Coming into the 2010 State Tournament as the Number Two seed, the Eagles faced the Number One seeded Indianapolis Homeschool Wildcats for the Championship game and pulled out the win 72-66. This is the first time in recent history that the two best ranked teams in the State actually met in the Championship game, and is considered, by some, the best Championship game that has been played. The game was webcast live by Hometown Sports Indiana, and rebroadcasts of the game will occur Tuesday 3/9/10 at 2PM and 10PM, and Wednesday 3/10/10 at 8AM, Noon, 4PM and 8PM. http://www.hometownsportsindiana.com/
This is the third time these teams have faced each other this season. The Eagles lost their opening game of the season on 11/6/09 to the Wildcats in double overtime 77-83, at the North/South Tip Off, on the very court where the State Championship game was played. The Eagles hosted the Wildcats at Luckey Arena, on the court of the Indiana Wesleyan University Wildcats in Marion, Indiana on 1/14/10 and came away with the win 58-43.
The I. C. B. A. State Tournament was coordinated this year by the Indianapolis Homeschool Wildcats. Results of the tournament games can be downloaded in a pdf file from their website. http://www.homeschoolwildcats.com/
The Championship game started with the Wildcats sinking their first 3, after sputtering through a couple of turnovers, the Eagles tied it at three. In the first half there were 7 ties and 15 lead changes. The Eagles largest lead of the game was 14-5. With only a couple of seconds on the clock before the half, the score tied at 36, a crucial turnover by the Eagles gave the Wildcats an opportunity to take a lead to the locker room. A missed shot was deflected to Burkett who drove in for the lay-up and energized their fans. The Eagles quickly inbounded the ball and Jed launched a shot from 5 feet before half court, which, as the buzzer was sounding, banked in, to give the Eagles a 39-38 lead. The Eagles held a lead in the third quarter until a foul on Richards with 11 seconds left sent him to the line to drain 2 Free Throws and tie the game. Jed brought the ball down and dribbling around three defenders banked a shot in before the buzzer.
The 4th quarter had 2 ties and 3 lead changes. With 4:18 left, the Wildcats had acquired a 4 point lead 61-57. After an Eagle timeout at 4:06, the Coaches reset the strategy, and by 2:54, the Eagles were up 64-61, and the Wildcats took a timeout. Although the Eagles scored a bucket, the Wildcats got a steal and a lay-up, then Richards drained a three to tie the game at 66 with a minute left. Caleb drove into the lane and lofted a shot, which gave the Eagles a 68-66 lead. Jed went to the line at 23 seconds, after a Richards foul, and sunk 2 Free Throws. At 11 seconds, Caleb went to the line after a Burkett foul and was enabled to drain them both. The Wildcats came quickly down the court, took a 3 and missed, but got the rebound and shot again, but it was not to be, the buzzer sounded, the game was over, history was realized.
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