STATE BOUND!!!!
The Southwood Knights shocked Northern Indiana Saturday, defeating #2 Fountain Central 63-57 and #10 Michigan City Marquette 64-56 to capture the Lafayette Jeff semi state.
With the win the Knights will play Indianapolis Lutheran for the state championship next Saturday at 10:30 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
In game one the Knights would get off to a good start and never relinquish the lead. The Winer brothers and Nathan Lehner would give the Knights a 6-2 lead and slowly built that lead to 16-9 before Fountain Central made it 16-11. A Jason Oprisek bucket made it 18-11 after one.
At 23-17 in the second Oprisek would go on a 6-0 run before two Cole Winer free throws and the Knights led 31-19 at the half.
Things would get tight in the third. The Knights were getting into deep foul trouble as Fountain Central converted free throws to cut the Southwood lead to 40-35 before Cole Winer hit two free throws. Southwood led 42-38 after three.
Fountain Central continued to hit free throws in the fourth and had the deficit to 48-46 before a Lehner three and two Winer free throws made it 53-46. Winer would foul out with 4:41 left but the rest of the Knights stepped up. With the score 60-56 Lehner would hit a free throw before Will Winer had a big steal and a bucket with 26.3 left. The Knights would hold on for the 63-57 win.
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In the championship game against Michigan City Marquette the Knights got off to a slower start and trailed the entire quarter. Jason Oprisek led with 4 points as Southwood trailed 12-10 after one.
The Knights came out firing in the second. Cole Winer would drain a three and was followed by a Lehner three and a deuce to put Southwood up 18-12. At 22-19 Jaret Denny would connect, followed by Lehner and Oprisek chipping in buckets. Southwood led 31-24 at the half.
Cole Winer and Dylan Stout would start the third with buckets as the lead grew to 10 points. The Knights increased the lead to 43-30 before Marquette made it 43-36. Free throws from Oprisek and Winer made it 47-38 after three.
The Knights were cruising in the fourth, up 53-43 when Marquette turned up the pressure and made a run. With 1:50 left Marquette had cut the Southwood lead to 54-50, then down to 57-56 with under a minute to go. With 37 seconds left in the game Marquette was whistled for a technical foul and a foul with the Knights hitting three free throws for a 60-56 lead with 32.1 left. The big play to seal the deal came when Will Winer picked the pocket of the Marquette ball handler for a layup to make it 62-56. After a missed Marquette shot Lehner was fouled with 10.1 left, converting both free throws for the 64-56 final.
To view photos of the games click on the picture and follow the link
