Class 1A State Championship Preview

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We've made it, folks. The 113th annual IHSAA State Finals are set to tip-off on Saturday morning with the Class 1A championship all the way through to the Class 4A title game in the evening. As always our staff at Prep Hoops Indiana will be bringing you wall-to-wall content leading up to the event as well as boots on the ground coverage from Gainbridge Fieldhouse. We continue our preview series with an in-depth look at the Class 1A state championship matchup between Indianapolis Lutheran and Southwood.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2>The Matchup: #9 Indianapolis Lutheran (19-7) vs. Southwood (15-12)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2>Players to Watch</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Indianapolis Lutheran: LJ Ward (Sophomore), Durray Smith (Senior)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Southwood: Nathan Lehner (Senior), Cole Winer (Senior)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2>Game Notes</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Southwood is making their second state title appearance after finishing as the runner-up in 2018.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Indianapolis Lutheran is also making their second state title appearance after finishing as the runner-up in 2008.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>If Southwood cuts down the nets, they will become the first team in IHSAA history to win a state title with double-digit losses. They are already the first team to reach the championship game with 12 losses.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>The Saints ran through a buzzsaw to make it to Gainbridge Fieldhouse. They defeated #2 Greenwood Christian in the Sectional championship, #1 Bloomfield in the Regional, and then #5 Loogootee in the Semi-State.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>The combined 19 losses between the two teams in the most of any state championship game in state history.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2>Game Analysis</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It is hard to know exactly what to expect from two teams that weren't supposed to be here. Indianapolis Lutheran spent a good portion of the season in the Prep Hoops Indiana Class 1A Top 10, but suffered several losses due to a tough Indianapolis-area schedule of mostly larger schools. They've now won 10 straight games and should be battle tested after defeating three of the five Top 5 teams in the class on their way to Gainbridge Fieldhouse. While the Saints had a really tough road, Southwood also had to knock off a pair of Top 10 teams in last weekend's Semi-State. Entering the postseason with a 10-12 record, expectations weren't necessarily high for time team. However, they've proven they belong after defeating #6 Fountain Central and #7 Marquette Catholic to advance to the state championship.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Southwood is led by a trio of seniors averaging in double-figures with Nathan Lehner and Cole Winer averaging 15.6 points and 14.0 points respectively while Jason Oprisek adds 10.8 points per game. As for Indianapolis Lutheran, it is talented sophomore guard LJ Ward who leads the way with 13.1 points per game with senior Durray Smith adding 12.2 points per game. Smith is an elite catch-and-shoot threat, but otherwise neither one of these teams is very good from beyond the arc. They both prefer to drive to the basket off of the dribble. Look for 6'5" seniors [player_tooltip player_id='1162771' first='Kameron' last='Patterson'] and Kaiden Patterson to be potential difference makers inside for the Saints. Their size and physicality will be tough for Southwood to match. At the end of the day Lutheran is much more battle-tested, but the Knights certainly were impressive at the Semi-State as well. Still, there is too much talent on this Saints team to not come away with the victory on Saturday morning.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2>Predicition</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Indianapolis Lutheran 64 Southwood 51</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->