Indiana State Finals: Live Blog

The IHSAA Indiana High School Boy’s State Finals is finally here and we have ton of action from start to finish here at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. For 1A, we have Southwood (15-12) vs. Indianapolis Lutheran (19-7), for 2A we have Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian (26-3) vs. Linton-Stockton (29-1), for 3A we have NorthWood (27-2) vs. Guerin Catholic (20-8), and for the 4A main event we have Kokomo (24-4) vs. Ben Davis (32-0).

This is the official Prep Hoops Indiana Live Blog so make sure to follow along all day for live coverage of each game.

1A: Southwood vs Indianapolis Lutheran

Lutheran won the tip and we were off. Southwood’s Dylan Stout got two blocks right off the bat.

The game would start off really ugly and sloppy. Lot of missed shots and turnovers by both teams. We wouldn’t get a field goal made until the 5:28 mark. At the media timeout, Lutheran led 7-4. Southwood would score twice out of the break and cause two Lutheran turnovers. Knights led 8-7 now which forced Lutheran to call a timeout.

Not much going heading into the end of the quarter. Continued to be sloppy.

End 1Q: Southwood 10 Lutheran 9

Southwood would get a 5-second violation to start off the quarter. Three turnovers would start this quarter. Will Winer would score the first basket for Southwood in the 2Q.

Southwood would bounce the lead to 17-12 before Lutheran’s Durray Smith would hit a high three to stop the momentum. After the media timeout, both teams would really start to trade buckets. Lutheran woke up a little and took a 24-19 lead at around the 4:06 mark. Durray Smith would score out of the timeout to bump the Lutheran lead to 26-20.

Lutheran would then go on an insane 17-2 run and Southwood was extremely flustered. Lutheran would close the half on a 19-4 run.

End 2Q: Lutheran 45 Southwood 26

Lutheran senior forward Kameron Patterson Kameron Patterson 6'5" | PF Indianapolis Lutheran | 2023 IN would get fouled to start off the second half. He would go 1-of-2 at the line. Lutheran would continue to take it to Southwood. The Knights would then go on a 7-0 run to cut into the lead being only down 52-33.

After a a LJ Ward dunk, the lead got pushed to 65-40. At one point, Lutheran had hit 11 straight field goals.

End 3Q: Lutheran 77 Southwood 49

Nothing really changed in the 4Q. It was all Lutheran. Benches would start to get some action with a few minuets left in the game.

Besides a slow start, this game was all Lutheran. Southwood did not have the guys to match up with them.

Lutheran was led by Durray Smith with 21 points while LJ Ward added 17 points.

Indianapolis Lutheran was you 2022-23 Class 1A State Champs.

Final: Lutheran 97 Southwood 66

2A: Linton-Stockton vs Fort Wayne Blackhawk

Blackhawk won the tip and we were off. Logan Webb Logan Webb 6'3" | SG Linton-Stockton | 2023 State IN would score first for Linton-Stockton off a pull up three. Hart would miss his first two looks. Both teams were a little nervous to start and coming up short on a few shots.

Linton led 10-6 at the 3:32 mark. Linton bounced out to a 12-6 lead before Kelly Pickett knocked down a corner three. Joey Hart Joey Hart 6'5" | SG Linton-Stockton | 2023 State #214 Nation IN looked a little flustered at times when players got physical with him.

End 1Q: Linton 14 Blackhawk 11

Logan Webb Logan Webb 6'3" | SG Linton-Stockton | 2023 State IN would get the first points of the quarter knocking down two free throws. Blackhawk was struggling a little in the zone that Linton was on. Kellen Picket find ways to work around it however.

Linton had a 23-13 lead at the media timeout. Joey Hart Joey Hart 6'5" | SG Linton-Stockton | 2023 State #214 Nation IN was fouled and scored through contact before the timeout.

Out of the break, Blackhawk would go on a run and cut into the lead. However, Joey Hart Joey Hart 6'5" | SG Linton-Stockton | 2023 State #214 Nation IN would hit back-to-back threes. Linton would close the half on a 6-0 run.

