years before burning to the ground in the wee hours of March 22, 1944. . Cuando utilizas nuestros sitios y aplicaciones, usamos. The Wildkats have also won 33 regional championships, 7 Semi-State championships, and 14 North Central Confernence titles. 1924-25 Frankfort Everett Case 27-2 Kokomo Chester Hill -- 34-20 Box 1925-26 Marion Gene Thomas 27-2 Martinsville Glenn Curtis -- 30-23 Box . This was capped in 1952 when the NCC, a 10 school conference at the time, went a perfect 50-0 against teams outside the conference in the state tournament. Its like the exact opposite. Wood scored 1,114 points at Kokomo. Wood started out at Southern Illinois, averaging 3.7 points in six games before a season-ending injury. We barely had people at the games. You knew this group was special. But since then? Kokomo's girl's team also has final 4 appearances in 1996, 1999, 2001, 2005, and 2006 to go with their 3 championships. Its loyalty to Kokomo sports in general. Sheridan Sharp. Boys Varsity Basketball : Semi-State: Away Unknown location : 11:00 am : Event Details ; Event Details Shaun Arnold. The community support was probably the top of my list of the whole entire experience of the 1961 team and the 1962 team. Kokomo vs Ben Davis: Free Live Stream High School Basketball - How to 1939), Only the history of free peoples is worth our attention; the history of men under a despotism is merely a collection of anecdotes.Sbastien-Roch Nicolas De Chamfort (17411794). He didnt play college basketball, spending three years in the state penitentiary. I think a balanced team is better than a team with one guy averaging 30. I went to Kokomo games all my life, so the Kokomo spirits always been in me. So its just awesome to go and see the stands filled again. But it was an enormously-successful season for the Wildkats and Bidunga, who had come to the season hoping to get three or four blocked shots a game and help my teammates.. He was 9-for-12 from the field, but was unable to cash in at the free-throw line, shooting 1-for-7. I think it hit us when we got halfway to Tipton, and we had a police escort the entire way. He went on to play at Indiana, where he started a center for three seasons and averaged 5.8 points. So weve been doing this. What did it mean to represent Kokomo to a larger audience? Hes also a Goose, just like the legend of Goose Ligon. The Indiana High School Boys Basketball Tournament, organized by the Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA), is one of the oldest state high school basketball tournament in America. We worked extremely hard. In overtime, Ronnie Hughes hit those two famous free throws to give us the victory, and thats of course what we all remember. 1972 Indiana Mr. Basketball Phil Cox dies at 64 - IndyStar We had Bob Galloway, who was 6-feet-7-inches and Mark Smith, 6-feet-6-inches, and then we had a guy named Eric Baker who could jump out of the gym. And the feeling that gave us, to this day, we still talk about it. It was the end of an incredible journey for a Ben Davis team that became the 14th team in the states high school boys basketball history to finish undefeated. Its just one of those things you work toward. The Wildkats (spelled uniquely with a "k") have won one boys state championship. All the fun begins at 10:30 a.m. Saturday. Carlisle, the former Ben Davis and IUPUI standout, was winding down his 11-year professional basketball career in Paris and was looking for something to fill his days. She nished her career as the all-time leading girls' scorer in Howard County with 1,132 points. And they got it. Hes never been the type of player to get them really so he soaks up that stuff. Balentine The 6-3 Balentine was an Indiana All-Star in 2012 after he averaged 18.2 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists. He finished his Kokomo career with 1,163 points and averaged 23.7 points per game. Ben Davis is on the hunt for a perfect season. Im still in shock. 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: Mike McCroskey: 27-1: McCutcheon: Don Burton: 22-5: 70-60: Box : 1993-94 : Lake Central: Tom Megyesi: 25-1: . Fans filled the gym expecting a show. Billboard mystery: Signs touting Kokomo's '61 championship puzzle He turned around and elbowed him and dunked on him. Wood transferred to Michigan State in 2011-12 and averaged 8.8 points for the 29-win Big Ten champions. It was to the point where some of the players didnt want to play anymore.. I said, Zane, there will be a time when you are a senior and youll be doing that.' Zackery can arguably match Arnold as a defender and has come up big in the biggest gams. What does it mean to you to be a Kokomo Wildkat? I just kind of locked in and played. It was just us having a game plan and going in and trying to win. What is exciting about this years team? Kokomo has had two players named "Mr. Basketball" in the state of Indiana. Playing with Goose for several years, theres a lot of comparison between the two. . It was an experience that will always be on my mind, and most people in Kokomo too. The Giants have continued their impressive run in the tournament as they have won by at least 10 points and are coming off an easy 66-38 win over Brownsburg in the semifinals last Saturday. 