Southwood boys basketball team's Cinderella state tournament run came to an end Saturday morning in the 1A state title game.
The Knights lost to top-ranked Indianapolis Lutheran, 97-66, in the first game of the day at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Lutheran scored a state championship game 36-point second quarter to surge into the lead and never look back. The Saints' 97 points was also a State Finals record. In all, four players finished with strong double-digit points totals, led by Cayden Loescher's 22 points and 10 rebounds, and Durray Smith's 21 points.
Southwood led 10-9 after one, and ballooned their lead to 17-12 in the second quarter. But the Knights struggled from the 3-point line, going 1-for-11 from behind the arc while committing 24 turnovers.
Jason Oprisek scored 17 points and Cole Winer chipped in 15 in their final high school game. Winer also won the 1A Mental Attitude Award.
Southwood started the season 0-5 under first-year head coach Christian Perry, and finished the regular season 10-12. This was the Knights' first State Finals appearance since 2018.
This is Lutheran's first state title in boys basketball. The Saints won their first semi-state and regional titles for the first time since 2008 and a sectional title for the first time since 2017.