INDIANAPOLIS -- Sean May made a layup with six seconds left and then Bloomington North watched as Jeffersonville's Bryant Northern just missed a three-pointer at the buzzer to give the Cougars a 61-59 semi-state win over the Red Devils before 5,895 at Hinkle Fieldhouse Saturday night.
The top-ranked Cougars (25-0) will play second-seeded Marion next Saturday night at approximately 8:45 for the IHSAA 4-A state championship. Marion (27-1) defeated Warsaw 51-38 in the other semi-state final.
May's game winner capped a furious finish that saw Jeffersonville rally from a nine-point deficit with 4:42 left in the game. The Red Devils (22-3) outscored the Cougars 14-5 to tie the game on Nate Turner's drive with 19 seconds left.
North inbounded to senior Jared Jeffries, who had 29 points, seven rebounds and five assists to that point in the game. Jeffries brought the ball up against Jeffersonville standout Dennis Coutee, who finished with 24 points.
"I thought about calling timeout there," North coach Tom McKinney said, "but we had the ball in Jared's hands and I thought he could create a nice scoring chance."
Jeffries drove the lane and three Red Devils converged on him, including 6-foot-6 Mike Shelton. The Jeffersonville forward had the primary duty of covering May, who suddenly found himself wide open. Jeffries dished to his teammate and May scored his 21st and 22nd points of the night.
"Jared is a great player and that was a great, unselfish play," said May, a 6-8 sophomore. "I thought Jared was going to take it, but he just drew their entire front line to him. All I had to do was make sure I made the layup."
May finished with 22 points and 10 boards. He made 11 of 14 from the floor.
Jeffries called his sixth assist of the night very special.
"That was the biggest assist of my career," said the Indiana University signee. "I dribbled to the hole and I saw two guys come to help Dennis. Sean came open and I found him.
"This is the way it should be. This was a great game between two great teams. We proved tonight that we can play in close games. We haven't had any close calls until tonight and we showed we can handle a great game and comeback from a great team."
Jeffersonville built a 27-21 halftime lead by scoring the last 10 points of the second quarter after Jeffries went to the bench with two fouls and 2:17 left on the clock before intermission. But North came out strong to start the third quarter. The Cougars scored the first three baskets of the second half and Jeffersonville coach Mike Broughton called a timeout.
"We're up six at halftime and they jump us to start the second half," Broughtson said. "That's what championship teams do."
The third proved to be the pivotal quarter in the game for North. The Cougars outscored the Red Devils 24-14 to make a 10-point turnaround in the game.
May and Jeffries combined for 34 points in the second half, but Coutee and Bryant Northern seemed to have an answer for every North spurt. The last Red Devil rally seemed improbable as North held a nine-point lead entering the stretch run. Furthermore, the Cougars had been able to go inside for easy hoops again and again out of their flex offense.
Turner started the final Jeffersonville rally by making two free throws for 54-47 with 4:26 to play. Coutee buried a trey for 54-50 and Phil Holland made two free throws for 54-52.
May countered with a 15-footer, but Northern's three-pointer made it 56-55 with 1:59 left. Jeffries hit one of two from the line nine seconds later and then made it 59-55 on a drive with 1:10 to play. But back-to-back Cougar turnovers led to two Shelton free thorws and Turner's basket for 59-all.
May's basket looked like it might not be enough, for McKinney and his team had to watch as Northern almost made a three-pointer at the buzzer. His shot banked in and out and almost back in again. Jeffries came running at Northern just enough to distract the final attempt.
"I was thinking, 'Oh, my God, it's going to go in,' and then I felt joy," Jeffries said.
"In 30 years of coaching you lose 'em every which say," McKinney said. "I couldn't do anything on that play. If it goes in, it goes in. We were fortunate.
"I feel for Jeffersonville because they played a good game, and then it comes down to the last two possessions. Either team could have won. Either could have lost. The difference was we hit one at the end and they didn't."
Now the Cougars will play Marion's Giants, led by Michigan State signee Zach Randolph, at Conseco Fieldhouse next Saturday. North is trying to become the first undefeated state champion since Marion did it in 1985.
"Zach is my boy and I expect another great game," Jeffries said. "We are the top two candidates for Mr. Basketball and that should make for an attractive championship game. In fact, I expect an even better game next week. So I hope a lot of people will come on out to see it."
JEFFERSONVILLE (59) -- Dennis Coutee 24, Bryant Northern 13, Phil Holland 7, Nate Turner 6, Mike Shelton 5, Nick Frey 2, Victor Powell 2, Ryan McCain 0.
BLOOMINGTON NORTH (61) -- Jared Jeffries 29, Sean May 22, Mike Bridgwaters 4, Kelvin Boatner 0, Matt Kalua 3, Errek Suhr 3, Clay Ludlow 0, Scott May 0.
© 2000 dbulla@indiana.edu