By CRAIG ADKINS
For The Reporter
No. 13 South Bend Riley Wildcats (22-4) vs. No. 1 Fishers Tigers (28-0)
It’s extremely hard for basketball teams to get to this point of the season, but it must be even harder for them to be the Fishers Tigers.
Currently on a 41-game winning streak and having won 57 of their last 58 games, the Fishers boys are making it look easy. This is the Tigers’ second straight appearance in the Elite 8 in Class 4A and being the defending state champs, they have a target on their back.
The Tigers will take to the hardwood today at one of the largest high school gyms in the country at North Side Gymnasium in Elkhart. The No. 13 South Bend Riley Wildcats (22-4) battle No. 1 Fishers (28-0) at 10 a.m. in the first semifinal. Homestead (22-5) and No. 4 Crown Point (22-2) square off in the second semifinal at noon. The championship game is scheduled for 8 p.m.
A cathedral of high school basketball, North Side Gym has a listed capacity of 7,373 but has seen much bigger crowds in the past, especially in the days of single-class basketball and hosted professional wrestling and numerous RV shows throughout the years, with Elkhart being the RV capital of the world. It’s located at North Side Middle School and is the home court for the Elkhart Lions. Built in 1954, it was the home of both Elkhart Central and Elkhart Memorial when Elkhart split back into two schools in 1973. In 2020, they are once again one school as Elkhart High School again.
Fishers is led by a balanced attack, playing unselfish team basketball.
“We talk about strength in numbers. We don’t care who scores. It’s all about winning,” said Tigers head coach Garrett Winegar.
Sophomore Jason Gardner Jr. leads with 14.6 points and 5.3 assists. Senior Justin Kirby comes in at 12.6 and 4.0 rebounds. Sophomore Cooper Zachary scores 11.4, grabs 2.7 boards, dishes out 5.2 assists and steals 2.7 per game. Senior JonAnthony Hall is the fourth double-figure scorer at 10.2 and 5.1 rebounds.
Seniors Millen McCartney averages 9.3 points and Nathan Baker 7.7 and four rebounds. Baker also led Fishers with 18 in the regional win over Harrison.
South Bend Riley is on a six-game winning streak heading into the semi-state semifinals. The Wildcats were co-champs in the Northern Indiana Conference with 3A No. 2 South Bend St. Joseph’s and Penn. Head coach Alex Daniel is now in his fifth season with an 86-38 record.
Historically, South Bend Riley has 19 sectional and eight regional championships. Their lone semi-state title was in 1945. That season, the Wildcats lost in the state championship game to Evansville Bosse, 46-36.
The Wildcats and Tigers have played twice in the regular season. On Jan. 18, South Bend Riley paid a visit to Fishers. The Wildcats were without a few players from a post-game confrontation following the South Bend Adams game two nights prior and the Tigers routed Riley, 89-29. Riley won the first meeting between the two in a holiday tournament at Fort Wayne Carroll on Dec. 22, 2010, in a close game, 69-60.
The Wildcats had quality wins this season over Pike, Jimtown, South Bend Adams (twice), Mishawaka Marian, Northridge, South Bend Washington, Columbia City and Penn.
Last week’s regional was quite a thriller. Riley took Warsaw to double overtime and came out with a 77-71 win at South Bend Washington. Tyrese Jones paced the ‘Cats with a 45-point output.
Riley has a trio of double-digit scorers. Marvin Schindler leads the ‘Cats with 15.6 points and 2.7 assists. After South Bend Clay closed its doors in 2024, Tyrese Jones became a Riley Wildcat. He led Clay in scoring last season and is the second leading scorer with 15.0 points and 6.0 rebounds, along with 2.7 assists. Jaylen Barbara also scores 10.4 points, pulls down 4.1 rebounds and dishes out 2.2 assists.
Crown Point took out Portage in OT at Michigan City for its second straight regional crown, 68-62. The Bulldogs have four solid juniors that have led them back to the semi-state. Dikembe Shaw scores 16.1 per game with 6.6 rebounds and 3.6 assists. Mason Durrell is at 14.4 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.1 steals. Keeping the balance are both Kingston Rhodes (8.5, 2.9 rebounds) and Bryce Peters (8.9 and 4.1 assists).
Head coach Clint Swan is now 280-160 in his 19th season with the Bulldogs. In 28 years overall, Swan is 418-232 with previous stops at Frankfort and Andrean. He led Andrean to a 3A runner-up finish in 2000.
CP started the season off 13-0 with key wins over Penn, East Chicago Central, Fort Wayne Wayne, Gary 21st Century and Chesterton. Their only losses were in early February at South Bend Washington and Portage. Since then, the Bulldogs have won nine straight, including overcoming the regular season loss to Portage in the regional in OT over the Indians.
Ironically, the Bulldogs also won a regional last year in overtime and then lost in the semi-state to Fishers (48-37).
Homestead has 14 sectional and three regional championships. Their lone semi-state title propelled them to the 2015 state finals and the 4A championship over Evansville Reitz in OT, 91-90.
Head coach Chris Johnson is 449-186 in his 26th season at Homestead. Overall in 31 years, Johnson is 528-219, previously at Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger.
The Spartans began the season 6-4. After a loss to Zionsville on Dec. 28, they grabbed a win later that night that started a nine-game winning streak. A loss to Fort Wayne Wayne on Feb. 11 is their last loss. Notching seven wins in a row, they avenged that loss in the sectional title game. Homestead won the regional last week at Logansport over Carroll, 42-39.
Sophomore Mack Welker leads Homestead with 16.7 points and 7.8 rebounds.
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