HIGH SCHOOL

Tech beats Cathedral for City title

By Kyle Neddenriep
kyle.neddenriep@indystar.com

There is the obvious and not-so-obvious when discussing the dominance of this edition of the Tech High School basketball team.

First, there is the palpable, throw-it-down-your-throat presence of 6-10 Trey Lyles. The McDonald's All-American accounted for 23 points, 13 rebounds, six blocked shots and five assists on Thursday night as Tech defeated visiting Cathedral 66-58 to claim its first City tournament championship since the 1990-91 season.

Then there is the more inconspicuous role of players like senior Justin Parker, a 6-5 forward who transferred to Tech from Northwest last summer. Parker, who Cathedral coach Andy Fagan called "the difference in the game," made all three of his 3-point attempts and finished with 11 points and five rebounds.

Championships are won on the contributions of guys like Parker, a defensive stopper with offensive skill, to support the performances of players like Lyles. Not that there are many like Lyles.

"Justin has really done a great job for us this year defensively and not as much offensively," Tech coach Jason Delaney said. "But he can step up and knock down that shot like he did tonight and he's done in other games. He knows his role and he does it to the best of ability."

Class 4A top-ranked Tech (17-1) needed all hands on deck to defeat 4A fourth-ranked Cathedral (10-4) for a second time this season. The game was far different than the Dec. 13 meeting, when the Titans buried the Irish 40-8 early en route to a 30-point win.

Tech never trailed, but saw its 31-20 halftime lead sliced to four midway through the third quarter. The Titans pushed the lead back to 14 to start the fourth quarter, but Cathedral got within eight points multiple times in the fourth quarter as senior guard Justin Baker scored 21 of his game-high 30 points in the final 8 minutes.

"We felt like we got good looks the first game and just didn't make shots," Cathedral coach Andy Fagan said. "When you go 4-for-23 from the 3-point line and 14-for-29 from the free-throw line you aren't going to win many games. I don't care if you are playing in little league, let alone against a team like Tech."

Lyles scored Tech's first 10 points and made 2-for-3 from the 3-point line. The game was delayed three days due to a weather postponement on Monday, which added to the anticipation.

"I was anxious to get out there and get to playing," Lyles said. "The first quarter I was feeling it so I just kept shooting."

Lyles was quick to point out the contributions of Parker and senior guard Josh Whitfield, who hit a 3-pointer with 2:45 left to push the lead back to 11.

"Justin played his role very well tonight," he said. "He played with confidence and we have confidence in him. He came out and hit some big shots and played defense really well. Josh Whitfield came off the bench and hit a big shot. Everybody did what was asked of them."

Ball State recruit Jeremie Tyler, playing in front of future coach James Whitford, added 11 points for Tech.

There is a chance Cathedral and Tech could meet a third time this season, in the sectional. Fagan said before the season that he expected his largely inexperienced team to make a big jump from the beginning of the season to the end.

"The season is a process and you get better as the year goes," Fagan said. "We've taken a lot of steps forward from the beginning of the season. We were confident coming into tonight. It'll be no different if we see them in the sectional. We'll be confident then as well."

So, too, will Tech. The City championship is just Step One on the Titans' to-do list.

"This has been one of our goals since coach Delaney got here," Lyles said. "We've got sectionals, regionals and state after this. It doesn't end here."

Call Star reporter Kyle Neddenriep at (317) 444-6649.

Tech 66, Cathedral 58

Cathedral … 9 11 11 27 - 58

Tech … 13 18 14 21 - 66

Cathedral (10-4) – Justin Baker 10 4-4 30, Tiernan Cook 0 0-0 0, Collin Barthel 2 0-0 6, Tra Landers 4 0-0 8, Matt Gregory 4 0-0 12, Jared Thomas 0 0-0 0, Kendall Coleman 0 0-0 0, Matthew Paligraf 1 0-0 2, Dushan Shepeard 0 0-1 0. Totals: 21 4-5 58.

Tech (17-1) – C.J. Walker 2 3-3 7, Jeremie Tyler 3 4-4 11, Mike Jones 2 0-0 5, Justin Parker 4 0-0 11, Trey Lyles 8 5-8 23, Josh Whitfield 1 0-0 3, Rashaun Richardson 1 0-0 2, Eric Meeks 0 0-0 0, Demetrius Shaw 1 2-2 4. Totals: 22 14-17 66.

3-point goals: Cathedral 12 (Baker 6, Gregory 4, Barthel 2), Tech 8 (Parker 3, Lyles 2, Whitfield, Jones, Tyler)