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Lawrence North Wildcats (Indianapolis, IN)

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IndyStar

3/19/06

Class 4a: Lawrence North 54, Bloomington S. 36

Unbeaten Wildcats win date with destiny

Team play carries day as Oden scores season-low 8 points

Greg Oden considered Saturday's victory an illustration of how good Lawrence North is.

The 7-foot center scored a season-low eight points, but Mike Conley and Damian Windham led a charge that carried the top-ranked and unbeaten Wildcats to a third consecutive state title game.

Conley scored a game-high 18 points and Windham added 16 as the Wildcats beat Bloomington South 54-36 Saturday afternoon in a Class 4A semistate game in front of a full house at Southport High School.

"My teammates stepped up and did a great job," Oden said after Lawrence North held the Panthers to 29 points below their season average. "We almost won by 20 with me scoring eight points. That means the next team we're going to play knows it's not just me.

"They've got to worry about everybody else on the court."

The Wildcats take a 28-0 record and 44-game winning streak into the Class 4A state title game at approximately 8 p.m. Saturday at Conseco Fieldhouse. The Wildcats play Muncie Central (20-5) in a rematch of last year's title game won by Lawrence North 63-52 behind a Class 4A title game-record 29 points from Oden.

Lawrence North is attempting to join Franklin (1920-22) and Marion (1985-87) as the only teams to win three titles in a row and match the state-record winning streak (45) set by Oscar Robertson-led Crispus Attucks 50 years ago.

The Wildcats are ranked No. 1 in the nation by USA Today and would be the first Indiana team to finish there.

Behind the Ohio State-bound duo of Oden and Conley, both four-year starters, Lawrence North is 23-1 in the postseason the past four years.

Facing multiple defenders and foul trouble, Oden took on the role of drawing the defense and allowing his teammates to score. He played only 19 minutes while picking up four fouls, shooting 3-for-5 from the field and 2-for-2 from the line to go with seven rebounds. He missed the third shot, ending his string of consecutive field goal attempts made at 29.

Averaging 22 points and 11 rebounds, Oden drew so much attention, the Wildcats were able to run things for other players, including a spectacular alley-oop to Brandon McDonald behind the players guarding Oden in the post.

"We knew from the beginning Greg was going to be a target and they'd try to foul him out early," said Conley, who played both right-handed and left-handed while battling a sore left hand. "We practiced for it. Damian, Brandon, Q (Qadr Owen), a lot of people stepped up, even with Greg out of the game."

The Wildcats held Bloomington South (21-6) to 26 percent shooting.

Oden, called for his second foul 35 seconds into the second quarter, said he didn't want an offensive foul to take him off the floor completely.

"I know they flop," Oden said. "Me being aggressive -- I'd rather give the easy pass and my team gets two points rather than me get the fifth foul."

Bloomington South (21-6) scored its fewest points in six years, since a 74-30 loss to Bloomington North in the 1999 sectional.

"Everybody had to step up," Windham said. "I never thought we'd win by nearly 20 with Greg getting single-digit points."

A few minutes after the game, Oden was surrounded by television cameras and reporters. One reporter from Columbus, Ohio, asked what he had to say to Ohio State fans who expect him to score 30 and see he gets just eight.

"I hope," Oden offered diplomatically, "they say he's a three-time state champion."

Lawrence North 54, Bloomington South 36
Lawrence North15151014--54Bloomington South119106--36
Lawrence North -- Owen 3-5 0-0 6, McDonald 2-5 0-0 4, Conley 7-11 4-11 18, Windham 7-12 2-3 16, Oden 3-5 2-2 8, Jones 0-1 0-1 0, VanTreese 0-1 0-0 0, W. Smith 0-1 0-0 0, L. Smith 0-0 0-0 0, Weigel 0-0 0-0 0, K. Thomas 1-1 0-0 0, Read 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 23-42 8-19 54.
Bloomington South -- Chappell 3-6 3-4 9, Holmstrom 5-14 3-4 15, Root 0-6 0-0 0, Forney 3-9 0-2 6, Brown 0-3 0-3 0, Deinlein 0-2 0-0 0, Walters 2-6 0-0 6, Sutor 0-4 0-0 0, Webber 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 13-50 6-13 36.
3-point shooting -- Lawrence North 0-4 (McDonald 0-3, Conley 0-1), Bloomington South 4-19 (Holmstrom 2-8, Walters 2-5, Deinlein 0-1, Root 0-4, Sutor 0-1). Rebounds -- Lawrence North 35 (Oden 7, Windham 6), Bloomington South 32 (Forney 7, Chappell 6). Assists -- Lawrence North 10 (Conley 3, Owen 3), Bloomington South 6 (Root 3, Forney 3). Turnovers -- Lawrence North 5, Bloomington South 8. Total fouls -- Lawrence North 14, Bloomington South 21. Fouled out -- Chappell.Inside

