By SCOTT SPIRES
Kokomo
The time was the 1976-77 Indiana high school basketball season. A blizzard in 1977 slowed down practices and postponed games that year. However, the blizzard of ’77 was only a harbinger for what was to follow in 1978, which was the worst blizzard on record.
It was definitely a different time in America. In 1977 Jimmy Carter was President, Otis “Doc” Bowen was Indiana Governor. Gasoline was 62 cents a gallon, a first class stamp was 13 cents. And in 1977 many Hoosiers mourned when the plane carrying members of the Lynyrd Skynyrd band crashed killing six including lead singer Ronnie Van Zant.
Back then if one needed to use the phone while traveling, this was accomplished by using the many pay phones that dotted the Indiana landscape, as cell phones and the internet were still on the horizon, and the proud city of Carmel, Ind. then boasted of a population of around 18,000.
During the many years prior to this season, the Carmel Greyhounds had already long established a reputation of producing high-caliber athletes, and for those outside of Hamilton County the term “underestimated” could easily be applied to those unfamiliar with the 1976-77 Greyhounds talent level.
The Greyhounds were coached by Eric Clark. The starters were guards Bart Burrell (6-foot-2), Tim Wiley (5-foot-8), forwards Mark Hermann (6-foot-5), Jon Ogle (6-foot-4) and at center was Paul Hensel (6-foot-7.) The sixth man was Brian Greene.
Carmel started the season ranked as high as seventh in the state polls, but fell out of the rankings by losing two of its first three games. The Greyhounds’ regular season schedule consisted of mid to upper tier opponents. Although the Greyhounds struggled with consistency during the regular season, closing at 13-7, the team clicked at just the right time. And that time was the IHSAA tournament.
Beginning the tourney, Carmel ran past Westfield, Hamilton Heights and Noblesville to win the Hamilton County sectional.
The Greyhounds, now 16-7, traveled to the dreaded Anderson Wigwam for the regional. In the semifinal game Carmel made quick work of Wes-Del 75-51. Carmel now faced the Kokomo Wildkats in the regional championship game. In the second quarter, Carmel took charge and never trailed, but could not shake the Wildkats from staying within striking distance. Carmel defeated Kokomo 57-50. After this game some sportswriters called the Wildkats the best 10-15 team in the state. The Greyhounds were now onto the semi-state at Fort Wayne.
At Fort Wayne, Carmel faced Plymouth winning a thriller 58-54. In the championship game, the Greyhounds defeated 20th ranked Fort Wayne South in another down to the wire game 47-43. The exhausted Greyhounds had truly earned their way to the state championship at Indianapolis Market Square Arena.
The media was abuzz on these Carmel Greyhounds. They were not even picked to be in the state championship by anyone except the most diehard Carmel supporters.
In the opening semifinal game, Carmel (20-7) would play Columbus East (23-4). From tipoff Carmel was in control, scoring first and never trailing. Carmel used what had been so effective for them throughout the tourney: Physical strength, height, and outright aggressive play. The talented Columbus East club just could not match up against the much stronger and taller Greyhounds.
Carmel’s Mark Herrmann poured in 32 points in Carmel’s 71-60 win over Columbus East.
On the evening of March 26, 1977, the state championship game was played in front of another sold out crowd at Market Square Arena. Carmel, now 21-7, would now face East Chicago Washington (24-3), coached by the legendary John Molodet. ECW’s Senators hammered Terre Haute South in the semifinal game 66-44 to reach the state finals.
Going into this game ECW was heavily favored. However, as mentioned earlier, most outside of the Hamilton County area simply did not realize the talent of the Greyhounds.
In the first quarter ECW led 15-14 and went into halftime leading 28-27. In the third, the Greyhounds lit up the nets from the field and the free throw line. Suddenly the heavily favored, but rattled Senators were looking at a 10-point deficit. The third closed with a stunning Carmel lead of 46-38 over ECW.
The fourth quarter of this game is part of Indiana high school basketball lore. Carmel built a 10-point lead, but slowly ECW began chipping away at the Carmel lead. Finally, with just 11 seconds remaining the Senators hit two free throws for a lead over Carmel 52-51.
The Greyhounds had possession, and with nine seconds left a jump ball was called. ECW got the tip, but the ball went to the wrong player: Bart Burrell, a Carmel player! At six seconds, Burrell did a no-time-to-think pass to Jon Ogle who was under the Carmel basket, and in the most off-balance shot this writer had ever seen in a championship game, Ogle connected for two. Carmel led ECW 53-52 with four seconds left and an ECW time out.
During the time out it was obvious that ECW planned on getting the ball to their standout player Drake Morris, which is exactly what ECW did. Morris took the unchallenged shot, slightly past the baseline that was off the top of the backboard as time expired.
The Carmel Greyhounds had won the 1977 state basketball championship, stunning the ECW Senators 53-52, in what has to be described as one of the most thrilling state championship games in Indiana high school basketball history.
The 1976-77 Carmel Greyhounds: “The Unlikely State Champions.”
