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Top-ranked Bloomington South brought home its first boy’s basketball state championship since 1919, on Saturday night, against No. 6 Fort Wayne Snider, 69-62, for the Class 4A crown at Conseco Fieldhouse.  The win capped a 26-0 season for head coach J.R. Holmes and the Panthers, the 12th school to finish undefeated in state history.

The two teams traded the lead eight times in the game, including four times in the fourth quarter when Darwin Davis’ two free throws with 2:27 remaining gave Bloomington South a 59-58 advantage and a lead they would never surrender.

Davis led four Bloomington players in double figures with 17 points. Eric Fromm had 14 points and nine rebounds, Jordan Hulls added 14 points, and Spencer Turner chipped in 10.

Fort Wayne Snider’s Bradley Sneary led all scorers with 22 points and 14 rebounds.  Reggie Hearn contributed 15 points and Jonathan Sims had 11 and six rebounds. The Panthers, coached by Ray Sims, finished their season 25-2 after entering the game with 20 straight victories.

SNIDER’S REGGIE HEARN NAMED MENTAL ATTITUDE AWARD WINNER
Following the game, members of the IHSAA Executive Committee named Reggie Hearn of Fort Wayne Snider High School as the winner of the Arthur L. Trester Mental Attitude Award.

The award is presented annually to a senior participant in each classification who was nominated by his principal and coach and has demonstrated excellence in mental attitude, scholarship, leadership and athletic ability.

As captain of the basketball team, Hearn ranks fourth in his senior class of 471 and is a National Merit Scholar semifinalist. He has been recognized for his academic achievement by the Fort Wayne Alliance of Black School Educators.

He is a member of the National Honor Society and the National Society of High School Scholars as well as being named Best Male Citizen of his senior class. He has also been on the Principal’s List all four years.

Hearn is involved with Youth Leadership of Fort Wayne, the YMCA as a volunteer coach and a member of the Fort Wayne Community Schools Planning Committee.

Hearn’s area of study is currently undecided but he plans on attending Harvard or Northwestern in the fall.

He is the son of Crane and Lisa Hearn of Fort Wayne.

Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance, the IHSAA’s corporate partner, will present a $1,000 scholarship to Fort Wayne Snider High School in the name of Hearn.

The award is named in honor of Arthur L. Trester, the IHSAA’s first commissioner who served the Association from 1929-44.

VSN MEANS ACTION PHOTOGRAPHY
Visit our friends at Visual Sports Network, the IHSAA’s official photographer for all state championship events and one of the leading action photographers in the Midwest. VSN, which was on site Saturday, has captured hundreds of images from this year’s State Finals and will have them ready for viewing and purchase beginning Monday.

CLASS 4A POST-GAME QUOTES

Fort Wayne Snider Head Coach Ray Sims
“I thought we were good enough to win – but we lost. We missed some free throws down the stretch and some layups down the stretch. I’ve always said, if you make free throws and your layups, you can win basketball games.”

“I am proud of our kids. No one talks about basketball when you talk about Snider High School. Maybe the northern part of the state will get just a little bit of publicity as it relates to basketball.”

(On the last 3 minutes) “It’s no surprise that our kids never gave up. The thing I’m proud of is that we took on all comers and didn’t back away from anyone.”

(On Reggie Hearn winning the Trester Award) “There is a kid who deserves it. I’m just so happy for Reggie because he has worked very hard in the classroom as well as on basketball.”

Bloomington South Head Coach J.R. Holmes
“We fouled all our big guys out and we still hung in there somehow. I just appreciate that our kids never quit. We really had a hard time with (Snider) inside.”

“It’s an honor to say you won the state championship. Our kids have played a year where they deserve to win. It was a fantastic year.”

“(Fort Wayne Snider) plays so hard. … Those five seniors are pretty good.”

(On the play of Mulinix and Blackwell late in the game) “They both shoot about 48 percent from the free throw line. And they both hit two big free throws. They came in and made us look good.”