19MICHIGAN CITY Kokomo's boys basketball team is state bound after a thrilling victory over Penn in the Class 4A North Semistate championship Saturday night in Michigan City's Wolves Den. That group that we went to state with had been playing together since we were 6 and 7 years old. One thing I do remember about it is obviously it was way bigger than any other arena we played in in the regular season. 12:45 p.m. NorthWood (27-2) vs. Guerin Catholic (20-8) 6 p.m. Kokomo (24-4) vs. Ben Davis (32-0) Approx. The good thing about Flory and I think the thing that sets him apart from other kids who might be in the top 10 or top five in the country is he wants to continue to get better," Peckinpaugh said. In 1989, Kokomo High School's Matt Johnson plays in the State Basketball Championship against Laurence North. Ligon also played one season with the Pittsburgh Condors and two with the Virginia Squires. Were not a small town either, and so a lot of times, everyone always assumes a lot of the talent comes from Indianapolis. To be honest, we came in with a lot of confidence because our semistate run, we just played flawless. Prediction: Ben Davis 60, Kokomo 57. But that attention comes more from the outside than the inside. Somebody was always catering food for us. And we had a lot of great other guys too who were great role players. Last year, they made it to semi-state, and there were no seniors. Si no quieres que nosotros ni nuestros socios utilicemos cookies y datos personales para estos propsitos adicionales, haz clic en Rechazar todo. One rule: No school would have more than a 10-player roster. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. In 1A, the Lutheran Saints are trying to win a state basketball title to go with the football state championship they won in the fall. Flory Bidunga puts up a shot. I believed it was possible the summer going in. But I had faith in my team they would hold them off long enough to get me back in there. Im also a sports psychologist, so I work with athletes all the time on their mental game and what to focus on, what not to focus on, the pressure. Balentine set the Evansville career scoring record with 2,464 points. Southwood (15-12) vs. Indianapolis Lutheran (19-7) 10:30 a.m. Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian (26-3) vs. Linton-Stockton (29-1) Approx. Its the last game with the seniors, Bidunga said. The opposite is labor. And it was cool the next year to be able to play in that game. Meet the Team | Howard County Sports Hall of Fame It was just stuff that Ill never forget. Ben Davis seeks to finish season with unblemished record, state We had some English classes back home, Bidunga said. (WTHR) Northwestern High School in Kokomo is looking to complete a perfect season with a third consecutive girls basketball state championship. What was the community support like for your team? I think it means a lot. The Lady Wildkats have also won 12 North Central Conference championships (1st all-time), all since 1991. And hes going to be a legend, so thats why I nicknamed him Goose Too.. Kokomo's girls basketball team has more than its own share of success, and indeed can be considered more successful than the boys' program. Kokomo lost in the semistate by one point to Huntington in 1945. The state championship game (in 1961) was at Hinkle Fieldhouse, and it was a madhouse. "Right there on the cusp, man," said Ben Davis head coach Don Carlisle. Kokomo's Flory Bidunga shined on Indiana's biggest stage in Class 4A Assistant coach Courtney James works closely with Doughty, often pulling him aside in huddles or vice versa. What is exciting about this years team? He was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in 2017. Weve had a lot of success with basketball. We beat them, and we had a really good zone defense. 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 . Thats a history-breaking team.. His season line: 17.5 points, 13.3 rebounds and 5.3 blocked shots per game. INDIANAPOLIS There is at least one Indiana high school boys basketball team hoping to make history this year. It was a little bit weird, Bidunga said. I played baseball, basketball and football. Boys IHSAA Basketball Semi-State scoreboard | wthr.com 2023 ABG-SI LLC. All rights reserved. So going to the state tournament, I know we personally, I didnt really have any nerves. 23 overall pick of the 1979 NBA draft by the Utah Jazz. I would say my best advice I could give is to be in the moment. This season harkened back to the glory years at Kokomo. "Right there on the cusp, man," said head coach Don Carlisle. Today we are going to look at the greatest single-class State championship games of all time. Zane Doughty. Spear was coming off an injury at the start of the season and missed the first three games, including losses to Westfield (47-39) and Ben Davis (58-51). Brandon Wood The 6-2 Wood averaged 19.1 points and 5.1 rebounds as a junior and 21.0 points per game as a senior in 2006-07. Thats just me. 