Center Grove and Indian Creek don’t often meet in boys basketball, but every so often the Johnson County tournament pulls them together.
The latest took place Friday night, the Trojans winning, 55-44, in the second semifinal played at Franklin. It was only the sixth meeting between the schools since 2000.
Center Grove (5-4) will play Class A No. 2 Greenwood Christian this evening in the championship game.
The Trojans’ bench outscored the Braves’ backups 37-0 to help hand the state’s seventh-ranked club in 3A only its second loss of the season.
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“I thought we got off to a bad start in the first quarter and then a bad start in the third quarter,” Center Grove coach Zach Hahn said. “But that’s a credit to Indian Creek. They’re a great team. We knew it was going to be a battle, and it was a two-point game with three minutes to go and we just happened to make a couple of plays and get to the rim for layups.
“Our guys fought and they stayed together. We had good energy. And when we have good energy, we play good basketball.”
Leading 33-22 early in the third period, Center Grove saw Indian Creek go on an 8-0 scoring run to get back into the game. Junior guard Mason Britt’s back-to-back runners in the lane to open the fourth made it a 44-42 at 5:37, but the Braves could get no closer.
A pair of free throws by forward Ben Cooney at the 3:18 mark made it a four-point game. A layup off a steal from junior Leyton McGovern and a pair of buckets from Cooney pushed the margin to 10 points.
Cooney, the lone senior on the Trojans’ roster, came off the bench to lead his team with 16 points. Another sub, sophomore guard Ty Cerny, knocked down four 3-pointers on his way to 14 points. Indian Creek (10-2) placed three players in double figures, led by Britt’s 16 points. Senior guard Colby Marker added 13 points and junior forward Ethan Williams 11.
According to Cooney, who starts doesn’t matter for the Trojans. Center Grove played 11 players on Friday, each contributing to the victory in his own way.
“I think we’re all becoming a new team. It’s a whole new team you saw out there, and I think we’re ready to battle for a county championship,” Cooney said. “Tonight was about just being physical on the boards, being physical everywhere.”
Indian Creek jumped out to a 7-2 lead to open the game, but the Trojans controlled the remainder of the half to take a 30-22 advantage at the half. Center Grove knocked down a pair of 3-pointers in the final 1:39 to take what tied for its largest lead of the half.
Tonight’s title game will be the first meeting between Center Grove and Greenwood Christian.
“Today was the first time I watched them play, and I thought that their defense was phenomenal,” Hahn said of the Cougars. “They really guarded and kept guys in front, and they do it a little differently. They’ve got a lot of talent. A lot of size and athleticism. We have to figure out our matchups and make sure we’re doing things the right way.”
