GBB SECT. 42: Knightstown nets first title in 30 years over Northeastern

MIDDLETOWN – Knightstown captured its first girls basketball postseason title since 1980 at Shenandoah Feb. 18 by holding off Northeastern, 52-50, for the Class 2A Sectional 42 championship. 

The Panthers (12-11) rolled out to an early first-half lead, then fended off a furious rally by the Knights (15-7) behind 23 points from senior Danielle Altman. Knightstown will now have exactly one day to enjoy its first sectional championship in 30 years before tackling top-ranked and undefeated Winchester (23-0) in the Feb. 20 opening round of Regional 11 at Lawrence Central.

The winner will face either South Ripley (18-5) or four-time defending 2A state champion No. 9 Heritage Christian (14-9) in Saturday night’s title game. Be that Knightstown, the Panthers will do so after surviving an eight-team, snow-tattered sectional odyssey that lasted 10 days.

The Thursday title game was originally scheduled for five days earlier and was one of two to take place in snow-battered Indiana. Greensburg also defeated rival Batesville, 50-39, to capture the 3A Sectional 28 championship at Franklin County.

Altman, a 5’6” senior swingman, got the job done for ninth-year coach Dawn Basicker’s Panthers in both halves in the long-awaited finale. She scored 14 points in leading Knightstown to a 31-25 lead at the break, then converted a late-game layup off her steal of a Northeastern in-bounds pass that immediately followed a layin by teammate Kaelee Kuhn.

The four-point dagger that took all of about four seconds had turned a teetering one-point lead into a 50-45 advantage when a reeling Northeastern called timeout with 1:14 to play. The Knights cut the gap to one 16 seconds later on a 3-pointer from the left side by junior forward Kyley Nocton, but a turnover and air-ball three on their next two possessions sealed their fate.

Knightstown’s six-point halftime lead grew to nine on two occasions in the third quarter, but Northeastern rallied behind the dominant inside presence of junior forward Briana Jett. The 5’10” Jett tied Altman for game-high scoring honors with 23 points, several coming from the paint and the free throw line, as Northeastern climbed within 46-45 on a 3-pointer from the left elbow by senior Caitlin Burroughs.

But from the moment that shot found the net with 4:52 to play, neither team scored on the next 10 possessions – a span covering 3:31 – till Kuhn’s timely bunny off a loose ball preceded Altman’s timely larceny and layup.

Game 1 – Hagerstown 42, Cambridge City Lincoln 33

Game 2 – Northeastern 48, Shenandoah 39

Game 3 – Centerville 55, Eastern Hancock 29

Game 4 – Knightstown 56, Union County 22

Game 5 – Northeastern 34, Hagerstown 28

Game 6 – Knightstown 55, Centerville 52

Championship – Knightstown 52, Northeastern 50

Game 1 – Knightstown (12-11) vs. #1 Winchester (23-0). 10a ET

Game 2 – #9 Heritage Christian (14-9) vs. South Ripley (18-5). 12p

Championship – Winner of Game 1 vs. Winner of Game 2. 8p