June 9, 2020 at 4:25 p.m.
Pats down No. 1 Richmond in OT
Sports Retrospect
Pats down No. 1 Richmond in OT
By Mike Snyder-
Editor’s note: With a void in sports, The Commercial Review will occasionally run past stories from key events in the area’s athletic history. This story, from Feb. 6, 1988, recaps the Jay County High School boys basketball team’s upset of top-ranked and previously unbeaten Richmond.
••••••••••
The leather ball floated toward the iron hoop, spinning backward with perfect rotation. As the capacity crowd held its collective breath, the ball hit the back of the hoop, swished through and sent 4,000 or so Jay County fans into absolute mayhem.
The king is dead, long live the king!
Mark Hardwick and the Jay County Patriots were the orchestrators of the mayhem with a last-second, 20-foot 3-pointer and a 74-73 overtime upset of previously unbeaten and No. 1 Richmond.
It was a game that was everything Indiana high school basketball has come to mean. The smaller, slower, shorter Patriots fought toe-to-toe with Richmond all night and when the bell sounded — Jay County was the one left standing.
Hardwick’s shot and this game gave the Jay County fans in attendance something to tell their grandkids. By the time the 21st century rolls around, a grandfather will tell his grandson “I was there the night Jay County beat Richmond on a last-second shot.”
“It’s just a great feeling because of our fans,” said an exuberant Hardwick after he had dressed and taken congratulations from about half of the well-wishing fans. “I just love playing for the people,” he said.
The people loved him and his teammates back, too, as they mobbed the floor when the horn sounded and lifted Hardwick on their shoulders. The crowd jumped up and down and mobbed the players.
Jay County coach Mike Lederman let his players enjoy the on-court celebrations and simply headed for the locker room after shaking hands with Richmond coach George Griffith.
“These kids have been on such an emotional rollercoaster the last seven days,” a hoarse and drained Lederman said. “At this point I think I’m about numb.”
“The shot” was the last big downhill ride on that rollercoaster Lederman described and was even more memorable because it came just three seconds after A.J. Hendrix had put Richmond ahead 73-71 with just four seconds left in overtime for an apparent Red Devil win.
Lost in the pandemonium was another dominating performance by the state’s leading scorer Woody Austin — who probably put the Mr. Basketball award in his hip pocket with a 46-point performance.
“I’ve never coached against a better player,” Lederman said.
But there is an old cliche that says basketball is a team game, and on Friday night Woody’s teammates were missing in action.
“We have to get more help for Woody,” said Red Devil coach Griffith.
It was a game that perfectly fit the script Richmond had written for its season so far.
The Patriots controlled the game for the better part of three and half quarters, but Richmond — as it has done all season — was lurking in the background, waiting to make its move.
“I didn’t see a glaring weakness in our game,” said Griffith, whose team lost for the first time since last season’s state championship game. “They (Jay County) just played a super ball game.”
The move came in the third and fourth quarters, but the Patriots, showing character they might not even have known they possessed, withstood every challenge and came out on top.
The Patriots had seen an 11-point third quarter lead dissolve during the third and fourth quarters. Jay County, which had been in a nearly identical situation two months ago against the same Red Devil team in the final of the Hall of Fame Classic, was surely having visions of that game.
“I knew they were going to make a run,” Lederman said. “I was hoping we could hold it off to the point where they never led in the game. They took the lead (in the fourth), then we responded. We had to answer their charge.”
Chuckie Smith opened the overtime for Richmond with a layup off the tip to put the Red Devils ahead 69-67, and it looked suspiciously like old man momentum was sitting squarely on the Richmond sideline.
But again — as it did all night — Jay County answered.
Aaron Williams hit two big free throws, then Hardwick, who seem to come up with momentum-stopping baskets all night, answered another Smith basket to tie the score at 71-71.
Free throws would prove to be vital to the outcome. The Patriots hit 20-of-27 attempts from the line, while Richmond went to the stripe just six times — connecting on five.
Richmond — in a somewhat surprising move — decided after a timeout it would hold the ball and go for the final shot.
The Devils patiently worked the ball around the perimeter, with a last-second shot by Austin in mind.
But great denial defense by Dan Dirksen on Austin kept the ball out of his hands for the final 45 seconds. Hendrix, who scored just four points, found himself all alone in the right hand corner and he buried the jumper with four ticks left.
Jay quickly signaled timeout.
The play Lederman set up was one of which has worked at least two times before for the Patriots at the end of a quarter.
Minnich took the ball out and threw a bomb down court to Overton at the top of the key.
