The Westview boys basketball team will face its biggest test of the season Saturday.
The Warriors are set to clash with top-ranked Indianapolis Park Tudor in the Class 2-A state championship game.
The Class 2-A finale, pitting a pair of teams both boasting 23-4 records, is set to tip-off at approximately 12:45 p.m. in Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The game will be televised locally by WHME-TV (Channel 46).
The No. 1 Panthers, who won state titles in 2011 and 2012, are led by senior star Trevon Bluiett. The 6-6 forward averages a state-best 35.6 points-per-game and will play at Xavier University.
Westview is in the state title game for the first time since claiming back-to-back state championships in 1999 and 2000. The Warriors defeated No. 7 Lewis Cass 65-58 last Saturday to win the North Semistate title at Huntington North.
Bluiett, a prime candidate for Mr. Basketball honors, is shooting 64 percent overall from the field, including almost 43 percent from 3-point range. He also averages 11.4 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game. Bluiett has scored 40 or more points eight times this season, including a high of 54 versus Covenant Christian. He scored 36 points last Saturday as the Panthers topped No. 2 Clarksville 76-64 in the South Semistate at Seymour.
Westview has won its last 12 games and is 11-1 versus Class 2-A teams this season.
The Warriors are led by 5-10 senior guard Jordyn Bontrager (17.2) and 6-3 junior forward Chandler Aspy (15.8). Senior Jamar Weaver, a 5-11 forward, averages 9.7 ppg. while 6-3 senior Judah Zickafoose averages 9.3. Damon Hershberger, a 6-0 senior, completes the starting five for Westview.
Park Tudor leads the state in scoring at 82 ppg. and ranks seventh in average margin of victory at almost 22 ppg. The Panthers are 13-0 versus Class 2-A teams this season with losses to North Central, Brebeuf, Martinsville and Class 4-A state finalist Indianapolis Arsenal Tech 95-88 in overtime.
Park Tudor finished 21-3 last year and were upset in the sectional by Broad Ripple 69-67. The Panthers’ starting five also includes 6-2 junior guard Bryce Moore (11.2), 5-11 senior guard Austin Shelton (10.5), 6-4 junior forward Dwayne Gibson (8.7) and 6-1 senior guard Alex Mack (8.6).
The Panthers won back-to-back state championships in 2011 and 2012, led by current IU guard Yogi Ferrell. Kyle Cox is in his first season as the Park Tudor coach after serving as an assistant for the past four years. Cox was a standout player and golfer at Blue River Valley High School in New Castle, where he scored 1,987 career points. He led Blue River to a semi state win in 2001 over Park Tudor. Cox set the national high school record for career free throw percentage at 92 percent (565-614) and played collegiately at Ball State.
Ed Schilling, who coached Park Tudor to their two state titles and a state runner-up finish in 2010, is in his first season as an assistant coach on Steve Alford’s staff at UCLA. The Bruins play No. 1 Florida tonight in the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament.
Westview, which averages 60.5 ppg., is guided by Rob Yoder. The 1988 Westview graduate, who starred in both basketball and soccer in high school, is 189-90 in his 11th season. Yoder played collegiately at Hardin Simmons.