Call Star reporter Jeff Rabjohns at (317)-444-6183.
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IndyStar

3/21/06

1 more win sends Wildcats to Hall of Fame

New policy guarantees that undefeated teams gain induction into basketball shrine

By this time next week, Jason Weigel could be guaranteed a spot in the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame. So could Wesley Smith and Kamal Thomas.

Sure, they're not well known, but as reserves for the Lawrence North boys basketball team, they're part of a team that needs just one victory to ensure themselves a spot in the Hall.

Under a policy established in September, every unbeaten state champion is guaranteed induction into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame.

Led by Ohio State-bound duo of Greg Oden and Mike Conley, Lawrence North (28-0) plays Muncie Central (20-5) Saturday night in the Class 4A state title game at Conseco Fieldhouse.

"It's been great these three years," said Weigel, a 6-6 senior reserve who averages 0.9 points. "It would be great to be in the Hall of Fame. It would be a combination of a lot of hard work and great players like Mike and Greg."

Lawrence North is the only unbeaten team playing in Saturday's state championship games, and as such, is the first team to fall under the new guideline.

As it stands now, undefeated state championship teams are guaranteed induction into the Hall of Fame on the 50th anniversary of their title.

However, the Hall's executive board said it may adjust the timing of the inductions after several teams currently coming up on their 50-year anniversary are inducted.

"I wasn't aware of that rule, so it's not something that entered my mind," said Lawrence North coach Jack Keefer, who is attempting to become just the fifth coach with at least four state titles in Indiana.

"It's neat for the kids. I think they'll enjoy that. It'll give them a chance to talk about the games they played back when, but we've got to get there. That's the key."

While the automatic entry to the Hall of Fame is a new twist, the Wildcats, who have won 44 in a row, are one win from two more important places in state basketball history.

They are attempting to become only the third team to win three consecutive titles, joining Franklin (1920-22) and Marion (1985-87), and tie the state-record 45-game winning streak set in 1956 by Oscar Robertson-led Crispus Attucks.

Additionally, the Wildcats are ranked No. 1 in the nation. They would be the first Indiana team to be honored as national champion by USA Today.
Banquet set Wednesday

This year's Hall of Fame induction banquet -- which includes the '56 Attucks team -- is Wednesday at Primo's Banquet Hall, 2615 E. National Ave. A cocktail hour begins at 5:30 p.m. followed by dinner at 6:30 p.m. and the program at 7:30 p.m. For tickets, call (765) 529-1891.
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Boys basketball state finals
• When: Saturday.

• Where: Conseco Fieldhouse.

• Tickets: $10 per session, $18 both sessions.

• Session I: Class A: Tri-Central (23-3) vs. Hauser (24-2), 10:36 a.m.; Class 2A: Harding (17-9) vs. Forest Park (24-3), 40 minutes after Class A game.

• Session II: Class 3A: Jay County (20-6) vs. New Castle (20-6), 6:06 p.m.; Class 4A: Muncie Central (20-5) vs. Lawrence North (28-0), 40 minutes after 3A game.

• TV: All games on the Indiana Cable Network (check local listings).

• Radio: IHSAA Championship Radio Network, including WIBC-1070 AM.
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link

3/23/06

Lawrence North on verge of making basketball history

By Steve Herman
Associated Press



INDIANAPOLIS -- Jack Keefer's not much of a history buff. What happens to his Lawrence North team for a couple of hours Saturday night means a lot more to him than what happened to Oscar Robertson and Indianapolis Attucks a half-century ago.

