Giants capture sectional crown

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Fueled by a buzzer-beating halftime three-pointer by sophomore Sheridan Sharp, the Ben Davis boys basketball team went on a 14-0 run en route to a 68-56 win over Pike in Saturday’s championship game of the Class 4A Sectional 11 at Decatur Central.

The Giants spent less than three minutes in the halftime locker room and came out in the third quarter on fire. Senior Jayden Brewer scored the first six points of the quarter as the Giants extended a 25-23 deficit with less than five seconds left in the second quarter to a 37-25 lead three minutes into the third quarter.

Pike never got closer than seven points the rest of the way as Ben Davis won its second sectional in the past three years (last year’s sectional was cancelled after BD lost an opening game to Southport). Third year coach Don Carlisle is now 5-1 in six games against Pike and also sports a 4-1 sectional record in his three seasons.

The Giants (14-11) now face Class 4A No. 3 Lawrence North (25-2) in Saturday’s opening game of the Southport regionals. Mount Vernon (17-6) faces Plainfield (23-2) in the second game with the winner’s in action for the 8 p.m. championship. Mount Vernon is coached by former BD assistant Ben Rhoades.

Lawrence North beat Ben Davis 57-39 on February 12.

Brewer led the Giants in the sectional final with 23 points while sophomore Clay Butler chipped in 16.