INDIANAPOLIS
Alan Weems recalled how Izzy Reed was one of his first two ball girls when he took over as Greenwood Christian girls basketball coach in 2012.
“You see them and you know they are going to play for you someday, but you never anticipate anyone is going to have a career like she had,” Weems said of Reed. “It just doesn’t happen very often. When you think of all the girls who have played Indiana high school basketball, to be somewhere in the top 50 in scoring is an amazing accomplishment.”
Needing five points to reach 2,000 in her career entering Saturday night, Reed scored 27 points to help power Class A No. 8 Greenwood Christian Academy’s 93-36 romp over host Indianapolis Lutheran in the sectional championship. It was the third consecutive Class A sectional championship for the Cougars.
“Winning the first one felt awesome but this one is super special just because you don’t know how many games we have left,” said Reed, a senior forward. “I’m just thankful to be out playing basketball.”
The Cougars (14-6) will now play Bloomfield (12-8) at noon Saturday in the Southwestern Regional semifinals.
In addition, Reed grabbed 11 rebounds and is two rebounds shy of tying the girls basketball state record of 1,308 career rebounds, held by 6-foot-6 Ta’Shia Phillips from Brebeuf Jesuit.
That amazing, too, Weems said given she is generously listed at 5-foot-9. Reed, who has committed to play for Indiana Wesleyan, admitted she is a quarter inch shy of 5-8.
Reed was a ball girl along with Alexis Mead, who had a successful career at GCA before graduating in 2020.
“It’s been a long ride,” Reed said.
Reed got help from her fellow seniors in the sectional final. Brooklyn Stubblefield scored 19 points on the strength of five 3-pointers, and Savvanah Frye added 17 points. Junior guard Ellie Bigelow chipped in 10 points for the Cougars.
“I don’t think people understand what it is to have three seniors like Frye, Reed and Stubblefield, those are three really outstanding players. If you can complement them with a few juniors like we have with Bigelow and (Dory) O’Dell, it makes for a really good basketball team,” Weems said.
GCA took advantage of 10 early turnovers by Lutheran (7-17) to lead 35-4 after the first quarter The Cougars increased the lead to 54-15 at halftime and never let up. The Saints finished with 23 turnovers, 10 more than the Cougars. Katelyn Newport led Lutheran with 12 points.
Weems said he was pleased his players were rewarded with the sectional title.
“They work hard,” he said. "They’ve got great goals and they are constantly keeping their eyes focused on what’s important. Tonight they came out with a tremendous amount of intensity. They were looking to try to get control of the game early, and I thought they did.”
Reed said the team now focuses on repeating as regional champion.
“We’ve got to keep getting better for the state tourney,” Reed said. “We just come out and play basketball despite what team we are playing. We come out and play hard every game,”
The Cougars saw their final five regular-season games canceled because of COVID-19 issues. Then Tindley was forced to forfeit in the sectional opener because of contact tracing. But the Cougars shook off any rust from not playing in three weeks with a 94-20 rout of Providence Cristo Rey in Friday’s semifinal.
“It’s a surreal moment getting a three-peat; not many teams get to experience that,” Frye said. “We just feel very blessed.”
