Northeastern’s boys basketball team huddles around Head Coach Brent Ross near the end of the Knights 55-53 loss to Indianapolis Howe. Photo by Ryan Tincher.
GREENFIELD, Ind. – Agony.
Indianapolis Howe’s Tony Hopkins ended the season for the Northeastern boys basketball team when he hit a game-winning lay-up as time expired on Saturday giving the No. 7 Hornets a 55-53 win over the No. 4 Knights in the Class 2A regional championship contest at Greenfield-Central.
“Just putting the ball in the rim,” Hopkins said of his score. “Just had to go fast and straight to the rim.”
Kycia Washington found the sprinting Hopkins in the final moments to send the Hornets (22-7) to next week’s semi-state against Providence (19-7) in Richmond or Seymour.
“We had too many turnovers,” Northeastern Head Coach Brent Ross said. “Too many missed opportunities. Even late, we were missing lay-ups and free throws that were big.”
“You give a great team like that an opportunity to hang around and stay in the ball game, sometimes things happen,” Ross added.
And it happened.
“This pain will probably stick in for a little while,” Ross said.
“I couldn’t be more proud of them,” Ross continued. “I could see this team growing through the summer. We finished the season as one of the best basketball teams in the state.”
The Knights end the season at 23-5.
“They’ve taken us to the Elite Eight,” Ross said. “We came a free throw or a lay-up here or there from an opportunity to play in the Final Four.”
Northeastern led the entire game until the midway point of the final stanza when Hopkins put the Hornets on top 46-44. The Knights answered to retake the lead.
“I just felt like we had so many opportunities throughout that game to expand the lead,” Ross said.
Moments later, Tyler Pannell scored to put the Hornets ahead 52-50 with 1:39 remaining.
Nate Reynolds drilled a 3-pointer to give the Knights a 53-52 advantage at 1:12.
Unfortunately, that proved to be the final score of the contest for the Knights as the Hornets would score the last three points in the final minute to claim the title.
Robert Smith led the Knights with 19 points and 10 rebounds, while Tyler Smith tossed in 15 points. Reynolds contributed 11 points.
Kip Warren topped the Hornets with 14 points. Hopkins and Couch finished with 13 points apiece.
The game also marked the last time Northeastern seniors Robert Smith, DaShawn Hampton, Bailey Stewart and Austin Clay.
Tyler Smith ends the year with a Northeastern single-season scoring record of 581 points with a career total of 1,258. With 766 of his points at National Trail, Stewart finished with 1,118 points.
Box Score
NORTHEASTERN (23-5) – Tyler Smith 5 4-6 15, Bailey Stewart 1 4-6 6, Robert Smith 8 3-4 19, Nate Reynolds 3 2-2 11, DaShawn Hampton 1 0-1 2, Kaleb Mikesell 0 0-0 0, Harrison Rice 0 0-0 0, Austin Clay 0 0-0 0. Team – 18 13-19 53.
INDIANAPOLIS HOWE (22-7) – Kycia Washington 1 4-7 6, Jermaine Couch 5 2-3 13, Kip Warren 5 4-6 14, Tony Hopkins 6 1-1 13, Tyler Pannell 3 0-0 6, Rashawn Rush 0 0-0 0, Alfred Armour 0 0-0 0, Joe Rush 0 3-4 3. Team – 20 14-21 55.
Northeastern 19 30 40 53
Indianapolis Howe 11 22 38 55
3-pointers – Northeastern 4 (Reynolds 3, T. Smith 1), Howe 1 (Couch 1). Rebounds – Northeastern 33 (R.Smith 10), Howe 37 (Hopkins 8). Turnovers – Northeastern 18, Howe 15. Fouls – Northeastern 18, Howe 18.
Northeastern 1,000-Point Club
1. Cory Ryan (1995-1999) 1,445
2. Tyler Smith (2012-2015) 1,258
3. Daryl Lane (1967-1970) 1,239
4. Brent Ross (1983-1987) 1,116
5. Cory Ross (1999-2003) 1,106
6. Ryan Kaufman (1998-2002) 1,067
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