Another furious rally from the Leo boys basketball team just came up a little short on Saturday, April 3, as the Lions lost the IHSAA 3A State Championship, 50-49, to Silver Creek.
The Lions were down ten points midway through the fourth quarter, but Blake Davison's basket with 40 seconds left brought Leo within one (48-47). After Leo fouled on the Silver Creek the ensuing possession, the Dragons made the first free throw and missed the second. Silver Creek corralled the rebound, and made another free throw. Silver Creek allowed DJ Allen to score a layup as the game clock expired, rather than give up a three-point attempt from Davison, to seal the Silver Creek victory.
Davison led Leo's efforts with 20 points, 4 assists and 5 steals. Allen added 9 points and 7 rebounds, Zach Troyer had 6 points and 15 rebounds, Ayden Ruble scored 8 points, and both Eric Steger and Xavier Middleton chipped in 3 points.
Kooper Jacobi led Silver Creek with 18 points and 18 rebounds. He also won the 3A Mental Attitude Award Purdue recruit Trey Kaufman-Renn added 13 points and 10 rebounds. Silver Creek finished 25-4 and was ranked #2 in the final Class 3A poll.
It is Silver Creek's second state title in three seasons, after the 2020 state tournament was canceled after the sectional round.
This was the first state finals appearance for #9 Leo (24-5), which captured its first regional and first semi-state championships this postseason.
Leo is one of 26 high schools that partners with Parkview Sports Medicine for athletic training, nutrition, sports performance, athletic rehab and other sports medicine services for Lion student-athletes. Learn more at www.parkviewsportsmedicine.com.