2004-2005 Boys Basketball  IHSAA - Class 3A, 4A State Finals Previews A USA-365.com Special Report by Mark Smith (3-24-2005)

95^th Indiana State Finals

INDIANAPOLIS (3-26-2005) As interesting as they are to the four schools involved, the large scale attention for the state finals does not involve the 1A game between Lapel (24-5) and Loogootee (21-4) or the 2A game between (Harding (16-9) and Forest Park (22-4).

But the night session matches four prime-time players, in pairings that almost could not be better.

The only way more people show up Saturday is if Plymouth's Kyle Benge (27.0) or Lawrence North's Greg Oden (20 ppg, 11 rebounds per game, 4 blocks per game) makes a surprise announcement and commits to IU or Purdue.

This isn't rocket science, but I am predicting the first sellout in the Class basketball era Saturday night in Conseco Fieldhouse when Notre Dame recruit and arguably the nation's No.1 senior, Luke Zeller (19.4 ppg.) and Washington try to deny Plymouth coach Jack Edison his 500^th win in 32 seasons in the 3A championship before 7-foot All-American and the nation's undisputed No. 1 junior Greg Oden and Lawrence North take on eight-time state champ Muncie Central, the greatest franchise in Indiana basketball.

We may look back on this weekend and the beginning of a return to prominence for the state finals. I would guess that many who have not been to the finals in the class era will show up Saturday.

The only downside is that the Muncie Central-Lawrence North game will not be on TV (live or tape delay) in Lake and Porter county.

The 'region' will be left out. Poor weather is predicted (rain, not snow) for late in the week and that may keep some from traveling a long distance. But Oden is the bigger than life figure that other players might want to see in person at least once.

2005 Muncie Central is described locally as “the best team ever out of Muncie” and Plymouth's Kyle Benge and Washington's Zeller are both described as the best players in the history of their schools.

This is must-see TV. Unless you live in NW Indiana and then about all you can do is catch the 'Different Strokes' marathon on TV Land.

3A State Championship

Plymouth (22-3) vs. Washington (26-2)

INDIANAPOLIS (6:30 PM, EST) Plymouth, with no one taller than 6-3, has to find a was to stop Zeller, an all America player who averages 19.4 points, 8.9 rebounds, 2.1 blocked shots and shoots 59.6% of the field. Not only that but Washington, a southwest Indiana town near the Illinois state line, also has 6-7 sophomore Bryan Bouchie, whose dad, Steve Bouchie was Mr. Basketball in 1979. 6-2 senior Justin Smith (11.0 ppg.) and 6-5 senior Isaac Stoll (10.7 ppg.)

Plymouth must beat one of the state's biggest teams with 6-1 senior Kyle Benge (27 ppg.) and a spread motion attack that frees up the shooter. The secret weapon is 5-10 Geoff Sheetz, who has 91 three-point baskets. Senior Kyle Plumlee scored 16 last week in a 62-51 win over Wawasee.

The size difference seems insurmountable, but everybody is bigger than Plymouth and they've still won 11 in a row.

Washington has great tradition with 40 sectional titles and 15 regional championships. The Hatchets have one state title, way back in 1942.

Plymouth, the 1982 state champ, is led by coach Jack Edison (499-243) who needs one more win for 500. The Pilgrims will spread out Washington's tall boys and drag each one through picks and screens until the jump shot is there.

Few players get the ball away faster than Benge, who needs 46 points in his final game to total 2,000. Washington must protect the perimeter. They can match two-point goals with the Pilgrims. They simply cannot match 3s.

The Pilgrims have won 29 sectionals and nine regionals so these boys won't be intimidated by a tall team and a big crowd. When looking for a key stat though, it is so obvious you can overlook it. Plymouth has lost twice to Northridge, a team with a 6-10 center.

The Pilgrims did have trouble with a post mismatch and Washington may just sit in a box and one defense and dare somebody other than Benge to shoot them out of it. Plymouth eats up slow man-to-man defense teams and Washington might be one.

Both towns should bring large crowds because there's no clear-cut favorite here. These tradition-rich teams have waited a long time for Saturday. Washington coach Dave Omar is coaching the final game of a 40-year career and he has never won a state title. As much as Plymouth wants to win Edison's 500^th game, Washington wants to honor Omar in his final game.