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. To me, the shooting was different because of all the background. Under coach Charlie Hall (1997-8 season through 2003-04 season, plus the 2005-06 season) the Wildkats compiled an astounding 54-1 record against North Central Conference opponents on their way to winning the Conference championship all 8 seasons. Kokomo honors 1961 state championship team Hall went on to coach the Kokomo girls to a state championship as a coach. We can go small, we can go big and we dont lose much. Don't count out Kokomo. 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. Sports centerpiece featured. I know a lot of people look at Flory as a one-man-band. Value possessions, don't let the turnovers that do happen turn into layups and dunks. I think it's a great thing, it's a neat thing for Indiana basketball history and myself being a part of some good teams and being able to play, we were able to break the record my teams had in '95 and '96.". After a year of junior college ball at Emmanuel College in Georgia, he was recruited to Georgia Tech. One of my best friends is an assistant coach, and we played together on that team (Labradford Sebree). They complied. I had three brothers that played, as well as me. As I continue to evolve as a coach, that will never change. There was little to suggest this fervor over Kokomo basketball was coming at the end of the 2020-21 season. To this day, I know theyre amazing. We werent supposed to be there last year, Spear said. History is on the line Saturday, as Ben Davis is trying to set a new record. Kokomo Wildkats Calendar - Kokomo Wildkats - Kokomo, IN "Kokomo is a special place when it comes to high school sports and then especially basketball. The least I can do is listen. The community support has just been overwhelming this past season. Doughty went back into the game in the final minute of the third quarter with Ben Davis clinging to a 36-33 lead. And we pulled it out in overtime. Ive been watching the Kats last year, this year, many times. He jokes now that he should have paid more attention to his English class when he was in the Congo. Schwartz was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in 1995. Kokomo's Tom Schwartz won the award in 1944, and Jimmy Rayl won the award in 1959. He averaged 29.8 points in 1961-62 and 25.3 points in 1962-63. But I think thats the way you play basketball. And to do it in front of those fans every night at Memorial Gym, they travel well. Para obtener ms informacin sobre cmo utilizamos tus datos personales, consulta nuestra Poltica de privacidad y la Poltica de cookies. As a sophomore, he was second in the conference in scoring and was named team captain as a senior. I realized we had to do some things different. Hes great, but his teammates are also great, so that helps. This group has really only heard my voice and my assistants (voices), Carlisle said. What does it mean to you to be a Kokomo Wildkat? Indiana High School Boys Basketball Tournament - Wikipedia The attention might be on Flory. The year before, we got to the semi-finals over at Purdue, and we got beat. He runs the floor, blocks shots, dunks and then signs autographs and takes pictures with fans after games. Thats the most important thing. POLICE: Person shot inside Fort Wayne mall, Solar storm on Thursday expected to make Northern Lights visible in 17 states, Live Doppler 13 Saturday evening forecast - July 8, 2023, Center Grove coach named 'Coach of the Year' by the Colts, Indianapolis Lutheran repeats as Class 1A football champions. He also was awarded the Gimbel prize for mental attitude. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. 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. Hogan went on to play at the University of Florida, where he set a school record with 120 3-pointers. And then the south campus, which is the high school now, that was 10{sup}th{/sup}, 11{sup}th{/sup} and 12{sup}th{/sup}. We didnt have any success in the tournament at all, senior Shayne Spear said. But for whatever reason, the Kokomo program sputtered during Wonnells tenure. 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 beat in the semi-state, but a couple teammates and I went down to watch the state finals. Hall went on to play at Division II Columbus State (Ga.), where he set a school record for single-game scoring (43 points) in 1979 that stood for several years. In 1925, 1944, 1959,1989, and 2011 they finished as state runner-up. But we ended up winning after being behind by seven points with one minute to go. Bidungas rise, from complete unknown to a top-five national prospect, is almost unheard of. It has been dubbed "The Conference of Champions" as conference members have won 30 Indiana High school Boys basketball state championships, including Muncie Central (8) and Marion (7), who are ranked 1-2 in total championships by school in state history. Example video title will go here for this video. Its a good thing. 