By Mike Beas, Special to IHSAA.org
Crispus Attucks is unique in that the boys’ basketball program continues to make history while at times having to compete against it.
The Tigers’ most-successful eras, their launching points separated by 62 years, inevitably invite comparisons – deserved or not – from those long enough in the tooth to claim they’ve witnessed both.
It’s human nature, and Crispus Attucks coach Chris Hawkins understands this.
Since taking over before the start of the 2016-2017 season, Hawkins has guided the Tigers to a 174-63 record (.734). Along the way, his team has captured four sectional titles, three regionals and a pair of semi-state championships.
The coach’s initial group went on to hoist the Class 3A trophy, the Tigers’ first since cutting the nets inside Butler (now Hinkle) Fieldhouse during the euphoric aftermath of three single-class titles between 1955-1959.
Now, Crispus Attucks seeks a modern-day second title.
“If feels good,” said Hawkins, a 2001 graduate of Southport High School. “This group, when our seniors were freshmen, were 13-11. “Basically, just to see it from their freshman year to where they are now to see it pay off with a state finals appearance is really big. We’re excited. We want to get one more.”
Long before Dezmon Briscoe, the Tigers’ 6-foot-9 senior forward, was regarded as one of the state’s premier talents, he was a fourth-grader in Gainbridge Fieldhouse cheering for his brother, Derrick, a junior on the 2016-2017 title-winning Tigers’ ball club that rallied to defeat Twin Lakes, 73-71.
Now look at him. The younger Briscoe leads Crispus Attucks in scoring (15.7) and rebounding (8.8), and had been committed to play for the University of Iowa until Hawkeyes’ coach Fran McCaffery was recently relieved of his duties after a 15-year run.
Shortly thereafter, the two-time city player of the year reopened his recruiting process. At the moment, however, he’s focused on doing what’s required to bring his school a fifth state championship.
“It means something great to me,” said Briscoe. “Watching my brother win in 2017, and now that I’m in it, my momma’s going to have two state boys in the house, so I know she’ll be proud.”
Briscoe is one of two four-year starters for Crispus Attucks (22-6) entering Saturday evening’s battle with South Bend Saint Joseph (26-3). The other is 6-1 point guard Chris Hurt, who sports averages of 14.2 points and a team-best 5.2 assists.
Hurt, who is headed to IU South Bend to continue his academic and athletic pursuits, credits, in part, the closeness of this group for its success.
“We always believed through the season,” said Hurt. “We’re just all together as one. We love each other, like to play basketball with each other, and that really helps us on the court.”
Crispus Attucks faces a hungry Huskies’ program back inside Gainbridge Fieldhouse for a second straight year after losing to Scottsburg in last season’s 3A title game, 67-57.
Thus, motivating factors haven’t been difficult to find.
“We wanted to make the most of the opportunity we had,” said Brashaun Woods, a 6-1 senior forward for South Bend Saint Joseph, who averages 5.2 points and 2.7 rebounds. “We knew we had a good team. This season offered different challenges, but we worked hard to get back here.”
The Huskies were the state’s top point producer of all teams in the state with an average of 77.1 per outing. The Tigers rank 19th at 68.3, virtually guaranteeing a frenetic pace when the teams meet.
Senior guard Chase Konieczny leads Saint Joseph in scoring at 22.6 per game, followed by sophomore guard Elijah King (13.9), junior guard Nick Shrewsberry (13.8) and junior point Ethan Roseman (10.8).
South Bend Saint Joseph started the season with nine straight wins – best out of the gate for the program since a 10-0 beginning in 2007-2008 – before losing to Zionsville, 76-61, in the final of the Homestead Tournament a few days after Christmas.
The squad’s other setbacks were a four-pointer to Penn and, most recently, losing at Mt. Carmel (Illinois), 80-64, in early February. Since then, fourth-year coach Eric Gaff’s team has rattled off 10 straight victories.
“It’s been on our mind since we left the gym last year,” said Gaff. “To the boys’ credit, they never lost sight of that. Our summer workouts, our fall workouts and into practice, these guys have been about trying to get back.
“Every season has its bumps. But every time we had a loss, or we just didn’t play where we thought we needed to be at, the guys got better in practice. And it was kind of player-driven, which always makes it better for a coach.”