By Brandon Jones
Staff Writer
INDIANAPOLIS â??? In a rematch of the 2005 Class 2A state championship game, it was once again the Forest Park Rangers prevailing, this time by a score of 61-55 in front of 13,483 fans March 25 at Conseco Fieldhouse.
Most coaches would frown upon their team committing 25 turnovers, which led to a state finalsâ?? record 17 steals by 15th-ranked Harding, combined with shooting a dismal 50 percent from the free throw line. Forest Park head man Tom Beach certainly did.
â??We came into the game with the goal of committing less than 20 turnovers and making more free throws than our opponents shoot, and we were successful with one of the two,â? Beach said. â??We know our kids intend on passing the ball to someone in green (referring to the Rangersâ?? visiting green jerseys), but sometimes there is a Harding player there.â?
Beachâ??s team looked lethargic coming out of the gate. Behind three 3-point baskets by Harding junior guard Deaundre Muhammad, the Hawks jumped on top-ranked Forest Park early, racing out to an early 16-6 advantage with 3:20 remaining in the opening period.
â??I usually put the least amount of emphasis on the first quarter of a basketball game,â? said Beach. â??Harding came right at us in the beginning, but our kids really stuck with it. We kept our composure.
â??We thought there would be runs, and that is exactly what happened.â?
Indeed it was.
Beachâ??s team responded with an 11-1 run, led by senior Brandon Hopfâ??s five late points, to close out the quarter. The teams finished the first period of play exactly where they had begun as the score was knotted at 17.
The pace slowed in the second period as the teams traded turnovers and the hot-shooting Muhammad cooled off. The contest featured four lead changes in the second quarter as the Rangers uncharacteristically delivered a dagger into Harding from the perimeter as opposed to where they usually do their damage: in the paint.
Hardingâ??s 6â??7â? senior James Humphrey was not intimidated by the 1-2 punch of 6â??7â? cousins Brandon and Clint Hopf as he took it straight at the Rangersâ?? big men. Humphrey, who recorded a state finalsâ?? record five blocked shots in the game, scored six of Hardingâ??s 10 points in the quarter.
But 6-foot junior Beau Troesch had the last laugh as he connected on a 3-point basket as time expired, pulling Forest Park within a mere one point, 27-26, at halftime.
Muhammad looked as if he would continue his hot shooting to start the second half when he collected an offensive rebound and put-back basket. But then the big men of Forest Park took over.
Back-to-back layups by Brandon Hopf and a David Welp jumper allowed the Rangers to regain the lead at 32-29. A 10-3 run gave Forest Park a 36-32 advantage with under four minutes to play in the third.
The teams then traded baskets before Harding closed the quarter with a feisty 9-2 spurt to tie the game at 44 with one quarter remaining to decide the Class 2A state champion.
The pace picked up once again as the teams came out for the fourth quarter, and the lead changes were aplenty. A Welp free throw began the scoring for Forest Park before Harding responded at the other end.
Forest Park (25-3), as all great teams do, took control as the Hopf contingent took over. Brandon Hopf had six fourth-quarter points and Clint Hopf had five in the period, and after the Rangers regained the lead at 49-48 as the furious pace continued, they would never trail again.
A Clint Hopf free throw after an offensive rebound (Forest Park outrebounded the Hawks 44-31) stretched Forest Parkâ??s advantage to six points at 56-50 with only 1:56 to go. The contest was still in doubt, however, as Harding refused to go away.
A 3-pointer by Muhammad and a steal that turned into an easy layup at the other end pulled Harding to within one at 56-55. Those would be Hardingâ??s last points of the contest, though, as some sloppy play down the stretch and the towering presence of Brandon Hopf inside was just too much.
Brandon Hopf connected on two free throws to put the Rangers ahead 58-55 before a wild shot by Humphrey was unsuccessful. Forest Park then iced the contest down the stretch from the free throw line. Final score: Forest Park 61, Harding 55.
It was Forest Parkâ??s second consecutive state championship in boys basketball.
â??No one thought we had a chance to be here (in the state finals),â? said Harding coach Al Gooden. â??As a coach, you ask the kids to play hard and give you everything theyâ??ve got. All 11 of my guys left it on the floor today.
â??Iâ??m real proud of them for that.â?
The Hawks finished 17-10 on the season to go along with a second straight state runner-up finish.
Beachâ??s final comment summed up him and his teamâ??s sentiments on the contest.
â??These six seniors have been leaders all year,â? Beach said. â??When you play in a state tournament, you want to win a state championship.
â??These guys did it twice.â?
- Most combined blocked shots: 13, (11, Harding (9) vs. Forest Park (2), 2005)
- Most steals: Harding, 17 (14, Harding vs. Forest Park 2005)
- Highest field goal percentage: .800 (8-10), Clint Hopf, Forest Park (.692 (9-13), Jeff Nelson, Westview vs. Paoli, 1999)
- Most 3-point field goals made: 4, Deaundre Muhammad, Harding (4, Rusty Garner, Alexandria vs. Southwestern (Hanover), 1998)
- Highest 3-point field goal percentage: .667 (4-6), Deaundre Muhammad, Harding (.667 (4-6), Rusty Garner, Alexandria vs. Southwestern (Hanover), 1998)
- Most blocked shots: 5, James Humphrey, Harding (3, Kyle Johnson, Jimtown vs. Brownstown, 2004)
Processing your request, Please wait....
