by Conner Adams
On March 19, 2023, the Lloyd E. Scott Gymnasium in Seymour, Indiana was filled with a wave of gold and purple. 80% of the gymnasium was Scottsburg Warriors fans, the true sign that the community was behind the team no matter the result of the game. The Scottsburg Warriors had a tough loss against Guerin Catholic (56-40) in the Final Four of the IHSAA State Tournament.
In my years of playing high school basketball, I never made it out of the Sectional round. I cannot imagine the feeling of being one of the final four teams in the state of Indiana to compete for the state championship. To the coaches and players: you all made history, not only in the post season, but during the season as well.
The Warriors ended in the regular season 17-5 overall, and 6-2 in the MSC. Their overall record was 22-6, the third most wins for the season in Scottsburg Basketball history. The most wins in Scottsburg Basketball history (25) came from the 1969 Warriors team which was famously coached by Coach Jim Barley and lead by player Bill James. The second most wins in a regular season (23) is held by the 1956 Warriors team coached by Charley Meyer and led by player LaVern Altemeyer.
The Warriors ended an 18-year drought when they finally brought home a sectional championship this season. The last time the Warriors went on the win the sectional was in 2005 coached by Brady Wells and led by player Jared Comer. Many people, (including myself) have wondered is this the farthest the Warriors have ever gone in the post season? Well, the answer is yes, and no.
Before the 1997-1998 basketball season, the IHSAA State Championship was “open class.” Which means that there was no 1A, 2A, 3A, or 4A championship. There was only one state championship.
In the 1956 season the Scottsburg Warriors went all the way to “Elite Eight” which in open class basketball is equal to the “Final Four” in class basketball. The 1956 Warriors went all the way to the second game of Semi-State located at Hinkle Fieldhouse to face Crispus Attucks, where they lost 67-42. You may have heard of Crispus and one of their players. His name is Oscar Robertson, and he went on to become an NBA Legend for the Milwaukee Bucks. That’s a pretty good person to lose to in high school basketball if you ask me. In “class” basketball this is the farthest the Warriors have ever gone.
The Warriors also set some season records that have been long standing. The Warriors broke an 18-year record held by the 2005 Warriors team of 127 three’s made in a season. The 2023 Warriors almost doubled that record, they hit a whopping 233 three’s this season. Two games that helped the Warriors achieve that record was against Clarksville and Gibson Southern where the team hit 17 three pointers in one game! Another school record!
The Warriors made more history this season by achieving some personal records.
Coach Eric Richardson moved up on the All-Time Wins as a coach with 44 total wins, which is top 10 all time at Scottsburg. The record for most wins is 193, which is held by Coach Jim Barley.
Wyatt Zeller broke the single game blocks record with 9 total blocks against Silver Creek.
Kody Clancy has 982 total career points which moves him to 18th All-Time.
The taste of defeat will leave a bitter taste in your mouth. But how would we know how great victory feels if we didn’t have defeat? After it’s all said and done, you all made history. That is something that will be remembered forever.
I love this quote from former UK player, coach, and now President of the NBA franchise Miami Heat, Pat Riley. “You have no choices about how you lose, but you do have a choice about how you come back and prepare to win again.”
Thank you, seniors Kyle McGinnis, Rylan Lytle, and Jacob Martin.
Thank you, Dara Bowles, Caden Richardson, Jack Miller, Bryson Mata, Wyatt Zellers, and Kody
Clancy.
Thank you, Coach Eric Richardson.
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Conner Adams authors The Spin Cycle Podcast that can be found on Apple Podcast and Spotify.