Overton leaped high to grab the ball, and as he came down he looked to the left, where he spotted Hardwick.
Hardwick received the ball, took two dribbles left, and launched the shot heard ’round Jay County over the outstretched hands of two Richmond players.
When the big Red Devil charge came in the fourth quarter, instead of folding, the Patriots responded back with a charge of their own and kept the ball game in reach.
When Chuckie Smith put Richmond in front 60-59 for its first lead of the ball game with 3:40 left in regulation, the Patriots answered right back with two free throws by Aaron Williams to put his team back on top.
Smith and Austin hit for Richmond, but Overton hit twice for Jay County to leave the Patriots with a 64-63 lead with 1:50 to go.
After a Smith air ball, Hardwick hit two free throws at the 1:13 mark and Jay County led by three.
But in stepped — who else? — Austin. He drained a 3-pointer to knot it at 67.
Jay County held the ball for the last winning shot. Randy Minnich drove the right baseline with about seven seconds left, and put up a shot that was blocked form behind by David Cruse.
Referee Kirk Comer blew the whistle, and signaled jump ball.
Jay County retained the ball on alternate possession, and on the inbounds Minnich passed to Hardwick on the left wing. Hardwick passed up a shot to hit Dirksen at the top of the key, who was open for just a moment. Dirksen put up a shot at the buzzer that missed well short and to the right.
Lederman and the Jay County fans screamed for a foul, but the refs said no, and into overtime they went.
Jay County — as in the previous meeting — shot a sizzling percentage from the field. They hit 26-of-46 shots in the game for 57 percent.
Another factor was the Patriot control of the boards. Jay County out-rebounded the Red Devils 28-25, but more importantly, kept them off the offensive glass.
The first quarter opened with Jay County playing well and moving out to a 17-10 lead, before an Austin 3-pointer and a layup off of a steal brought Richmond back to within two — 17-15.
Overton took over int he second period, scoring 10 points, including a dunk at the 30-second mark. Williams hit a 3-pointer just a few seconds later and Jay County headed to the locker room with a 39-29 lead.
Reserves win
It was perhaps a bit lost in the excitement of the varsity game, but the Jay County reserve team won, too.
Hitting 18-of-21 free throws, the Patriot reserves took a 44-35 decision over Richmond.
Shannon Stigleman led the scoring attack with a season-high 18 points. He was 8-for-9 from the free-throw line.
David Bolling and Tony Miller each added eight points for Jay County, whose record improves to 9-7.
••••••••••
The leather ball floated toward the iron hoop, spinning backward with perfect rotation. As the capacity crowd held its collective breath, the ball hit the back of the hoop, swished through and sent 4,000 or so Jay County fans into absolute mayhem.
The king is dead, long live the king!
Mark Hardwick and the Jay County Patriots were the orchestrators of the mayhem with a last-second, 20-foot 3-pointer and a 74-73 overtime upset of previously unbeaten and No. 1 Richmond.
It was a game that was everything Indiana high school basketball has come to mean. The smaller, slower, shorter Patriots fought toe-to-toe with Richmond all night and when the bell sounded — Jay County was the one left standing.
Hardwick’s shot and this game gave the Jay County fans in attendance something to tell their grandkids. By the time the 21st century rolls around, a grandfather will tell his grandson “I was there the night Jay County beat Richmond on a last-second shot.”
“It’s just a great feeling because of our fans,” said an exuberant Hardwick after he had dressed and taken congratulations from about half of the well-wishing fans. “I just love playing for the people,” he said.
The people loved him and his teammates back, too, as they mobbed the floor when the horn sounded and lifted Hardwick on their shoulders. The crowd jumped up and down and mobbed the players.
Jay County coach Mike Lederman let his players enjoy the on-court celebrations and simply headed for the locker room after shaking hands with Richmond coach George Griffith.
“These kids have been on such an emotional rollercoaster the last seven days,” a hoarse and drained Lederman said. “At this point I think I’m about numb.”
“The shot” was the last big downhill ride on that rollercoaster Lederman described and was even more memorable because it came just three seconds after A.J. Hendrix had put Richmond ahead 73-71 with just four seconds left in overtime for an apparent Red Devil win.
Lost in the pandemonium was another dominating performance by the state’s leading scorer Woody Austin — who probably put the Mr. Basketball award in his hip pocket with a 46-point performance.
“I’ve never coached against a better player,” Lederman said.
But there is an old cliche that says basketball is a team game, and on Friday night Woody’s teammates were missing in action.