The team that takes the first significant lead here wins. If Plymouth gets ahead, they can spread Washington and break them down. Washington can sit in a matchup zone and let Plymouth go inside against Zeller if they wish. there won't be any big comebacks in this game.

Shooters struggle in big games. Big post players are still big post players. There's only one player in the state who can shut down Luke Zeller. That guy will be here but he'll be in the Lawrence North dressing room.

Prediction: Washington 59, Plymouth 54

4A State Championship

Muncie Central (27-1) vs. Lawrence North (23-2)

INDIANAPOLIS (8:30 PM, EST) -  The main event.

Everybody who has played either team wants to know if Muncie Central's all-senior starting lineup, which has played together since birth, can handle the most dominant Indianapolis player since Oscar Robertson.

7-foot Greg Oden (20 points) is the pivotal player for the defending state champions. He set what might be a state record with 18 blocked shots in a stunning 60-45 win over undefeated and top-ranked Arlington three weeks ago.

Oden destroys the inside offense of the opposition so Muncie's 6-6 Jordan Armstrong (11.0 ppg.) is a little over matched. The best matchup is 6-2 Muncie point guard Alex Daniel (13.2) against Lawrence North's all-state guard Michael Conley (10.6 ppg.), who had 17 with six assists in last week's 71-52 rout of Terre Haute South.

Muncie is on an unheard-of ride. The BearCats have won 20 games in a row and have beaten their last three foes by 29 points or more. Central is the undefeated, undisputed champion of Indiana's most famous league, the North Central Conference (NCC) and the only game they have lost was 64-60 in overtime to Pike (22-3).

One thing is certain though, Muncie Central has absolutely no chance of beating Lawrence North by 30. Lawrence North will chase Daniel and ace shooter Ty Riddle (13 ppg.), who was 6-of-12 from three-point range, off the perimeter and dare them to take it to Oden.

It works for Muncie if Oden draws quick fouls and has to sit down. Then Armstrong must get the best of 6-7 Donald Cloutier (8.7 ppg.) up front. North's double point guard set of Conley, the son of 1968 Olympics star Michael Conley, and Valpo U recruit Brandon McPherson (9.3) can handle full court pressure and the Wildcats won the 4A state title last year.

North has three Division-I players other than Oden, who could go directly to the NBA (although he insists he will not) next summer. That's not counting Oden's younger brother Anthony Oden, a 6-8 freshman. So, the Wildcats, who are going for their third state title overall, may go to a 1-3-1 trap to trap the ball and speed up the game.

Central will match up ace defender Josiah Miller (13.2) on Conley and try to force turnovers. Whatever happens, Central will not fold when they fall behind. North sometimes eases up defensively (many teams do) when they get a good lead. That could be fatal against Muncie Central, which can play at any pace and has three-point capability.

This match is so good you wish they could play a seven-game series.

But, with just one shot at it, I don't think Central can score consistently in the early going against North. If the 6-6 Armstrong can't shoot 15-foot shots over Oden, Muncie's attack will slow. Oden reportedly does not shoot much early in games but he might change on this night.

Bottom line, if Central can't draw fouls on Oden, they cannot beat this team. Thousands of fans who couldn't care less about Lawrence North, will come to the state finals to see Greg Oden and he won't disappoint them.

Oden will set down a half dozen dunks over Armstrong and Muncie Central cannot keep pace. Lawrence North takes the lead in the second quarter, fights off a couple of second half rallies, and pulls away to post back-to-back state titles.

It'll be worth the price of admission.

Prediction: Lawrence North 70, Muncie Central 60

NOTE: Again, there is no TV of these games in NW Indiana. You can hear the finals on WEFM (95.9) FM and that is probably the way to go. Of local NW Indiana broadcast outlets, the Regional Radio Sports Network (RRSN) consistently has the best knowledge and attitude for the game from a state wide perspective. While WJOB and the Region Sports Network (RSN (on WWCA (1270) make no bones about being 'homers' for local teams, they also carry a certain indifference to games that do not involve local squads. Even when they are broadcasting them.

Mike Knezevich, Dave Miller and Paul Condry speak of the games in more of a total Indiana context and, on state finals day, that's probably what you want.

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Revised: March 24, 2005 .