Still, if the top-ranked, unbeaten and heavily favored Wildcats manage one more victory, over Muncie Central -- another team loaded with history and tradition -- they'll have their third straight Class 4-A championship. It also would match Attucks' state-record 45-game winning streak, one of the great milestones in the history of Indiana high school basketball.

"I'd be very proud, I'm sure," Keefer said.

"But we don't talk about how many games we've won in a row or anything like that," he said. "Will we be significantly disappointed if Attucks still has the record if we lose? No. Will we be disappointed if we don't have the state championship? Yes. That's what we're striving for."

The Wildcats (28-0) have been unstoppable -- almost unchallenged -- winning by a state-best average of more than 21 points a game. Seven-footer Greg Oden has been constantly double- and triple-teamed, yet he's averaging 22 points, 10.5 rebounds and an incredible 74.1 percent field-goal shooting. Guard Mike Conley, like Oden an Ohio State signee, is averaging 16.3 points and 4.1 assists.

The supporting cast of Damian Windham, Brandon McDonald and Qadr Owen have stepped up when needed, too. And playing in Marion County and the tough Metropolitan Conference, Lawrence North has faced some of the stiffest competition in the state, including three wins over No. 2-ranked Pike and two each against No. 6 North Central, Indianapolis Arlington, Carmel and Bloomington South.

The Wildcats are shooting 55 percent to their opponents' 36 percent.

"Anytime you throw that ball up, there's a chance," Keefer said, trying to minimize Lawrence North's status as favorite. "It just takes two or three guys to hit a bunch of threes on you to beat you. ... It doesn't take much to change the complexion of a game, so we go into every game just as scared to death like everybody else."

Muncie Central (20-5) has won a record eight championships, but last year's appearance in the finals was its first since it won the tournament in 1988. Oden was 14 of 19 from the field and scored 29 points in Lawrence North's 63-52 victory, and coach Matt Fine lost all five starters from that team.

"The coach has done a great job getting a different team back there, but they play under the same philosophy. They run good stuff; they get shooters open through picks and double picks and screens," Keefer said.

The Bearcats won their first eight games, then lost four of the next five and dropped out of the state's Top 10. Still, their regular-season wins included ones over both Class 3-A finalists, Jay County and New Castle, and AA finalist Fort Wayne Harding.

Three Muncie players are averaging in double figures, led by Terry Jenkins at 17.6 points a game and junior Ben Botts at 14.5 points and 4.7 assists.

"We're going to have to shoot the ball well," Fine said. "Everybody says that; nobody seems to be able to do it against that tough defense. We're going to have to knock some threes down and really make them score in the half-court. They do a great job scoring in transition."

The three-point shot has been one of the Bearcats' strengths, and their 43.2 percent long-range shooting is the best among the eight teams playing Saturday. Jenkins has been particularly effective, hitting better than 49 percent of his three-point shots.

Still, Muncie Central's main concern isn't its own offense. The focus is stopping Oden.

"Obviously, we didn't do very well with the big boy last year," Fine said. "We're certainly going to have more emphasis -- not that we didn't last year -- but we're going to make sure our kids are surrounding him and try to make somebody else beat us."
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IndyStar

3/25/06

high school boys basketball

Wildcats' stars glad to play new roles

Coach: Oden, Conley adjusted each season to make teams better

Over the past four seasons, there have been two constants in the Lawrence North lineup: Greg Oden and Mike Conley.

The center and point guard have been four-year starters, a run that has the Wildcats on the verge of matching Indiana high school basketball history.
What's unusual about Oden and Conley, Lawrence North coach Jack Keefer said, is the stars have taken the attitude of role players. Instead of others adjusting to them, the two McDonald's All-Americans have adjusted each year to their supporting cast.

"In each case, those two molded to the three people around them; the others didn't mold themselves to those two," said Keefer, whose top-ranked and unbeaten Wildcats face Muncie Central in the Class 4A title game tonight at Conseco Fieldhouse.

"When you look at the pros, they put people around those stars to make them better teams. In our case, we put people around our stars, and the stars adjusted what they needed to do to make the three around them play well. It's been a phenomenon."

This year, Keefer inserted three defensive-oriented players into the lineup in 6-2 senior Brandon McDonald, 6-5 junior Damian Windham and 6-0 junior Qadr Owen. Lawrence North built its 28-0 season with a defense-first approach -- it's holding opponents to 48 points per game -- so Keefer asked Oden and Conley for more scoring.