“We have to get more help for Woody,” said Red Devil coach Griffith.
It was a game that perfectly fit the script Richmond had written for its season so far.
The Patriots controlled the game for the better part of three and half quarters, but Richmond — as it has done all season — was lurking in the background, waiting to make its move.
“I didn’t see a glaring weakness in our game,” said Griffith, whose team lost for the first time since last season’s state championship game. “They (Jay County) just played a super ball game.”
The move came in the third and fourth quarters, but the Patriots, showing character they might not even have known they possessed, withstood every challenge and came out on top.
The Patriots had seen an 11-point third quarter lead dissolve during the third and fourth quarters. Jay County, which had been in a nearly identical situation two months ago against the same Red Devil team in the final of the Hall of Fame Classic, was surely having visions of that game.
“I knew they were going to make a run,” Lederman said. “I was hoping we could hold it off to the point where they never led in the game. They took the lead (in the fourth), then we responded. We had to answer their charge.”
Chuckie Smith opened the overtime for Richmond with a layup off the tip to put the Red Devils ahead 69-67, and it looked suspiciously like old man momentum was sitting squarely on the Richmond sideline.
But again — as it did all night — Jay County answered.
Aaron Williams hit two big free throws, then Hardwick, who seem to come up with momentum-stopping baskets all night, answered another Smith basket to tie the score at 71-71.
Free throws would prove to be vital to the outcome. The Patriots hit 20-of-27 attempts from the line, while Richmond went to the stripe just six times — connecting on five.
Richmond — in a somewhat surprising move — decided after a timeout it would hold the ball and go for the final shot.
The Devils patiently worked the ball around the perimeter, with a last-second shot by Austin in mind.
But great denial defense by Dan Dirksen on Austin kept the ball out of his hands for the final 45 seconds. Hendrix, who scored just four points, found himself all alone in the right hand corner and he buried the jumper with four ticks left.
Jay quickly signaled timeout.
The play Lederman set up was one of which has worked at least two times before for the Patriots at the end of a quarter.
Minnich took the ball out and threw a bomb down court to Overton at the top of the key.
Overton leaped high to grab the ball, and as he came down he looked to the left, where he spotted Hardwick.
Hardwick received the ball, took two dribbles left, and launched the shot heard ’round Jay County over the outstretched hands of two Richmond players.
When the big Red Devil charge came in the fourth quarter, instead of folding, the Patriots responded back with a charge of their own and kept the ball game in reach.
When Chuckie Smith put Richmond in front 60-59 for its first lead of the ball game with 3:40 left in regulation, the Patriots answered right back with two free throws by Aaron Williams to put his team back on top.
Smith and Austin hit for Richmond, but Overton hit twice for Jay County to leave the Patriots with a 64-63 lead with 1:50 to go.
After a Smith air ball, Hardwick hit two free throws at the 1:13 mark and Jay County led by three.
But in stepped — who else? — Austin. He drained a 3-pointer to knot it at 67.
Jay County held the ball for the last winning shot. Randy Minnich drove the right baseline with about seven seconds left, and put up a shot that was blocked form behind by David Cruse.
Referee Kirk Comer blew the whistle, and signaled jump ball.
Jay County retained the ball on alternate possession, and on the inbounds Minnich passed to Hardwick on the left wing. Hardwick passed up a shot to hit Dirksen at the top of the key, who was open for just a moment. Dirksen put up a shot at the buzzer that missed well short and to the right.
Lederman and the Jay County fans screamed for a foul, but the refs said no, and into overtime they went.
Jay County — as in the previous meeting — shot a sizzling percentage from the field. They hit 26-of-46 shots in the game for 57 percent.
Another factor was the Patriot control of the boards. Jay County out-rebounded the Red Devils 28-25, but more importantly, kept them off the offensive glass.
The first quarter opened with Jay County playing well and moving out to a 17-10 lead, before an Austin 3-pointer and a layup off of a steal brought Richmond back to within two — 17-15.
Overton took over int he second period, scoring 10 points, including a dunk at the 30-second mark. Williams hit a 3-pointer just a few seconds later and Jay County headed to the locker room with a 39-29 lead.
Reserves win
It was perhaps a bit lost in the excitement of the varsity game, but the Jay County reserve team won, too.
Hitting 18-of-21 free throws, the Patriot reserves took a 44-35 decision over Richmond.
Shannon Stigleman led the scoring attack with a season-high 18 points. He was 8-for-9 from the free-throw line.
David Bolling and Tony Miller each added eight points for Jay County, whose record improves to 9-7.
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