PREP ROUNDUP: IHSAA changes Girls' Basketball State Finals format; North Putnam knocks off Covenant Christian

Commissioner Paul Neidig announced today that this year’s IHSAA Girls Basketball State Finals will be played over two days later this month to ensure an even safer environment for teams and the limited number of spectators in attendance.

The four state championship games that will conclude the 46th girls state tournament at Bankers Life Fieldhouse will be played with one game on Friday,

February 26 with three more games on Saturday, February 27.

Game times are listed below with game assignments to be announced Sunday, Feb. 21, following the semistate round. In previous years, all four games were played in one day.

“We are very appreciative of our friends and partners with the Indiana Fever, Indiana Pacers and Bankers

Life Fieldhouse, who always want to help provide a memorable experience for our girls basketball state finals,” Neidig said. “Given the pandemic, more time was needed in between games for the facility to be thoroughly cleaned and prepared for the participants and spectators so a Friday evening game was suggested as the best way to accomplish that goal.”

Assistant Commissioner Sandra Walter, who administers the girls basketball tournament, added, “We’re grateful to Mel Raines (Executive Vice President) and her staff at Bankers Life Fieldhouse who have gone above and beyond for the

young ladies competing for a state title this month.”

If any adjustments are to be made to the boys basketball state finals scheduled for Saturday, April 3, those will be announced at a later date.

Boys' Basketball

North Putnam traveled to Indianapolis Tuesday and knocked off 2A No. 8 Covenant Christian 65-60.

The Cougars took the lead for good at 6-4 in the first quarter, holding leads of 12 points in the second quarter and 10 points in the third quarter before fending off an increasingly desperate Warriors squad, who would only get as close as four at 54-50 and 61-57 but could never make it a one-possession game.

Four Cougars scored in double-figures led by Aaron Pickel’s 18-point, 10-rebound double-double.

Mason Brooks scored 16 points and added seven boards while Ellis Lyons scored 14 points, dished out six assists and had 5 rebounds. Zach Huff added 10 points, three rebounds and two steals while Aaron Huffman scored five points and Dane Spencer added two points, three rebounds and three assists.

North Putnam travels to Owen Valley Saturday with JV tipping off at 12:30 p.m.