Prep Hoops Indiana Game Report: Kokomo vs. Anderson
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In 49 states it is just basketball, but this is Indiana. That saying was alive and well on Friday night at Memorial Gymnasium. Over 5,000 fans braved the weather and packed the house for what was the de facto North…
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Continue ReadingIn 49 states it is just basketball, but this is Indiana. That saying was alive and well on Friday night at Memorial Gymnasium. Over 5,000 fans braved the weather and packed the house for what was the de facto North Central Conference championship game. Both the Kokomo Wildkats and Anderson Indians entered the evening 7-0 in the NCC. Everything about this matchup between historic rivals oozed Indiana High School Basketball nostalgia. Then, the ball was tipped and we were treated to 32 minutes of high-level hoops. This contest certainly lived up to the hype.
Out of the gate it looked like the home Wildkats were going to run away with this one. The interior presence of Karson Rogers Karson Rogers 6'6" | PF Kokomo | 2024 State IN and Flory Bidunga Flory Bidunga 6'9" | C Kokomo | 2024 State #7 Nation IN was too much for Anderson to handle as Kokomo jumped out to a 16-4 advantage. It was more of the same in the second period as Rogers dominated around the basket going into the halftime locker room with 19 points and 7 rebounds.
The Indians deserve a lot of credit for continuing to fight after their slow start. Spencer Proctor gave them some life out of the halftime break knocking in a couple of three-point shots and scoring eight points in the quarter. Then, in the fourth, Anderson got it as close as three points, but could never get over the hump. Zion Bellamy Zion Bellamy 5'8" | PG Kokomo | 2025 State IN and Korbyn Hammel Korbyn Hammel 6'3" | PG Kokomo | 2026 State IN both made some big plays down the stretch to help hold off Anderson’s comeback attempt. Damien King Damien King 6'4" | SF Anderson | 2025 State IN had cut it to three with a runout layup, but Hammel answered with an And-1 with 3:37 to play to make it a 52-46 game. The Wildkats never looked back from there.
Ultimately, Kokomo secured their 11th straight win as they took down Anderson 62-49 to finish off a perfect 8-0 season in the North Central Conference. Indiana All-Star candidate Karson Rogers Karson Rogers 6'6" | PF Kokomo | 2024 State IN finished with a game-high 23 points to go along with 11 rebounds. Kansas signee Flory Bidunga Flory Bidunga 6'9" | C Kokomo | 2024 State #7 Nation IN put on a show contributing a triple-double of 17 points, 24 rebounds, and 10 blocked shots.
Javon Warfield Javon Warfield 6'2" | SG Anderson | 2025 IN scored 13 points in the loss for Anderson. Damien King Damien King 6'4" | SF Anderson | 2025 State IN added 11 points.