After a week of Marion County basketball, the Marion County boys basketball tournament had one remaining game. Ben Davis, who had an 11-game win streak, took on the 10-win North Central Panthers. We expected a great game coming into the night, but we received an unforgettable championship matchup!

   At first, Ben Davis looked as if they were going to roll through North Central similar to Pike in the semi-finals. The Giants obtained a lead of 21-8 at the end of the first quarter with Ben Davis Sheridan Sharp and K.J. Windham leading the charge. Midway through the second quarter, North Central faced their largest deficit down 14-34. After a short run for the Panthers before halftime, they went back into the locker room down 39-26. In the second half, North Central came out reborn! Blake Flemming and David Lloyd three’s fell through, and with a quarter left to play, North Central was down by 5. Sheridan Sharp knocked down multiple free throws early in the 4th quarter giving Ben Davis a double-digit lead once again. Junior North Central G, Joey Brown laid his body on the line in the last minute of regulation and received an “and 1” call. Brown made the free throw resulting in a tied game at 69 and overtime! Zane Doughty and Sheridan Sharp were the first to score in OT and gave Ben Davis a quick 4-point lead. With two seconds left in overtime and down by 1, NC’s Joey Brown head to the free-throw line. After going 2/2, North Central took the lead! A last-second half-court shot by K.J. Windham fell short resulting in North Central becoming Marion County Champions!

   I had the opportunity to speak with two leaders on North Central after the game. When asked what this win meant to his team, Blake Flemming told me “All the practices, all the weight lifts; it came to this game.” As for North Central’s Jahmyre Jackson, when asked how North Central can go, he stated “… we can really go as far as we want to.”

   North Central wins their first boys basketball Marion County Championship since 2012. They also made school history last night as they became the first boys and girls, basketball teams, to win the Marion County Championship at North Central.

Final:

North Central- 74

 Ben Davis- 73

Scoring Leaders:

Zane Doughty – 18 pts. – Ben Davis

Mason Lewis – 21 pts. – North Central

Ben Davis expands to a 20 point lead in the first half!

North Central takes the lead for the first time!

Joey Brown helps North Central win in OT! The Panthers take home the Marion County Championship!