They responded with career highs. Oden's scoring jumped from 19.7 to 22 and Conley's from 10.9 to 16.3.

McDonald, Owen and Windham will bring to eight the number of players who have started alongside Oden and Conley in state title games.

"We're very flexible," said Conley, one of the top-ranked point guards in the nation. "We know what it takes to win. We just believe in the coaches, and we know we have great players on the team.

"We know any given night, any one of us could score 20. We didn't feel like we were the stars. We felt like we were part of a great team, and we were willing to do whatever it takes to get this great team to win."

Heading into tonight's game against tradition-rich Muncie Central, Lawrence North has a 102-7 record during the Oden-Conley era, including 23-1 in the postseason.

With a victory, the Wildcats would join Franklin (1920-22) and Marion (1985-87) as the only teams to win three titles in a row since the tournament began in 1911. Lawrence North has won 44 in a row, one short of the state record set by Oscar Robertson-led Crispus Attucks 50 years ago.

The Wildcats are ranked No. 1 in the nation by USA Today, and if they finish there, they would be the first Indiana team to do so.

Three years ago, Conley was primarily a ballhandler and Oden a rebounder and defender. As sophomores, Conley was asked for a little more scoring, while Oden was begging to take steps toward developing his offense.

Last season, Keefer thought it was time for Oden's offense to kick in, at one point telling the 7-foot center to shoot 15 times a game or get benched. Needing an outside threat, the Wildcats added 3-point shooting to Conley's duties.

This year, with a defensive-oriented group, Oden and Conley have been asked to play stellar defense and be consistent offensive threats. In addition to their scoring, Oden has 78 blocked shots, and Conley has a team-high 90 steals.

Last year, Oden joined current NBA star LeBron James as the only juniors to be named national high school Player of the Year. He's already picking up similar accolades this season.

"He just wants to win," said Jason Weigel, a seldom-used senior reserve.

"He doesn't care how many points, rebounds or blocks he gets if we get a win. He's a great teammate."

Oden on Friday was named winner of the Morgan Wootten Award, given to the national Player of the Year selected from the 24 McDonald's All-Americans. It's the second national Player of the Year award for Oden.

Carmel's Josh McRoberts, now at Duke, won the Wootten Award last year.
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State Finals
When: Today.
Where: Conseco Fieldhouse.
Tickets: $10 per session, $18 both sessions.
Session I -- Class A: Tri-Central (23-3) vs. Hauser (24-2), 10:36 a.m.; Class 2A: Harding (17-9) vs. Forest Park (24-3), approximately 12:30 p.m.
Session II -- Class 3A: Jay County (20-6) vs. New Castle (20-6), 6:06 p.m.; Class 4A: Muncie Central (20-5) vs. Lawrence North (28-0), approximately 8 p.m.
TV: All games on the Indiana Cable network (check local listings).
Radio: All games on WXLW-950 AM (Class 4A final also on WIBC-1070 AM).
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LN is DEMOLISHING this Muncie team. 72-39 at the end of the 3rd...

actually, I might be wrong on the exact score, but it's in that ballpark.


Oden looks great--some nice dunks, including an alley-oop
Conley's playing fast and smart, just what you want to see....

I'm enjoying this immensely.



I'm not sure why the game's on here in weasel-land, but hey, I'm not complaining!!
 
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Facing multiple defenders and foul trouble, Oden took on the role of drawing the defense and allowing his teammates to score. He played only 19 minutes while picking up four fouls, shooting 3-for-5 from the field and 2-for-2 from the line to go with seven rebounds. He missed the third shot, ending his string of consecutive field goal attempts made at 29.
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Holy shiza!! Thats incredible.
 
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USAToday.com

3/28/06

Indiana prep dynasty finishes on top

By Bobak Esfarjani, USA TODAY

The day before his team played Muncie Central in the Indiana Class 4A final, Lawrence North coach Jack Keefer had a team dinner and told his undefeated group that he'd know they were ready to play if normally serious center Greg Oden came in on game day with a smile and a strut.

"I had forgotten all about it, and Greg comes into my office walking funny with this huge smile and I didn't know what was going on," Keefer said. "Then I remembered."

