kokomo high school basketball state championship
Thats something Ill always hold on to. To be honest, we came in with a lot of confidence because our semistate run, we just played flawless. To go with the championships, the Wildkats also appeared in the "Final 4" in 1925, 1941, 1944, 1959, 1962, 1989, and 1997. Class 4A state finals details: Tipoff at 8:15 p.m. Saturday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse; game will be broadcast on Bally Sports Indiana Extra and live streamed on IHSAAtv.org. He turned around and elbowed him and dunked on him. Back then, they could hold 7,200 people, and it was jam packed and quite an experience. I dont think it was nervous because we were confident. Wood scored 1,114 points at Kokomo. The home of the Kokomo High School Wildkats basketball programs cost $680,000 to build. A mountain of a challenge stands in its way. As I continue to evolve as a coach, that will never change. Hughes and we were getting beat like a drum, Carlisle said. Weve been able to challenge him over the years, Carlisle said. Ive been watching not only this team, but Ive been watching all the teams. Fans filled the gym expecting a show. Kokomo is the opponent, a team that has been piling up wins heading into Saturday's state championship game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Thats what I need.. Without guys like Shayne Spear, Zavion Bellamy, Patrick Hardimon, Reis Beard, were not in the position were in now. Vous pouvez modifier vos choix tout moment en cliquant sur les liens Paramtres de confidentialit et des cookies ou Tableau de bord sur la confidentialit prsents sur nos sites et dans nos applications. The Wildkats (spelled uniquely with a "k") have won one boys state championship. IHSAA basketball finals wrap: Ben Davis (4A), Lutheran (A) win titles He is a member of the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame and IU Athletics Hall of Fame. What I always say is that you have to seize the moment. Its really good to see. BOYS BB: Kokomo beats Penn for spot in State Finals Each of those guys brought something to the table we needed.. 2023 ABG-SI LLC. Playing against top competition on the travel basketball national scene, Bidungas stock skyrocketed. Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: You have permission to edit this article. afficher des publicits et des contenus personnaliss en fonction de vos profils de centres dintrt; mesurer lefficacit des publicits et contenus personnaliss; et. We always dreamed of this. I heard he was 6-10 and thought, This season could change really fast," Spear. The least I can do is listen. One thing I do remember about it is obviously it was way bigger than any other arena we played in in the regular season. What is your best advice for the team this weekend? What do you remember how you felt walking into the RCA Dome for the first time? 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. The company is using the. Indiana high school Mr. Basketball, Trester Award winner, . Prediction: Ben Davis 60, Kokomo 57. KOKOMO, Ind. The Giants are trying to become the first team in history to win 33 consecutive games in a season and win the state title. Typically when you go to Pacers games, not too often do you get to take the bus down to where the actual NBA players park at. Kokomo's Flory Bidunga taking Indiana high school basketball - IndyStar I guess I think probably for me, my favorite memory was the final four game where we played Pat Graham, who eventually became Mr. Basketball. I think a balanced team is better than a team with one guy averaging 30. They take on NorthWood. 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. What do you remember most about the state tournament? 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. He led Kokomo to a 24-3 record and regional championship. Mark White, a junior, is reliable off the bench along with 6-6 senior Jesse Faires. For his four-year high school career, Schwartz averaged more than 12 points per game and led Kokomo to a 22-4 record and North Central Conference title in back-to-back seasons. 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. 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. The key is to go out and play your game and play basketball and really try to forget that its a state championship. One, "Yea Wildcats," was a fictional work of art written in the 1960s. 2022-23 Boys Basketball State Tournament | Indiana High School - IHSAA 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. Oh my goodness, Kokomo fans are amazing. 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. 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. 