At the half: Linton 29 Blackhawk 18

Kellen Pickett Kellen Pickett 6'9" | PF Blackhawk Christian | 2025 State IN would start the half with an And1 but missed at the line. Linton would push the lead back to 11 before Jimmy Davidson would hit a huge three to stop the Linton momentum for a bit.

A timeout on the floor at the 4:31 mark. Linton was up 31-23. Joey Hart Joey Hart 6'5" | SG Linton-Stockton | 2023 State #214 Nation IN was held scoreless so far in the second half. Gage Sefton Gage Sefton 6'4" | SG Blackhawk Christian | 2023 State IN had a nice play where he missed his second free throw but got his now rebound and got two more points. He would then score another bucket, cut the lead to 33-28, and force a Linton-Stockton timeout.

Blackhawk tied it up finally after a Kelln Pickett three. Linton was on major scoring drought. Braden Walters Braden Walters 6'6" | PF Terre Haute North | 2024 State IN would score at the buzzer to give Linton the lead heading into the 4Q.

End 3Q: Linton 35 Blackhawk 33

Kellen Pickett Kellen Pickett 6'9" | PF Blackhawk Christian | 2025 State IN got fouled to start the quarter and would go 1-2 at the line. Pickett would score again and give Blackhawk the lead. Hart was still scoreless by this time after Blackhawk switched and put Pickett on him.

Blackhawk led 41-37 with 1:55 left. The Braves were playing “keep away” so Linton had to start fouling. Joey Hart Joey Hart 6'5" | SG Linton-Stockton | 2023 State #214 Nation IN would finally score with 1:09 left in the 4Q with a huge three. Blackhawk led 43-40.

Linton would have some chance to cut into the lead even further but would miss on their chances.

The Braves would go onto to win it. Kellen Pickett Kellen Pickett 6'9" | PF Blackhawk Christian | 2025 State IN led with 19 points while Gage Sefton Gage Sefton 6'4" | SG Blackhawk Christian | 2023 State IN added 16 points. Joey Hart Joey Hart 6'5" | SG Linton-Stockton | 2023 State #214 Nation IN led Linton with 23 points.

Final: Blackhawk 52 Linton 45

3A: Guerin Catholic vs NorthWood

Guerin Catholic won the tip and we were off. Cade Brenner Cade Brenner 6'3" | SG NorthWood | 2023 State IN would get the first basket of the game. Brenner would get the first 8 points of the game. Tyler Raasch Tyler Raasch 6'8" | C NorthWood | 2025 State IN would then hit a 15fter and extend the lead to 10-0 early. Kamea Chandler Kamea Chandler 5'10" | PG Guerin Catholic | 2023 State IN got the first points for Guerin Catholic. Took until the 3:40 mark in the 1Q for Guerin to get on the board.

Cade Brenner Cade Brenner 6'3" | SG NorthWood | 2023 State IN was a man among boys out there. Up to 12 points in the 1Q.

End 1Q: NorthWood 18 Guerin Catholic 7

Robert Sorensen Robert Sorensen 6'0" | PG Guerin Catholic | 2024 State IN would score the first bucket of the quarter for Guerin Catholic. Guerin would hit their next baskets to stay in this somewhat. NorthWoods led 26-17 at the 3:43 mark. Another Cade Brenner Cade Brenner 6'3" | SG NorthWood | 2023 State IN three and the lead for NorthWood was at 32-19. Guerin would call a timeout.

Brenner would extend his scoring to 23 points. He was feeling himself so early. Guerin had no guys that were playing with that same aggressive mentality

At the half: NorthWood 35 Guerin Catholic 27.

Tyler Raasch Tyler Raasch 6'8" | C NorthWood | 2025 State IN would score the first points of the half getting fouled in the process. He would miss at the line. A few plays later, Kamea Chandler Kamea Chandler 5'10" | PG Guerin Catholic | 2023 State IN would hit a bucket and bring the lead down to six before Tyler Raasch Tyler Raasch 6'8" | C NorthWood | 2025 State IN had a nice baseline lay-in.

