INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Height vs. defense could be the dominant theme in the IHSAA Boys Basketball State Finals.
Washington, which will play Fort Wayne Harding at 6 p.m. Saturday, sports not one, but two, big men in 7-foot Tyler Zeller and 6-11 Seth Coy. Zeller, who will play for North Carolina, is the younger brother of former Indiana Mr. Basketball Luke Zeller.
Fort Wayne Harding, meanwhile, has no player taller than 6-4.
But the Hawks' 18th-year coach, Al Gooden, says familiarity with Conseco Fieldhouse and the state finals hoopla, as well as a defense that has limited opponents to 59 points per game, may make the difference. Harding ( 22-3) was the Class 2A state runnerup in 2005 and '06 before moving up to Class 3A.
"We have four seniors, and Pryce Underwood (6-3 senior), Evan White (6-0 senior) and JaMarcus Collins (6-2 senior) have been playing at state since they were sophomores," Gooden said. "Hopefully, that will carry over."
Harding's defense will have its work cut out for it.
"They're not just a team of two," Gooden said of the Hatchets (22-2). "We need to work hard, box them off the boards and limit them to one shot. We'll do what we always do, play defense."
White leads the Hawks with a 16.4 point scoring average, and Underwood is averaging 14.6. Marquelo Suel, a 6-3 senior, and Roderick Smith, a 6-4 sophomore, average 8.3 rebounds each.
They'll have to get all the rebounds they can to keep Zeller and Coy off the boards.
Zeller is averaging 32.7 points and 10.8 rebounds. Coy averages 13.3 points and 9.3 rebounds. Together, they average more rebounds than opposing teams, who average 19.1.
"It's nice, especially when they're talented as they are," third-year Washington coach Gene Miller said of Zeller and Coy. "That height can be an advantage at both ends."
Miller said the Hatchets must be ready to go on the attack.
"I expect we'll see a lot of pressure defense, fullcourt and halfcourt," he said. "We'll try to push the ball up the floor. The concern when you play with Harding is their athleticism and quickness. We just have to adjust to that."
The scenario is much the same in the Class 4A championship, which will follow the 6 p.m. Washington-Harding game.
The tallest players for Marion (24-4), both 6-5, are senior center Lamar Jackson (3.1 points and 7.1 rebounds per game) and junior guard Scott Wood (16.2 points and 3.8 rebounds).
They'll have to find a way to counter Brownsburg seniors Julian Mavunga (6-8, 18.9 points and 9.4 rebounds) and Gordon Hayward (6-9, 18.1 points, 8.5 rebounds).
While both teams allow just 49.9 points on defense, Marion is averaging 65.5 points on offense to 57.6 for Brownsburg (21-5).
"We have to beat them to spots, position ourselves well to counter their size and length," said fourth-year Marion coach Joe Luce. "It's our speed and quickness against their size and speed. We'll see how we match up."
Luce said if the Giants are to equal Muncie Central with a record eighth state championship, they cannot afford to focus solely on the Bulldogs' big men.
"They have a great surrounding cast, with (junior guard Austin) Fish and the others," he said. "We can't let them slip under the radar."
Fish sank a late 3-pointer as Brownsburg escaped Decatur Central 37-35 in the sectional championship game. J.D. Cosby, a 5-11 junior, hit big shots when unranked Brownsburg upset top-ranked New Albany 51-41 in the semistate.
"Everybody trusts them to make the big shot," fourth-year Brownsburg coach Joshua Kendrick said. "They're going to have to hit some more Saturday. Marion will attack us, try to find areas to exploit us. They're here not only because they have some great offensive players, but they play great defense."
The Class 2A game pits No. 3 Fort Wayne Bishop Luers (23-3) against fourth-ranked Winchester (23-3).
Luers sophomore DeShaun Thomas, a 6-7 guard, is averaging 29.5 points and 12.5 rebounds. The Knights, under the direction of fourth-year coach James Blackmon, are making their first state finals appearance.
Winchester was the 2007 runnerup after falling 78-74 in two overtimes to Northwestern.
The Golden Falcons will try to counter Thomas with 6-5 junior Tyler Koch (22 points, 6.4 rebounds), 6-4 senior Clayton Briggs (5.6 points and 3.2 rebounds) and 6-3 senior Brock Morrison (15.4 points and 4.9 rebounds).
In the Class A game, which kicks off the tournament at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, third-ranked Triton (24-2) plays No. 10 Indianapolis Lutheran (22-4).
Jake Everett, a 6-6 senior, leads Triton with a 12-point scoring average and averages 5.1 rebounds. Troy McIntyre, a 6-4 senior, averages 10.9 points and 5.7 rebounds.
Lutheran will counter with 6-5 senior Austin Glander (3.3 points, 2.0 rebounds) and 6-4 senior Zach Cutshaw (14.8 points, 7.3 rebounds). Cutshaw is the only Saint scoring in double figures.
Defenses should dominate, as Triton, under the direction of third-year coach Jason Groves, gives up just 40.3 points on average.
Lutheran, with Tom Finchum in his 16th season, yields an average of 48.6 points.