3 on the Indiana All-Star team in 1961 behind co-Mr. Basketball winners Tom and Dick Van Arsdale. I think it hit us when we got halfway to Tipton, and we had a police escort the entire way. Going undefeated wasnt my goal, it was theirs, Ben Davis coach Don Carlisle said of his team. And just treat it like a regular game. "For these guys to have the opportunity to add to that and to be able to come back to the gym whenever they want and see their team on the wall, you know, and the memories they are going to create this week, on top of the ones they've already created this whole time, it's life changing.". So we got back to Purdue and won to make it to the state finals. When I was overseas playing, theyd always ask me where I was from, and Id say Indiana. According to those close to Cox, he had been battling health issues. He starred there for two seasons, averaging 17.7 points and 16.7 points in his two seasons, earning first-team all-conference honors. And our starting point guard, Brian Reaves, his son actually plays now for the Los Angeles Lakers. Kokomo High School has one of the most prestigious programs throughout the entire history of Indiana High School Basketball. We werent supposed to be there last year, Spear said. But we ended up winning after being behind by seven points with one minute to go. "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. "Right there on the cusp, man," said Ben Davis head coach Don Carlisle. But it was just a bigger arena than obviously than Memorial Gym or Mackey Arena over at Purdue. Thats big for me. Wood transferred to Michigan State in 2011-12 and averaged 8.8 points for the 29-win Big Ten champions. Ben Davis was on the ropes at the start of the fourth quarter, facing a challenge from 6-10 Kokomo junior Flory Bidunga, who had Indianas Mike Woodson, Michigans Juwan Howard, Kentuckys John Calipari, Michigan States Tom Izzo and Auburns Bruce Pearl sitting courtside. You start thinking about how far hes come from when those guys were doing that to him.. The Tigers are 29-0, winning every game this season by at least double digits. The team Kokomo will see Saturday night might be the ultimate all-for-one, one-for-all team. Dcouvrez comment nous utilisons vos donnes personnelles dans notre Politique de confidentialit et notre Politique relative aux cookies. So we have our work cut out for us, but I believe it will be more about what we do as a Ben Davis basketball team than what we prepare for them," Carlisle said. In 1925, 1944, 1959,1989, and 2011 they finished as state runner-up. But Bidunga arrived from the Congo on Aug. 3, 2021, and started classes in the Kokomo International Program the following day. Sharp, a senior guard headed to Nicholls State, is a confident, million-dollar-smile point guard who always seems in control. What is your best advice for the team this weekend? Everyones focused on Flory (Bidunga), and he does a great job helping those other guys out. 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. To me, the shooting was different because of all the background. Hopefully they soak it all in like the kid from the Westside did late Saturday night. Southwood (15-12) vs. Indianapolis Lutheran (19-7) 10:30 a.m. Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian (26-3) vs. Linton-Stockton (29-1) Approx. But I think thats the way you play basketball. Example video title will go here for this video, HeartThreads in the Zevely Zone | Inspirational People. The community support has just been overwhelming this past season. Boys Varsity Basketball : Semi-State: Away Unknown location : 11:00 am : Event Details ; Event Details We always felt like the whole community wanted a state championship, and every boy thats ever played or wanted to play has had that same feeling. ET - Class 1A State ChampionshipSouthwood (15-12) vs. Indianapolis Lutheran (19-7), Approx. "He doesnt think hes hit his ceiling yet. 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. 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: Ben Davis chases history vs. Flory Bidunga, Kokomo He didnt play college basketball, spending three years in the state penitentiary. Id put my first group up against any team in the state, Carlisle said. Si no quieres que nosotros ni nuestros socios utilicemos cookies y datos personales para estos propsitos adicionales, haz clic en Rechazar todo. 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. Somebody took the time to teach us. And we still talk about those times and those days, what could have been different or what we could have done. Bidunga, admittedly, had hardly played any organized basketball. Kokomo High School - Wikipedia It was Hoosier hysteria. And for them to be doing what theyre doing this year has been really great to see. As a team, collectively, we just came together and got there and tried to get a win. He was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in 2017. He never intended on getting into teaching or coaching until that year in Paris. They're No. 8:15 p.m. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. The tournament has often featured future NCAA and National Basketball Association (NBA) players. Best high school national anthem ever? Kokomo sophomore displays First thing Im thinking is the refs are trying to make this a game calling two ticky-tack fouls, the 6-9 Doughty said with a smile. They have a great young team. So there, we got to kind of see the arena. Low 56F. In boys basketball, Kokomo High School has reached the state finals . In the history of this tournament - which goes back to 1911 - no team has gone 33-0 and won a state title. Kokomo Memorial Gym - Kokomo Wildkats - Stadium Journey What we did we lived by it.. After a 2-6 start, the Giants improved to 14-12 by the end of the season and won a sectional title with a young group. What do you remember about how you felt walking into Hinkle Fieldhouse for the first time? UPDATED Marion GBB Sectional: Sat, 5:00 - Kokomo vs Harrison Sat, 6:30 - NW vs McCutcheon Mon, 6:00 - Logan vs Jeff Mon, 7:30 . And they ask me how Goose compares with Flory, and its a really hard question to answer. Indiana High School Athletic Association, Inc. 9150 Meridian Street Indianapolis, Indiana . Last year, no one expected Bidunga and Kokomo to make a tournament run. It was another