ARENA--By Chris Morlan

IHSAA basketball state finals are set for this Saturday

Over the weekend, the Indiana High School Athletic Association semi-state round of the state boys’ basketball tournament was played. Prior to any tip-off, there were 32 schools competing for a semi-state championship. After the semi-state championship games were played last Saturday evening. There are now eight high school boys’ basketball teams continuing their seasons this weekend.

The four state championship games that make up the state finals will be played at Indianapolis at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Saturday, March 28. Barr-Reeve is the only Southwestern Indiana school left in the state tournament.

IHSAA basketball championship scheduled for March 28

Session 1

8:30 am CT: Public gates open

9:30 am CT: Class 1A State Championship

#2- Barr-Reeve (27-1) vs. #4- Triton (25-3)

11:45 am CT: Class 2A State Championship

#4- Parke Heritage (26-4) vs. #3- Westview (27-1)

Fieldhouse cleared

Session 2

4 pm CT: Public gates open

5 pm CT: Class 3A State Championship

#3- Indianapolis Cathedral (24-5) vs. New Haven (22-7)

7:15 pm CT | Class 4A State Championship

#4- Mt. Vernon (Fortville) (27-3) vs. #2- Crown Point (25-1)

IHSAA boys semi-state basketball results for March 21

South

Class 4A at New Castle (New Castle Fieldhouse)

Mount Vernon (Fortville) 66, Decatur Central 46

New Albany 65, Terre Haute North Vigo 57

(Championship) Mount Vernon (Fortville) 77, New Albany 69

Class 3A at Seymour (Lloyd E. Scott Gymnasium)

Silver Creek 67, Indianapolis Roncalli 44

Indianapolis Cathedral 85, Princeton Community 64

(Championship) Indianapolis Cathedral 73, Silver Creek 68

Class 2A at Southport (Southport Fieldhouse)

Parke Heritage 44, Triton Central 38

Linton-Stockton 82, Austin 74 (Overtime)

(Championship) Parke Heritage 66, Linton-Stockton 53

Class 1A at Washington (Hatchet House)

Barr-Reeve 39, Liberty Christian 37

Hauser 54, Bloomfield 40

(Championship) Barr-Reeve 52, Hauser 47

Southwestern Indiana basketball team results

Class 3A Semi-State at Seymour

Indianapolis Cathedral 85, Princeton 64: The second ranked Tigers wonderful season ended last Saturday morning in the semi-state semifinal game for the second consecutive season. Princeton started off the game leading 13-8 with senior Zen Coomer draining three three-point baskets. Then the third ranked Indianapolis Cathedral Fighting Irish took over closing out the first period with a 13-2 run to gain the lead at 21-15.

The Fighting Irish extended their scoring run to 26-4 midway through the second quarter. At the halftime break, Cathedral led 40-22. Princeton won the third quarter 21-16 but still trailed Cathedral 56-43. During the fourth quarter, Cathedral scored 29 points to help them defeat Princeton by twenty-one points.

There were 35 three-point baskets made between the two schools. Princeton was 19 for 37 and Cathedral went 16 for 38 behind the arc. Princeton’s season ended with twenty wins and seven losses. Cathedral improved their record to twenty-three wins and five losses.

Julien Smith of Indianapolis Cathedral (Mount St. Mary’s signee) scored a game-high 22 points. Braylon Pippins came off the bench for the Fighting Irish scoring 14 points. Keaton Aldridge had a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Owen Peterson scored 11 points for Cathedral.

Princeton sophomore Quintyn Voltz led the Tigers by scoring 16 points, All-State senior Edwin Holmes played his final game with twelve points, seven rebounds, nine assists, and three blocked shots. Demarcus Newson scored 14 points and Zen Coomer with 11 points.

Class 1A Semi-State Semifinal at Washington

Barr-Reeve 39, Liberty Christian 37: A very low scoring game for the second ranked Barr-Reeve Vikings in the semi-state semifinal from the Hatchet House in Washington. Barr-Reeve’s Josh Miller made a bank shot inside the paint with two seconds left in the game to help Barr-Reeve beat the Liberty Christian Lions 39-37.

The Vikings improved their season record to twenty-six wins and one loss. With the win, Barr-Reeve is one win away from punching their ticket to the Class 1A State Championship game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

Josh Miller led Barr-Reeve by scoring 19 points to include the final two points, while Kierson Lengacher added 10 points, eight points from Braxton Neidigh and a pair from Jaylon Graber to round out the Vikings scoring. Tywaine Fuller led Liberty Christian by scoring 12 points.

This game remained scoreless until Liberty scored just inside the five-minute mark of the first quarter and made it 4-0. Josh Miller got Barr-Reeve on the board at 3:35 mark to keep it close at 8-6 with his second three-pointer of the quarter. Barr-Reeve ended the first eight minutes with a 9-8 advantage.

Liberty Christian gained the lead back at 15-14 in the second quarter. Then baskets started falling for Barr-Reeve. The Vikings led 25-18 at the halftime break. Josh Miller scored 13 points at the end of the first half.

Liberty Christian cut the deficit to 27-25 with 4:21 left in the third quarter before tying it at 27-27 apiece. At the end of the third quarter, Barr-Reeve led by one at 33-32.

The Lions took the first bucket of the fourth quarter, by slowing down the game for the next two minutes while holding the ball. Braxton Neidigh scored the Vikings first basket of the fourth quarter with 3:23 left in game to bring them back to within one point.

Kierson Lengacher gave Barr-Reeve its first lead of the quarter with a pair of free throws. Liberty tied the game going into the final two minutes and had the ball with 1:07 left. A huge steal from Carson Yoder gave the Barr-Reeve the ball back with forty-five seconds left to play setting up the final game winning basket from Josh Miller with two seconds left for the 39-37 win.

Class 1A Semi-State Championship at Washington

Barr-Reeve 52, Hauser 47: This was a close matchup that went down to the wire. Second ranked Barr-Reeve Vikings defeated the third ranked Hauser Jets by five points to advance to the Class 1A State Championship for the first time since 2021.

Viking junior Kierson Lengacher led the way, scoring a game-high 29 points. Heath Howington in his first season coaching Barr-Reeve. The Vikings will play on Saturday morning in the Class 1A final at Gainbridge Fieldhouse against fourth ranked Triton. Howington formally coached eight years at North Posey and five years at Evansville Memorial. Last season, Howington and the Tigers won the Class 3A, Sectional 32 Championship. Barr-Reeve is looking to win the program’s third state title. On the season, Barr-Reeve has twenty-seven wins and one loss.