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After six ties and 16 lead changes, the Class 3A boys championship game boiled down to one final run. The Guerin Catholic Golden Eagles made sure it belonged to them.

Using a 12-3 scoring flurry over the final 2 ½ minutes, the Golden Eagles dealt a blow to a persistent Griffith squad and pulled out a 62-56 victory. Guerin Catholic helped its cause by hitting 12-of-19 field goal attempts (63.2 percent) in the second half.

Guerin Catholic's Matt Holba accounted for his team's last five points, including two on a breakaway dunk that brought the Golden Eagles' crowd to its feet. Holba turned in a double-double with 29 points and 14 rebounds. Christian Munson added 12 points for Guerin Catholic.

Coach Pete Smith's unranked Golden Eagles completed the season at 22-8. The victory was Guerin Catholic's second boys basketball title after also winning the 3A crown in 2012.

Griffith had four players in double-digit scoring – Tremell Murphy with 17, Anthony Murphy and Anthony Quintero with 12 each, and Anthony Harris with 11. Harris also grabbed 10 rebounds for a double-double.

Griffith started the season with a 13-3 record. Following a Feb. 7 in-game fight with Hammond, Griffith's remaining games were forfeited by the IHSAA, including state tournament participation. The Panthers were reinstated to the postseason tournament by a Lake County court order before the sectional. Coach Gary Hayes' unranked team finished the season 19-11.

Class 3A Championship Game Records

Highest Combined 3-Point Field Goal Percentage (min. 15 attempts)
.429 by Griffith (9-21) vs. Guerin Catholic (6-14), 2015.

Most Combined Blocked Shots (since 1979)
9 by Guerin Catholic (5) and Griffith (4), 2015.

Highest 3-Point Field Goal Percentage (min. 5 attempts)
.800 (4-5) Anthony Quintero, Griffith vs. Guerin Catholic, 2015.

Most Blocked Shots (since 1979)
(Tied) 4 by Matt Holba, Guerin Catholic vs. Griffith, 2015.

 Listen: Guerin Catholic Press Conference | Griffith Press Conference

Matt Labus of Guerin Catholic High School wins Trester Mental Attitude Award
Following the game, members of the IHSAA Executive Committee named Matt Labus of Guerin Catholic High School as the winner of the Arthur L. Trester Mental Attitude Award in Class 3A Boys Basketball.

The award is annually presented to a senior participant in the state finals who best demonstrates mental attitude, scholarship, leadership and athletic ability and is named after the IHSAA’s first commissioner who served the Association from 1929 to 1944.

Matt ranks first in his class of 189 students with a 4.3 GPA.  Furthermore, Matt is a three-sport athlete and plays baseball and football as well; he serves as captain of both the baseball and football teams.  Matt also volunteers in his community and is a member of many organizations, including the National Honor Society, Students Against Destructive Decisions, and Student Life Committee to name a few.   

Matt is the son of Theodore and Deirdre Labus of Westfield.  Matt is undecided on his college choice, but plans to study pre-med.

The Indiana Pacers and Indiana Fever, the presenting sponsor of the IHSAA Boys Basketball State Tournament, presented a $1,000 scholarship to Guerin Catholic High School in the name of Matt Labus. Since 1989, more than $840,000 in college scholarships have been presented to deserving high school athletes in Indiana.