Beech Grove made some history March 26.
Anthony Ball scored 17 points and grabbed 20 rebounds to lead Beech Grove High School to a 53-43 victory over Mishawaka Marian in the IHSAA Class 3A state championship game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Ball, a 6-foot-6 junior, had fouled out in the fourth quarter in the Hornets’ 62-58 overtime triumph over Sullivan in the semistate at Washington.
“I just came out with the mindset to do whatever I can to help the team win,” Ball said. “So that’s what I came to do.”
The Hornets trailed 22-20 in the first half.
“I went into halftime and told my teammates to trust me that I was going to knock them down,” said Brown, who finished with 13 points. “After I hit the first one, I was going to keep shooting.”
Tied at 36-all in the fourth quarter, Beech Grove made its next six shots to take control.
“It’s been fun ride and it’s been absolutely awesome for the city of Beech Grove, the school and the community,” said Beech Grove coach Mike Renfro, a 1995 Beech Grove graduate.
Jeremiah Tate added 13 points and a record nine steals for the Hornets (22-6). The nine steals are a record for all classes since the IHSAA began keeping that stat.
Tate said he credited the nine steals to watching a lot of film on Marian’s guards.
