The Blackford boys’ basketball team experienced a dramatic shift in momentum during their Class 2A regional championship game against Lapel. What began as a promising start for the Bruins quickly turned into a hard-fought loss as the host Bulldogs rallied for a 67-55 victory on Saturday, March 14.
The early minutes of the game saw Blackford establish a commanding presence. Their defense effectively stifled Lapel’s typically high-powered offense, and the Bruins capitalized on their opportunities. The first quarter culminated in a spectacular half-court buzzer-beater by sophomore standout Mari Leggett, which landed cleanly for a bank shot. This impressive play not only extended Blackford’s lead to 16-8 but also ignited the energy of the team’s bench and the home crowd, signaling a strong start for the Bruins.
However, the remaining three quarters of the contest belonged entirely to Lapel. The Bulldogs, fueled by their home-court advantage, began to find their rhythm offensively. They started converting their shots, forced crucial turnovers from Blackford, and steadily built momentum. By the final buzzer, Lapel had secured the regional championship title, overcoming the early deficit to win decisively.
A Tale of Two Halves
Blackford coach Aaron Daniels acknowledged the team’s initial success, stating, “We knew going into the game that if we wanted to win, we had to stick with our game plan for 32 minutes. For probably 20, it was perfect.” He highlighted key moments in the first half, noting the difficulty in containing Lapel’s Devin Craig and Tyler Cash, particularly their three-point shooting from offensive rebounds. “They got two 3s on O-boards where you can’t leave them, and that was the difference. In the first half, I felt like we kind of dominated, but we only had a three-point lead because we gave those up,” Daniels explained.
After being held scoreless from beyond the arc in the first quarter, Lapel’s normally sharp-shooting offense found its mark in the second. They drained three crucial three-pointers to begin their comeback, trailing by only a narrow 29-26 margin at halftime. The third quarter saw Lapel continue to build momentum. Senior forward Luke Jones was particularly effective, scoring all eight of his points in this period. In contrast, Blackford struggled offensively, managing only seven points and relinquishing the lead as they entered the final quarter.
The decisive blow came in the fourth quarter when Lapel senior Devin Craig hit back-to-back three-pointers, effectively sealing Blackford’s fate and dashing their hopes of advancing to the semi-state. Despite Leggett’s valiant effort, scoring 11 of his 23 points in the final quarter to keep the Bruins within striking distance, Lapel’s double-digit lead proved insurmountable. Blackford was unable to close the gap to within ten points for the remainder of the game.
Analyzing the Turning Point
“They’ve got players everywhere, and they’re a very good team,” Leggett commented on the loss. “I’m sad we lost. I know we gave it everything we got, but they’re a good team, and we need to keep our head held high.”
A significant factor contributing to Blackford’s defeat was the number of turnovers they committed. The Bruins had 18 miscues throughout the game, which directly led to transition opportunities for Lapel and helped them maintain their momentum. While some of these turnovers were forced by Lapel’s aggressive ball pressure, a considerable number were attributed to unforced errors and mental lapses.
Coach Daniels further elaborated on the game’s physicality, stating, “We knew it was going to be a physical game, and honestly, it was probably the most physical game we played all year. The officiating was really consistent, but it was really physical. For us, it didn’t really help us any because we don’t get out in pressure, we don’t really get into you. And for them, it really worked out in their favor because it was physical. We’ve just got to be better with the ball.”
A Season of Growth and Looking Ahead
The loss marked the conclusion of a highly successful season for Blackford. The Bruins significantly improved from their 14-10 record last year, Daniels’ inaugural season, to finish with an impressive 20-7 record this year. They also spent a considerable portion of the season ranked in the USA Today Network Class 2A media poll and achieved their first sectional championship since 2021. Daniels attributed this success to the senior class’s commitment and belief in his vision from the outset.
“It’s going to hurt losing five seniors,” Daniels acknowledged. “It’s my second year as head coach. These seniors have been with other guys longer than they have me up until this point, so for them to buy in to what we’re doing, it takes five guys like that to say ‘Hey, we want to win more than we care about anything else.'”
Senior forward Mason Kitterman, one of the departing players, reflected on his time representing Blackford. “Just our closeness. We’ve been together for I don’t know how many years, and we’re a great group of kids who gave it all we had,” Kitterman said. “Being one of the most recent teams to win a sectional for Blackford, it means a lot to me for my community. We’re just a group of hometown boys, and we did it.”
Despite the graduation of Kitterman and four other seniors, the future appears bright for Blackford. The return of Mari Leggett for his junior and senior seasons provides a significant boost. Through his first two years, Leggett has already amassed 1,049 career points and led Class 2A in scoring this season with an outstanding 26.4 points per game. His potential is immense, with aspirations to follow in the footsteps of Blackford basketball legends like Luke Brown.
“When you’ve got Mari Leggett, that’s a special talent,” Daniels stated. “The growth from freshman year to sophomore year was huge, and the growth from the start of this year to now was massive. He’s a big time, Division I player, so he’s going to continue to get better, and starting here in a month, he’s going to go out and see the best players in the nation on the AAU circuit. He’s going to come back, he’s going to be really, really good, and we’ve got a lot of pieces to go around him.”
