Attica hit only two of four free throws in the closing seconds of the game, but it was enough for the Red Ramblers to hang on for a thrilling 64-62 victory and the Class A state championship on Saturday (March 24) at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Senior Josh Smith and sophomore Travis Kirby both hit the front end of their two free throws to give Attica its first state championship in school history. It was Attica’s second trip to the basketball state finals and the first since 1929 when the finals were a 16-team affair. With the game tied at 62-62 and :07.8 seconds remaining, Kirby sank the first free throw and missed the second but Blue River Valley lost the rebound out of bounds. On the in-bounds pass, Kirby was fouled and made the first of two free throws. Blue River Valley got the rebound after the miss, but the downcourt pass for a last shot was intercepted and thrown into the air by Attica’s Mark Mattern as time expired. Blue River Valley led 54-40 with 6:27 to go in the game, but Attica went on a 20-4 run capped by two free throws by Ryan Francis that put the Red Ramblers back on top at 60-58. It was their first lead since the 6:36 mark of the second period. Attica led 20-17 after the first period, but trailed 32-31 at the half. Blue River Valley held Attica to just five third period points for a 46-36 lead to begin the fourth. Smith, the winner of the Class A Football Mental Attitude Award in November, finished the game with 19 points, 11 in the first half. Kirby and Francis finished with nine points each. Ten of Attica’s 12 players were part of the Red Ramblers’ state runner-up team in football. With his 19 points, Smith ended the year at 24.0 points per game and 12th among the state’s scoring leaders this year. Blue River Valley was led by Kyle Cox’s 30 points, the second-best output in a Class A championship game. Brody Boyd of Union (Dugger) scored 35 in the 2000 title contest. The 30 points improved his season average to 24.4 per game bumping him into a tie for 10th place this season in per game scoring. It also gave him 1,838 points for his career to tie him for 73rd place in state career scoring. Philip Griffith finished with 11 points and nine rebounds and Brandon Cool with 10 points for Blue River Valley. Blue River Valley held a 33-22 rebounding advantage, but were hurt by 25 turnovers. Attica scored 19 points off those miscues. The Red Ramblers (21-6) were coached by Ralph Shrader. Blue River Valley, coached by Barry Huckeby, finished 22-5 in its first state finals appearance in any sport.
2001 IHSAA Class A: Attica 64, Blue River Valley 62 - YouTube |
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