Besides his demeanor, Oden's 26 points and 11 rebounds went a long way toward helping Lawrence North win its third consecutive state title 80-56.

The win also means Lawrence North is the first Indiana school to finish on top of USA TODAY's Super 25 rankings, which have been around for 23 years. (Related: Final Super 25)

Lawrence North ties Franklin (1920-22) and Marion (1985-87) as the only Indiana teams to win three consecutive titles. It was also Lawrence North's 45th consecutive win, tying the 50-year-old state record held by Oscar Robertson-led Crispus Attucks.

"Lawrence North is a very special team," said Garry Donna, who has been following Indiana basketball for more than 50 years and publishing Hoosier Basketball magazine for the last 36. "They have chemistry, no problems and just play. In our lifetime there'll be nothing like this (again)."

Keefer said he teased point guard Mike Conley, who will attend Ohio State with Oden, before Saturday's game, telling him Muncie Central's Ben Botts would be the best guard on the floor.

"If you challenge Mike, he rises to it very quickly," Keefer said.

Conley reminded his teammates that in the movie Hoosiers, loosely based on the underdog Milan team that won the 1954 Indiana title, Milan beat Muncie Central in the final.

"(I) didn't want to see Hoosiers 2," Conley said.

It was never close. Lawrence North shot 71% in the first half and led 50-24 at halftime.

"I tried to scare them, telling them that Muncie could come back," Keefer said. "But they looked at me like, 'No, coach, they can't.' "

"I'm really happy for my teammates," said Oden, who had ESPN following him around the week before the state final. "We worked hard this year."

Lawrence North is 103-7 in the last four years, with Conley, Oden and Brandon McDonald the only three players to play on all three title teams.

"Mike and Greg have been four-year starters," Keefer said, "and there's been 13 different guys start with them. Each year we have asked something different of them and they had the versatility to do what needed to be done to make us a better team."

Lawrence North returns two starters next season, 6-5 Damian Windham and guard Qadr Owen. They add two freshmen on the front line — 6-8 Stephen VanTreese and 6-6 Chris Read.

The last time Lawrence North lost was in January 2005 when Conley was out with an injury. This season, the Wildcats' average margin of victory was 21 points, with the closest call a six-point win vs. Pike.

"It's all about Oden," said Pike coach Larry Bullington, who retired this year after 32 years. "We didn't even take inside shots, because if he doesn't block them, he's going to alter them. I've never seen anybody impact a game like him."

Finishing second in the Super 25 is Oak Hill Academy, which had held No. 1 for much of the season before losing to Montrose Christian in early March.
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in-preps.jpg
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IndyStar

LN goes for 1 more milestone
State's longest boys basketball winning streak could be theirs

Greg Oden and Mike Conley aren't expected to be in attendance, but the winning streak they spearheaded could become the longest in state history tonight.
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The Lawrence North boys basketball team goes for its 46th consecutive victory when it hosts Lawrence Central in the season opener for both teams. The Wildcats share the record for consecutive victories with the Oscar Robertson-led Crispus Attucks teams that won 45 in a row during the 1954-55 and 1955-56 seasons.
"I'm not a record-type guy, but as you think about it, that thing has been sitting there for 50 years," said Lawrence North's Jack Keefer, in his 31st year as its coach. "These kids worked very hard, and I'd like to see them get it, but deep down, I'd rather beat LC than get a record."
Lawrence North went 29-0 last season in winning its third consecutive Class 4A title. The Wildcats' last loss was a 69-63 setback to North Central on Jan. 10, 2005.
Oden and Conley, freshmen at Ohio State, have practice today until 6 p.m., a Buckeyes spokesman said. Robertson was traveling to Cincinnati and was unavailable for comment.
Crispus Attucks went 31-0 in winning the 1956 state title, its second in a row, after a 30-1 record the year before.
Oden and Conley were 103-7 during their high school careers. Keefer said that has rubbed off on the current players, some of whom went unbeaten as seventh- and eighth-graders and last year as freshman reserves on the varsity.
"They're trying to maintain it and be their own team, but they take pride in what Greg and Mike put before them," Keefer said.


Call Star reporter Jeff Rabjohns at (317) 444-6183.
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