Phone: 317-846-6601 Fax: 317-575-4244 Website: www.ihsaa.org
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March 5, 2005
North Central (
Indianapolis
North Central (20-7) repeated as the IHSAA Class 4A champions with a thrilling
57-54 victory over Gary West Side (23-5) on Saturday evening at Conseco
Fieldhouse. Coach Alan Vickrey’s
Panthers joins Ben Davis (2000, 2001) as the lone Class 4A repeat champions in
girls basketball.
North
Central 6-5 junior center Amber Harris put up some amazing numbers with game
highs of 25 points, 14 rebounds, and five steals. Her scoring total is third-best in Class 4A
finals history and her rebounding output ranks third all-time. Harris hit 11-18 field goals and 3-4 free
throws, adding two blocked shots while playing the entire 32 minutes.
Gary West
Side senior guard Isabell Rhenwrick led the Cougars with 16 points in 21
minutes. Rhenwrick, the Patricia L. Roy
Mental Attitude Award winner, was 4-4 from three-point range. Rhenwrick set a 4A final-game record for
three-pointers made. Junior center Erica
Simpson had 10 points on 5-8 shooting from the field, adding team highs of
seven rebounds and four assists.
North
Central led the entire second half, but never by more than six points.
North
Central tied a record for the most losses by a state champion with seven,
equaling the total by 1999-2000 Class A champion Triton.
Gary West Side’s Isabell Rhenwrick
wins Patricia L. Roy Mental Attitude Award
Gary
West Side senior guard Isabell Rhenwrick is the 2004-05 recipient of the Patricia
L. Roy Mental Attitude Award for Class 4A.
Rhenwrick
led coach Rodney Fisher’s Cougars to a 23-4 record and their first-ever IHSAA
state finals appearance, averaging 10.3 points and 3.7 assists. Rhenwrick is a four-year varsity performer in
basketball, starting her last three seasons.
The McDonald’s All-America nominee has earned all-state second team and
all-area recognition. She is a two-time
Big 8 Shootout all-tournament team selection and she was the MVP of the Gary
Holiday Tournament as a freshman.
The
versatile Rhenwrick also is a four-year starter in volleyball and a regional
qualifier in the 1,600 meters in track and field.
Rhenwrick
ranks eighth in a senior class of 242 with a 3.74 cumulative grade point
average. She is a National Honor Society
student who has been named to the National Honor Roll and the High School Who’s
Who, earning the West Side “Most Outstanding Math Student” award three times.
Rhenwrick
is active in her community, making nursing home visitations and volunteering as
a server for
“Isabell
has been an exemplary student as part of the Gary Community School Corporation’s
Gifted and Talented Program,” said
Rhenwrick
will attend the
Award
recipients, nominated by their principals and coaches, must excel in mental
attitude, scholarship, leadership, and athletic ability in basketball.
A
member of the IHSAA Executive Staff beginning in 1972, Ms. Roy was responsible
for girls basketball from the inception of the tournament series in 1976 until
her retirement in 1999. Regarded both
statewide and nationally as a pioneer in girls athletics,
Farm
Bureau Insurance, the IHSAA corporate partner, presented a $1,000.00
scholarship to
Team Posters And Individual Action
Photographs Available
Visit 20-20 Photographic, the IHSAA’s
photographer and the
For
t-shirts and other merchandise commemorating this year’s tournament or for any
of our events, visit our friends at Morris, Inc.
State Finals Programs Available
Couldn’t be
in Indy for the state finals? You can still purchase a copy of the official souvenir
program while supplies last! Programs are $3.00 if you purchase in person at
the IHSAA Office (
Class 4A Game Quotes
“We played
hard, but they had a superstar in Amber Harris and we just couldn’t handle
her. On offense at times, we were too
much one-on-one. We hit some big shots,
but really didn’t have a good flow in the game.
On defense we played well, except against Amber (Harris).”
“We were
able to put pressure on them and make a few shots, but it really hurt us when
(Isabell) Rhenwrick went out with an ankle injury.”
(At the end
of the game) “We had an opportunity because it was a one-possession ball
game. It was unfortunate that we had a
turnover on the play.”
“We had a
great season. It was the first time down
here for us and the kids enjoyed the experience. Going down to the wire against the defending state
champion was great. We represented
North Central (
“This was a
great basketball game. I told everyone Gary
West was going to be a great opponent.
They played a great game. I just
give our kids an enormous amount of credit for being tough. We just persevered when things didn’t go so
well. I knew this would be a good
game. I have to give credit to coach
(Rodney) Fisher and his team for such a great effort.”
“It was an
unbelievable game of back-and-forth possessions. They would make a great play and then we
would make a great play. I think it came
down to who could defend better at the end.
We were fortunate enough to do a little better job at the end.”
“We wanted
to make sure of three things on the last few possessions defensively, to defend
the corner, to keep them from driving and to double the low post inside. It was just basic basketball.”
“This is
just beautiful. I just can’t believe
it. This (a state title) is something I
thought would happen next year. It is so
exciting to comeback here with a new group of girls…and win. This team had a great tournament.”
On Amber Harris
“She made a
great defensive stop at the end. It is
always exciting to watch the number one player make great plays on both ends of
the court. There are not enough
superlatives to describe her (Amber Harris) play.”
#42 Amber
Harris
“We had to
step it up in the first half. We picked
up our intensity and did what we needed to do to win.”
“That’s
what makes it so neat. It is so
unbelievable. I’ve played with this
group longer and that is what made it so special.”
“I wanted
to come out aggressively, especially rebounding. I think we came out tonight with a lot of
heart. This championship means
everything to me. I’m glad my mom made
me play. No words can really explain how
I feel right now.”
#3 Briana Bass
“This is
very exciting for me. The upperclassman took
me in like everybody else on the team.
It really felt good being a member of this team.”