Ben Davis boys basketball will be making its second straight appearance in the Class 4A state championship game.
The Giants advanced to the state title game by gutting out a 52-51 win in the southern semistate against Jeffersonville. The Giants won the semistate opener 75-49 over Center Grove while Jeffersonville rallied past Lawrence North 62-60.
Ben Davis will be looking for its second consecutive state title on March 30 when they play No. 1 rated Fishers at 8:15 p.m. in Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The Giants opened the season rated No. 1 and hosted Fishers way back on November 21 but came out on the short end of a 74-61 score. Ben Davis played that game without starting junior guard Mark Zackery, who had just helped the football Giants win state. It was also the first game for interim head coach Corey Taylor and three Giants started who had combined for less than 30 minutes of combined varsity action before this season.
Ben Davis went 33-0 last season and seven players graduated from that lineup. The Giants will be looking for the schools fifth boys basketball state title while this is the first year Fishers has advanced past sectionals.