great win for the Giants and Saturday they will look to complete the great season with a state championship. And it's a fun group, so it's been a heck of a ride. They accomplished feat in the same season that KHS celebrated the 100th anniversary of the first team being fielded in 1903. There was a lot of publicity from all over the state about the Kokomo Wildkats (in 1961). So that was really cool to be able to be a part of that and then finish it with a runner-up in the state tournament. Para obtener ms informacin sobre cmo utilizamos tus datos personales, consulta nuestra Poltica de privacidad y la Poltica de cookies. INDIANAPOLIS There is at least one Indiana high school boys basketball team hoping to make history this year. Cuando utilizas nuestros sitios y aplicaciones, usamos. Being a Wildkat was awesome. Call Star reporter Kyle Neddenriep at (317) 444-6649. So weve been doing this. Semi-State Championships. Dont think of it as anything else. Kokomo guard D.J. I can remember coming back on the bus. Ben Davis beat Kokomo by seven in a game earlier this year. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. I think this will be a defensive battle. He was already good defensively. You cant say anything wrong about being 33-0. He was a great player. It was just stuff that Ill never forget. (WTHR) Northwestern High School in Kokomo is looking to complete a perfect season with a third consecutive girls basketball state championship. I just kind of locked in and played. Kokomo defeats Penn 58-57 to win the semistate championship at Michigan City High School on Saturday, March 18, 2023. The Wildkats were 15-7 at the end of the regular season before knocking off Harrison and Lafayette Jeff to win the sectional. Doughty comes into Saturdays game averaging a team-high 13.6 points and 9.3 rebounds. It was definitely an exciting thing to do. The North Central Conference is generally regarded as the toughest high school basketball conference in the state, if not the whole country. What is your favorite memory of that magical state run? Indiana basketball: Kokomo best players in history - IndyStar What did it mean to represent Kokomo to a larger audience? Hes definitely top-five in the country.. I would say my best advice I could give is to be in the moment. Its the end of the season.. I had three brothers that played, as well as me. None had gone 33-0. It might seem hard to believe now, but Ben Davis was not exactly a juggernaut team with visions of making history two years ago. It was an experience that will always be on my mind, and most people in Kokomo too. What do you remember most about the state tournament? Si vous souhaitez personnaliser vos choix, cliquez sur Grer les paramtres de confidentialit. He wants to be good. 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. Ive been watching the Kats last year, this year, many times. We wont play together anymore. Erwin Cox, shown at left, defends against Huntington in the 1962 Kokomo High School boys basketball semistate game. Brown thrived there, averaging 16.1 points and 4.8 rebounds in 81 games over three seasons. For many high school athletes, competing for a state championship is the pinnacle of their careers. 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. Im still in shock. To this day, I know theyre amazing. What does it mean to you to be a Kokomo Wildkat? Thats a history-breaking team.. Kokomo sophomore displays incredible voice at Indiana boys basketball championships. Bidunga finished with 19 points, 11 rebounds and five blocked shots. And then one of our other guards, he also hurt his knee in the final four game, so that was kind of frustrating that we werent all at 100%. Find Bidunga and keep him off the glass as much as possible. Zane Doughty. Flory Bidunga puts up a shot. So the bus going to the tunnel, security checking our bags, I think thats when it first hit us. When the school song came on, it was electric. Obviously, the magical part of it was that we hit a buzzer beater in regionals. What is exciting about this years team? My favorite part was the whole season of 1961 and that 1962 team, we were ranked number one that whole season, both years. I was trying to figure it out and pick it up. So the best advice is just to take advantage of the opportunity that you have. 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 . He went on to become a star at the University of Evansville, where he led the Missouri Valley Conference in scoring three seasons in a row and was named first-team all-Valley all three seasons. 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. We barely had people at the games. The Wildkats, though, will be looking to avenge the earlier season loss and pull off the upset in the finals. It was just like another game to me. 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. But Im so proud that we were able to do this together.. It was a bigger arena. It was such an exciting game. The Wildkats (spelled uniquely with a "k") have won one boys state championship. I cannot even imagine trying to say which one is better. In the history of this tournament - which goes back to 1911 - no team has gone 33-0 and won a . It was a little bit weird, Bidunga said. He was also a star quarterback on the football team and pitched for the baseball team. He has played professionally overseas since his graduation. Check out more historic rosters Kyle has put together, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Sports centerpiece featured. Dont try to do anything different than what youve always been doing. The year before, we got to the semi-finals over at Purdue, and we got beat. The girl's team is regarded as one of the top programs in the state of Indiana year-in and year-out. I always envisioned going to state because my brother played in the state final game in 1989. 