The Pike team that Columbus North will face in the girls basketball semistate didn’t even play in the sectional last year.
The Red Devils’ on-court fight with Ben Davis late in the regular season led the IHSAA to cancel the seasons of both teams. Seven players from that Pike team are back this year and eager to atone for their mistakes of last season.
Today, the Red Devils will face the Bull Dogs in the Richmond Semistate. The winner goes to the state finals.
“It was some healing that had to take place there,” Pike coach Bob Anglea said. “I’ve always said that kids make mistakes. It’s not the mistakes that hold you down. It’s what you do after it. You have to learn from that mistake and do the best you can possibly do. We just talked about putting that in the rearview mirror and putting your nose to the grindstone.”
The Red Devils certainly have done that. They’ve gone 23-3 and finished the regular season ranked No. 4 in the state in Class 4A.
Last week, Pike upset 4A No. 1 North Central 61-59 in overtime to capture the school’s first girls basketball regional title.
“We’ve just targeted all season to be the best we can be,” Anglea said. “Our goal is to be playing our best basketball at tournament time.”
Two of the Red Devils three losses this season came against North Central (the other was at Center Grove). The Panthers looked like they would make it 3 for 3 against Pike when they took a nine-point lead.
The Red Devils came back to take a three-point lead late in regulation, but a 3-pointer by North Central’s Taylor Ramey sent it to overtime. The Panthers held the ball for most of the extra period before Pike’s Angel Baker came up with a steal and layup in the closing seconds.
“(North Central) came out pretty hot,” Anglea said. “We made a few adjustments, were able to defend the 3-point line a little better and got the ball inside to our bigs and took advantage of the size advantage we had on the inside.”
Baker, 5-foot-11 junior, leads the Red Devils with 19.5 points, 4.0 assists and 3.6 steals a game. Michaela White, a 6-0 junior, averages 11.1 points and 8.9 rebounds, while sophomore Jada Roberson adds 10.0 points and 6.8 rebounds and 5-11 sophomore Kennedy Garrard chips in 10.0 points and 7.2 rebounds.
Anglea, who coached at Pike for five years before taking last year off, said Baker has developed into the team leader.
“When we need something done, she’s our go-to person,” Anglea said.
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The game-by game scores this season for Pike (23-3):
Nov. 1;Anderson;W 87- 33
Nov. 10;Roncalli;W 70- 46
Nov. 15;at Indianapolis Tech;W 76- 23
Nov. 18;at Lawrence Central;W 77- 24
Nov. 26;Greenfield-Central (tourney);W 64- 31
Nov. 26;at Jeffersonville (tourney);W 50- 35
Nov. 29;at Warren Central;W 57- 30
Dec. 2;North Central;L 63- 76
Dec. 3;at DeLaSalle (Ill.);W 72- 12
Dec. 6;at Franklin Central (Marion Co. tourney);W 69- 34
Dec. 8;at North Central (Marion Co. tourney);L 70- 77 tournament
Dec. 13;at Perry Meridian;W 62- 48
Dec. 17;at Center Grove;L 48- 50
Dec. 20;Pendleton Heights;W 55- 37
Dec. 22;Bloomington South;W 52- 38
Jan. 5;Lawrence North;W 63- 56
Jan. 12;Franklin Central;W 78- 50
Jan. 14;Ben Davis;W 75- 39
Jan. 20;at Carmel;W 46- 42
Jan. 24;Hamilton Southeastern;W 62- 58
Jan. 27;at Fishers;W 66- 37
Jan. 28;at Heritage Christian;W 66- 64
Feb. 3;Roncalli (sectional);W 55- 53 (OT)
Feb. 4;at Ben Davis (sectional);W 58- 55
Feb. 11;Brownsburg (regional);W 58- 48
Feb. 11;North Central (regional);W 61- 59 (OT)
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What: Richmond Semistate
When: 3 p.m. Saturday
Where: Richmond High School
Who: Columbus North (21-7) vs. Pike (23-3)
Admission: $8
Advancement: Winner moves on to the Class 4A state finals at around 8:15 p.m. Feb. 25 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse
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