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INDIANAPOLIS - The past couple of weeks haven’t been one of life’s uncontested layups for those in and around the town of Selma.
Tornadoes that tore through eastern Indiana the night of March 14 left Selma’s approximately 750 residents in dire need of a feel-good happening.
Wapahani’s boys basketball team has been happy to oblige.
The Raiders (26-2), guided by 17th-year coach Matt Luce, makes the program’s first State Finals appearance when they face Brownstown Central (27-4) in the Class 2A championship game inside Gainbridge Fieldhouse on March 30.
Wapahani sealed the deal at the Lafayette Jeff Semi-State, downing North Judson and Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian. The celebration continued well into the following morning as the team drove into the heart of Selma at 1 a.m., an occasion complete with cheering fans and some well-deserved fireworks.
All in all, a fresh twist on the phrase, “Hoosier Hysteria.”
“Hard to explain . . . huge,” said Luce, referring to the all-encompassing positive vibe engineered by a roster of 12 young men in the aftermath of so much devastation. “First of all, the opportunity to go to the state championship with these players and their families is surreal. Combine that with the storm that surprised our community, and, it’s incredible.
“Our town is on survival mode right now. If you drive through Selma, you see the tree limbs. You see the debris and the roofs off the houses. There were a lot of people affected and removed from their homes.”
Luce’s son, Nate, a junior who starts at guard for Wapahani, was home alone when storms bullied their way through Delaware County. “We live a half-mile from the town of Selma,” said coach Luce. “I’m calling Nate and telling him it sounds terrible. Get in the bathroom.”
Fortunately, no fatalities were reported in Selma, or, for that matter, the state of Indiana. However, the storm system made its way east, claiming three lives in Indian Lake, Ohio, northwest of Columbus.
Wapahani looks to become the school’s eighth state champion, joining the 2014 baseball team, and, of course, its six volleyball titles.
However, the basketball squad’s unmistakable sense of unfinished business doesn’t revolve solely around Mother Nature’s recent foul mood. Last season, the Raiders made it to semi-state, but fell short against Lewis Cass in a semifinal matchup, 59-54.
That was the deepest any Wapahani boys squad had ventured in postseason action, until now. The school, a 1967 consolidation of Selma and Center High Schools, needed 16 years of hoops before bringing home its first sectional championship in 1983.
The Class 2A State Championship featuring Brownstown Central (27-4) and Wapahani (26-2) will stream via PPV on IHSAAtv.org this Saturday at approximately 12:45 pm ET / 11:45 CT!
Brownstown Central opened the year after Wapahani, the Braves’ program waiting until the 1980-1981 postseason to cut the nets for the first time at sectional. However, since 2003, the program has secured a dozen sectional, four regional and three semi-state titles.
Historical similarities aside, the Class 2A final has the makings of something special.
Brownstown Central, led by 6-foot-6 senior guard and future Purdue Boilermaker Jack Benter, ended the regular season ranked first in 2A, while Wapahani was second. Coach Dave Benter’s Braves were eighth in the state in scoring average (69.13 ppg), and the Raiders seventh in points allowed per game (40.32).
Meanwhile, Wapahani’s average margin of victory was a state-best 23.68 points; Brownstown Central ranked third at 22.26.
In Jack Benter and Wapahani 6-foot-1 senior do-everything Isaac Andrews, the Class 2A championship game promises to showcase the talents of two of the state’s premier scorers this season.
Benter scores at a 25.6 clip, but also leads the Braves in rebounding (7.4) and is tied for the top spot in assists (5.2). Andrews checks in with a 24.6 norm in points, collects 6.8 boards per contest and dishes out 3.3 assists.
“Isaac is not showy. Very consistent. He’s Jimmy Chitwood in the movie, ‘Hoosiers,’ ” said coach Luce. “Our team is built on discipline and man-to-man defense. They don’t pass the eye test, but you can’t measure their heart and their intelligence. And they just care about winning.”
Brownstown Central also features senior guard Parker Hehman (11.6 ppg, 5.2 apg), 6-foot-6 junior forward Colby Hall (10.6 ppg, 6.8 rpg) and 6-foot-5 junior guard Chace Coomer (8.5 ppg). Andrews’ supporting cast includes sophomore guard Camden Bell (13 ppg), 6-foot-3 senior forward Nick Cook (8.5 ppg, 6.1 rpg) and the 5-foot-8 Luce (8.3 ppg, 3.2 apg).
“We’ve got a lot of good players, but people talk about our shooting as a team. We’ve got great length, also, and to top that off, this is the most unselfish team I’ve ever coached,” said coach Benter. “I’ve said all year I think Jack is the most difficult matchup in Indiana. “But Wapahani has a guy like that, too. Both teams are solid defensively, and play the game the right way.”
In both Selma and Brownstown, there’s a strong possibility that the last person out of town is going to have to turn off the lights. Both programs have enjoyed tremendous community support, which will no doubt be on display at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
One way or another, one is about to celebrate its first boys state basketball title (coach Benter guided the 2004 and 2009 Braves to state championship games, but they came up short against Jimtown and Fort Wayne Luers, respectively).
“It’s still Indiana. Our school is still the center of our community, and we take a lot of pride in our athletic program,” said coach Luce. “Winning a state championship would be beyond our dreams, but I think our kids believe in themselves.
“The community is buzzing. We can’t wait for Saturday to get here.”