Barr-Reeve Tops Kouts for Second State Championship
Class 1A’s top-ranked Barr-Reeve took command right from the start of the state title game and rolled to a 64-48 win over Kouts.
Junior forward Hagen Knepp canned a 3-point basket 33 seconds into the game and the Vikings never trailed, capping a 29-2 season to capture the program’s second state title. Barr-Reeve finished the season on a 23-game winning streak.
Coach Josh Thompson finished his third year at the helm and has guided B-R to an 80-6 record. The Vikings only losses this season came at the hands of Class 4A finalist Carmel and Class 2A finalist Fort Wayne Blackhawk.
Barr-Reeve took a 26-14 lead at halftime and Kouts could only climb as close as 37-30 during the second half.
Curt Hopf led the way for the winners with 23 points and 19 rebounds, while Knepp added 16 points and 10 rebounds. His 19 rebounds set a Class A state championship game record topping the previous mark of 15 set by Hauser’s Bobby Jolliff in 2006.
The Vikings’ Brycen Graber recorded 13 assists which, was not just a Class A championship record, but tied an all-time record regardless of class set by Valparaiso’s Bryce Drew in the 1994 semifinals.
Kouts, making its first appearance in the state finals, got 21 points from Cole Wireman and 15 from Cale Wireman.
The Mustangs of coach Kevin Duzan finished the season at 29-3.
Class A State Championship Records
Most Rebounds: 19 by Curt Hopf, Barr-Reeve.
Most Assists: 13 by Brycen Graber, Barr-Reeve. (Also tied the all-time state finals record regardless of class).
Barr-Reeve’s Jamison Miller named Ray Craft Mental Attitude Award recipient
Following today’s game, the IHSAA Executive Committee named Barr-Reeve’s Jamison Miller as the recipient of the Ray Craft Mental Attitude Award presented by the Indiana Pacers and Indiana Fever.
The award is annually presented to a senior, who is nominated by his principal and coach, and has demonstrated excellence in mental attitude, scholarship, leadership and athletic ability during his four years of high school.
He is the son of Galen and Julie Miller of Montgomery. He will be attending Vincennes University to obtain a Physical Therapist Assistant license and then move on to a four-year institution to become a Physical Therapist.
The Indiana Pacers and Indiana Fever, presenting sponsors of the IHSAA Boys Basketball State Tournament, presented a $1,000 scholarship to the Barr-Reeve High School general scholarship fund in the name of Jamison Miller.