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. 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. Take this in, because its something youll always remember, something youll never forget. How did it feel to represent Kokomo to a larger audience? He averaged 29.8 points in 1961-62 and 25.3 points in 1962-63. But that second group, thats where we can have real separation from other teams. Jan 16, 2021 Reagan Outdoor Advertising has placed 100 billboards in the Indianapolis area advertising Kokomo High School's 1961 state basketball championship. What is your favorite memory of that magical state run? 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/. Hughes averaged 17.9 points per game as a senior and finished his career with 1,147 points at Kokomo (still ranks seventh in school history). 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. What is your best advice for the team this weekend? The big game is in Class 4A with top-ranked Ben Davis taking on Kokomo. Now they have to do it again with a title on the line. Back then, it was almost every day leading up to state that we had an event, whether it was at a local restaurant or somebodys house. Kokomo's girl's team also has final 4 appearances in 1996, 1999, 2001, 2005, and 2006 to go with their 3 championships. I realized we had to do some things different. 1972 Indiana Mr. Basketball Phil Cox dies at 64 - IndyStar Hes also a Goose, just like the legend of Goose Ligon. Participating schools also have tickets available at the respective schools. Those guys came up through the system with him, taking their lumps as freshmen and sophomores. That group that we went to state with had been playing together since we were 6 and 7 years old. Billboard mystery: Signs touting Kokomo's '61 championship puzzle Sheridan Sharp, the senior point guard, stood at halfcourt with his hands on his head, looking into the distance. 2023 www.indystar.com. As a sophomore, he was second in the conference in scoring and was named team captain as a senior. We always stay in touch with one another. Indiana high school basketball semistate scores, state - IndyStar I love the people and they love me too, he said. If Butler and Windham are hitting 3s, the Giants are tough to beat. They have six players on the basketball team that have already won a title in football. Ben Davis looks to finish off an undefeated season on Saturday evening when it takes on Kokomo in boys high school basketball. And it was cool the next year to be able to play in that game. 2023 www.indystar.com. So just to see all the fans there dressed in red, huge support. They had the VanArsdale twins, and nobody from the Indianapolis area wanted Kokomo to win of course. Were not the big city like Indianapolis. Eight teams advanced Saturday to play for a state championship in Indianapolis this coming weekend. "Kokomo is a special place when it comes to high school sports and then especially basketball. I remember just all the cheerleaders with the decorations of our rooms and all that stuff. We beat them, and we had a really good zone defense. Its just unbelievable for the few years hes even played basketball. I always tell people Flory is Goose too. But for whatever reason, the Kokomo program sputtered during Wonnells tenure. 3 on Kokomos all-time scoring list with 1,280 career points. So what I teach the athletes I work with is that pressure just has to do with what youre focused on. 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. Its very easy to do. What is exciting about this years team? INDIANAPOLIS The boys basketball season culminates Saturday with four state championship games at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in downtown Indianapolis. 23 overall pick of the 1979 NBA draft by the Utah Jazz. Admin | Fall Winter Spring Photos Watch Calendar Shop More Fall Fall BOYS CROSS COUNTRY BOYS CROSS COUNTRY Varsity Middle School COED CROSS COUNTRY COED CROSS COUNTRY Middle School GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY Varsity Middle School BOYS FOOTBALL BOYS FOOTBALL Varsity Junior Varsity Freshman 8th Grade 7th Grade GIRLS GOLF GIRLS GOLF Of course everybody knew Jimmy Rayl as Mr. Basketball growing up. Kokomo High School - Basketball History - LiquiSearch When the girls won in 1991 and 1992, we went to all that stuff. Its really fun to watch the crowds grow each year. Kokomo's girls basketball team has more than its own share of success, and indeed can be considered more successful than the boys' program. The opposite is labor. "Right there on the cusp, man," said head coach Don Carlisle. Its a difference when youre in a gym thats kind of closed in versus a gym that has big backdrops. Whos the guy? 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. The whole community seemed like it was there. The state championship game (in 1961) was at Hinkle Fieldhouse, and it was a madhouse. mesurer votre utilisation de nos sites et applications. What was the community support like for your team? Its great. He was 9-for-12 from the field, but was unable to cash in at the free-throw line, shooting 1-for-7. Dont let the hype out rule the game.