8:15 p.m. But that second group, thats where we can have real separation from other teams. Kokomo 1961 basketball state champs billboards: Why they're - IndyStar What do you remember most about the state tournament? Jan 16, 2021 Reagan Outdoor Advertising has placed 100 billboards in the Indianapolis area advertising Kokomo High School's 1961 state basketball championship. I was trying to figure it out and pick it up. I probably liked coaching the middle school girls more because they listened and wanted to learn, said Carlisle, who will coach Class 4A top-ranked and 32-0 Ben Davis on Saturday night in the Class 4A state championship against the 6-10 junior Bidunga and Kokomo. Its just that community feel. The chemistry was there, and it just felt like it was right when the summer workouts hit. After a 26-point loss to Fishers in the season opener, Carlisle had a long postgame discussion with the team that he had no plans for going through another season like the 9-14 year that followed the state finals run in 2019. The Tribune reached out recently to some of the players on those teams to reflect on those state tourney runs, as well as offer advice to this years team hoping to bring home a title this weekend. Kokomo Boys Varsity Basketball - Kokomo High School Thats the only state championship so far. 12:45 p.m. And for them to be doing what theyre doing this year has been really great to see. But Bidunga arrived from the Congo on Aug. 3, 2021, and started classes in the Kokomo International Program the following day. Its a goal, and it just came to fruition. So what happened was the downtown campus had eighth and ninth grades. Sharp, a senior guard headed to Nicholls State, is a confident, million-dollar-smile point guard who always seems in control. He wishes me luck, and I wish him luck. The Wildkats finished 7-17, a third consecutive losing season for Bobby Wonnell, a good coach who won at Tindley and Taylor. Northwestern takes on 25-4 Lawrence North in the Class 4A final . Si quieres personalizar tus opciones, haz clic en Gestionar configuracin de privacidad. And Bidunga is such a likeable individual that it helps to diffuse any issues. A mountain of a challenge stands in its way. There will probably be another team that comes along someday and goes undefeated, maybe even matches the Giants 33-0 mark. I do follow them. When I was a little kid, Id go to the YMCA in downtown Kokomo, and Jimmy Rayl would be down there shooting hook shots from half court. 7 Kokomo vs. No. They want to be up there playing for the Wildkats and the community and making that last shot to win the game. Good luck getting a ticket. highlighted by the 1961 boys' state championship and 1992, 1993, and 2003 girls' state championship banners. Eight teams advanced Saturday to play for a state championship in Indianapolis this coming weekend. The 1997 appearance was celebrated as part of the last true Indiana High School Basketball State Tournament before the watered down version of class basketball, which divides schools into four separate classes by enrollment, was implemented for the 1997-98 season. PDF IHSAA Boys Basketball State Championship Records Book Ben Davis spent 32 games positioning itself for such an opportunity, and on Saturday night the Giants grabbed it with both hands with a 53-41 win over Kokomo in the Class 4A championship game. He led Kokomo to a 24-3 record and regional championship. All 10 teams won sectionals that year, and each was defeated by another member school until the State Championship game, which featured Muncie Central defeating fellow NCC foe Indianapolis Tech 68-49. http://www.nccsports.org/. IHSAA basketball finals wrap: Ben Davis (4A), Lutheran (A) win titles Somebody took the time to teach us. Basketball History Kokomo High School has one of the most prestigious programs throughout the entire history of Indiana High School Basketball. Last year, Kokomo fans got a taste of it again when Bidunga caught the attention of the state by leading the Wildkats to the Class 4A semistate before losing to Chesterton, averaging 17.5 points . Walter won the NCAAs 440-yard race as a junior. But this team is great in itself because they have a group of guys that love playing with each other. State Championships; Sport Year(s) Baseball (1) 1985 Boys Basketball (1) 1961 . Local news, breaking news, weather and traffic, Local sports from Kokomo and Howard County, Ace Frehley's tour manager facing intimidation charge, Kokomo man caught up in Twitter rumors spread by Florida's Rebekah Jones, Konklave in Kokomo: A look back at the infamous 1923 KKK rally, Here's what to expect at the 2023 Howard County 4-H Fair, Neeley twins, Eastern relay team join Indiana Track and Field Hall, New book delves into unsolved Tabitha Raines homicide, Prison ministry sues sheriff over jail's book policy, Free textbook law raises questions for schools, Kokomo Humane Society will hold a carnival Saturday, DIETZEL, Ursula Jan 16, 1941 - Jun 21, 2023, GAMBLIN, Sandra Sep 6, 1939 - Jul 5, 2023, MERIWETHER, Mrs. Ruthel Jul 24, 1929 - Jun 29, 2023, ELLER, Pauline Oct 28, 1918 - Jul 4, 2023, WILKINSON, Jess Apr 18, 1962 - Jul 5, 2023.
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