At the 3:50 media timeout, NorthWood led 39-31. Ian Raasch Ian Raasch 6'6" | PF NorthWood | 2023 State IN would have two explosive plays out of the timeout to push the lead up to 41-31. NorthWood would go on a 2:22 scoring drought while Guerin was 1-of-10 shooting at this point. Things got a little chippy with Ian Raasch Ian Raasch 6'6" | PF NorthWood | 2023 State IN picking up three quick fouls.

End 3Q: NorthWood 44 Guerin Catholic 35

The 4Q would start off with Dylan Murans Dylan Murans 6'7" | SF Guerin Catholic | 2024 State IN picking up his fourth foul. Guerin Catholic would then go on a big run to cut the lead to just 48-43 after a Jake Cherry three.

NorthWood would call a timeout at the 2:52 mark only leading 50-47. Guerin Catholic needed a big stop. Tyler Raasch Tyler Raasch 6'8" | C NorthWood | 2025 State IN would hit a tough jumper out of the break. Kamea Chandler Kamea Chandler 5'10" | PG Guerin Catholic | 2023 State IN would answer, however. He would then score through contact, convert at the line, and tie the game at 52.

Both Guerin Catholic and NorthWood would have chances to score before the buzzer both missed. We were heading into OT.

End of Regulation: Tied at 52

Guerin Catholic would score first but NorthWood would extend the lead to 57-53 with 2:45 left. It went back-and-forth for awhile before NorthWood extended the lead to 65-61.

Kamea Cahndler had a chance to tie up but Ian Raasch Ian Raasch 6'6" | PF NorthWood | 2023 State IN quickly fouled because they had fouls to give. With another chance to tie, Guerin Catholic would turn it over. Cade Brenner Cade Brenner 6'3" | SG NorthWood | 2023 State IN would seal the game at the line.

Final Score: NorthWood 66 Guerin Catholic 63

4A: Kokomo vs Ben Davis

Kokomo won the tip and we were off. The Wildcats would also score the first bucket of the game. Zane Doughty Zane Doughty 6'9" | C Ben Davis | 2023 State IN would answer for Ben Davis and have two tough bucket over Flory Bidunga Flory Bidunga 6'9" | C Kokomo | 2024 State #3 Nation IN . Ben Davis would bounce the lead out to 8-6 before Kokomo called a timeout.

Ben Davis would then extend to a 9-0 run and force Kokomo to call another timeout. Flory Bidunga Flory Bidunga 6'9" | C Kokomo | 2024 State #3 Nation IN got his first points of the game with a put back dunk. Shaun Arnold Shaun Arnold 6'5" | PF Ben Davis | 2023 State IN also hit two threes in this quarter as well.

End 1Q: Ben Davis 18 Kokomo 10

Douhgty would score the first basket out of the break. Ben Davis would push the lead out to 22-13. Patrick Hardiman would pick up his 2nd foul here. Bidunga was a little passive at times at this point in the game but the battle for position with him and Doughty was fun.

At the 3:32 mark, Ben Davis led 26-15. Both teams went on a little scoring drought before Bidunga slammed it on Doughty with a quick spin move. Ben Davis would call a timeout at the 42.2 mark.

Bidunga would have a chance to score at the buzzer but was called for a charge right at the buzzer. The place went nuts after that as called.

At the half: Kokomo 28 Ben Davis 17

After a lot of back-and-forth to start the half, Ben Davis would score off a three point shot to start us off. Kokomo would score and then Doughty would dunk it to answer. Kokomo would get it to within 10 and Doughty would pick up his 3rd foul. He would then hit the bench.

Bidunga would score but the lead would stay 10. Kokomo was fighting but Ben Davis is just another animal. Kokomo would however cut it to 36-29. Doughty would check in with less than a minute left.

Bidunga would have by far the dunk of the year and Kokomo would have all the momentum heading into the 4Q.

End 3Q: Ben Davis 36 Kokomo 33

Kokomo was aggressive on defense to start the final quarter here. Doughty would get bucket and foul as the first score of the quarter.

Kokomo had a lot of empty possessions and Ben Davis kept scoring. Lead was 44-33 with 3:53 left. Ben Davis would push the lead to 48-37 with 2:14 left. The Giants would go onto hold down and end up pushing to victory.

Th Giants remained undefeated and were the Class 4A State Champions.

Final: Ben Davis 53 Kokomo 41