The dream ends Knights fall to Indianapolis Lutheran in Class A Finals

By Eric Christiansen

The dream run ended for Southwood Saturday, March 25, at the IHSAA Boys Basketball Class 1A State Finals.

The Knights, who entered the state tournament with a 10-12 record, had a five-point lead with 5:40 remaining in the second quarter against Indianapolis Lutheran in the championship game, but from that point on, the Saints took over, ending Southwood’s run with a 97-66 win.

Southwood started the season with an 0-5 record before figuring things out as the season went on with first-year head coach Christian Perry.

“It’s hard to put into perspective what they’ve done,” Perry said after the game in Indianapolis. “Starting out 0-5 and going into sectional play under .500… then we go on this run of eight games. Then to get down here … it’s just amazing what they’ve done.”

Both Class 1A teams showed the nerves that come with playing on such a big stage in Gainbridge Fieldhouse in downtown Indianapolis, home of the Indiana Pacers and Indiana Fever, with a slow start offensively.

The Saints took a 3-0 lead before Southwood’s Dylan Stout got the Knights on the board with 5:17 left in the first quarter.

After a Lutheran basket, Cole Winer scored inside to cut it to 5-4, but the Saints answered to take a 7-4 lead with 3:45 left in the quarter.

A timely time out from Perry worked as the Knights scored the next six points on two baskets from Jason Oprisek and another from Stout to take a 10-7 lead.

“They got off to a 7-4 lead, then we got some turnovers and a layup and got the lead on them,” Perry said. “At that point we thought ‘okay, we can play with these guys.’”

Tied at 12-12, Cole Winer gave the Knights a 1512 lead with a three-point play, followed by a fast break layup from Will Winer with a steal and assist from his brother Cole, to give Southwood its largest lead of the game at 17-12.

Lutheran answered with a 7-0 run to take a 2017 lead before Stout stopped the bleeding, temporarily, with a reverse layup with 4:30 remaining in the first half to put it at 20-19.

Back-to-back baskets from Lutheran’s LJ Ward, Cont. on Page 4.