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INDIANAPOLIS - How is this for symmetry?
The Class 4A state championship game will feature the defending champion in Ben Davis against Fishers, a team that has been ranked No. 1 for most of the season.
Add to that the fact that these teams met in the opening game of the 2023-24 season and will now play the final game of the campaign and it seems nothing could be more fitting.
The top-ranked Tigers come to Gainbridge Fieldhouse sporting a 28-1 record and are riding a 12-game winning streak. The program is making its second appearance in the state finals and first since 1922 – yes, 102 years ago.
The Giants, ranked eighth in the final Associated Press poll, come in at 23-5 and are winners of eight in a row. Ben Davis is making its eighth state finals appearance and is seeking its fifth championship -- and third in the last eight years (BD also won in 2017).
“Ben Davis has a great program and it’s an honor for us to be matched up with them,” Fishers coach Garrett Winegar said. “Both teams play tough schedules and have won close, tough games that have prepared each team for games like this.”
Winegar’s squad was expected to be a state-title contender this season and that showed right from the start. The Tigers opened the campaign with a 74-61 win over the Giants that sparked a 16-game winning streak before their only loss – a 54-46 defeat to Carmel on Jan. 27.
Since that loss, Fishers has avenged that defeat by beating Carmel in the opener of the Noblesville sectional, then survived a thrilling title game against the host school, winning 49-47. The Tigers followed with a win over No. 4 Kokomo in the regional round, then ousted Crown Point and Fort Wayne Wayne in the Elkhart Semi-State.
Fishers is led by 6-6 senior Keenan Garner, who is the team’s leading scorer (15.6 ppg) and rebounder (8.2), while 6-2 guard JonAnthony Hall sports an 11.3 scoring average.
The likes of senior Taden Metzger, Cooper Zachary, Jason Gardner, Millen McCartney and Justin Kirby are among those who provide support.
“Our depth and unselfishness has carried us,” Winegar said of his team’s strengths. “We have nine guys who get consistent minutes. All nine deserve those minutes and in different games, it’s been different guys who have stepped up.
“These guys don’t care who scores and will give up a good shot for a great shot. They have a great mentality and it’s been fun to coach them.”
“Fishers plays hard,” BD interim coach Corey Taylor said of the Tigers. “They know each other well and know what they do well. They are very much like us last year.”
While Fishers was an expected title contender, there were questions surrounding the Giants coming into the season.
The Class 4A State Championship featuring Ben Davis (23-5) and Fishers (28-1) will stream via PPV on IHSAAtv.org this Saturday at approximately 8:15 pm ET / 7:15 CT!
The first started with Taylor – who moved over from his assistant’s seat when head coach Don Carlisle was placed on leave by the school. Taylor, however, has stepped in and has the Giants one step from the state championship.
The Giants needed to replace plenty of talent from the 33-0 champs of a year ago, but it helped to have the likes of Northwestern-recruit K.J. Windham returning, along with guard Mark Zackery.
“Their guard play, with Windham and Zackery, is probably the most impressive thing about Ben Davis,” Winegar said. “Their athleticism is also very impressive. They are unselfish and play together.”
Windham leads the team in scoring with a 16.3 average, while Zackery averages 10.3. Zackery, a 6-1 junior who is a highly-regarded football recruit, missed that opener as he was with the BD football team as it prepared for (and won) the 6A state championship game.
“We felt this team had this potential, but it would take some time,” Taylor said of his squad. “We had a scorer in Windham and guys who could finish games. We just had to get guys more comfortable and familiar with their roles. We had eight guys who played JV last year and they needed in-game experience.”
Ironically, the Giants also lost to Carmel the night before (Jan. 26) Fishers did. A five-game winning streak followed before a loss to Indianapolis Cathedral. Since that defeat, Ben Davis won seven straight by at least double-digits, then survived a 52-51 thriller in the semi-state championship game against Jeffersonville.
It’s interesting to note that the two-week break between the semi-state and championship game is that Ben Davis is on spring break for the whole period.
“The two-week break between games is tough,” Taylor said, “but we’ll look at it as a positive. We’ll use it to prepare, watch film and get healthy. We have a knack for playing in big games and our kids know what to expect.”