Northeastern wins 6th sectional title in 10 years, seniors show why this one is different

MIDDLETOWN, Ind. — On the team bus ride back to Northeastern High School Saturday night, Brent Ross looked out the back window and saw something he never had in his 14 years coaching the Knights. He’d seen a convoy of cars follow his bus before — this now the sixth time with a sectional championship trophy on board — but he’d never seen one quite like this.

It was different because that’s all he could see. As far as his eyes could focus, all Ross could make out was a seemingly endless line of cars flashing their caution lights. If he turned around, he could see the police car leading the Knights back home, but there was no sign of the one bringing up the rear. That’s how many Northeastern supporters — seemingly endless — trailed the newly crowned sectional champs, and there were just as many waiting to celebrate with them at the school.

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“When you win one, you’ve got to take it in, and I’m trying to take it in tonight because you just don’t know when the next one’s going to come,” Ross said.

‘What sets us apart’

The Knights had a different bus ride home the year prior after a loss to Eastern Hancock in the sectional title game, despite a gutsy comeback effort. That bus ride stung, and they didn’t want to have that feeling again.

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During the players’ exit interviews, the coaches could see it on their faces: the disappointment of coming up short and the determination to not let it happen the following season. That fire burned the hottest in Northeastern’s five soon-to-be seniors at the time: Keaton Mikesell, Grant Luebbe, Carson Terrell, Caleb Harmon and Karsen Scarrette.

They watched Tyler Smith lead the Knights to four consecutive sectional titles, including the team’s first-ever, when they were in elementary school. They watched Kolden Vanlandingham and Carter Lumpkin lead them to another when they were in eighth grade. But in their three years with the high school program, those five soon-to-be seniors watched another team celebrate, still longing to know what it felt like to win a title of their own.

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“That was the big thing for this coaching staff is we wanted to get one for this group,” Ross said. “When we got on the bus today, we said, ‘Remember that bus ride home last year when Eastern Hancock put it on us. We can’t have any regrets.’ They wanted it so bad, and they believed. They believed from day one this was possible.”

And they made it happen, defeating Hagerstown 54-41 for the sectional championship.

If no one else believed, those five certainly did. “All they heard,” as Ross put it, was about the players who came before them. Smith (2017 graduate) went on to become Northeastern’s all-time leading scorer. Vanlandingham, the team’s second all-time leading scorer, and Lumpkin (2021 graduates) combined for nearly 3,000 points in their careers. Raedhyn Foust, Payton Lumpkin and Ben Deitsch (2022 graduates) were the perfect trio of scoring, rebounding and passing.

This season, the Knights don’t have “that guy.” They don’t have a go-to scorer to give the ball when they need a bucket. That’s what makes this team different. What makes it successful is the players have accepted it.

The top four scorers on this team, all seniors, average anywhere from 7.5 to 12 points per game. Nobody stands out. All of them have proven they can put up 20 points in a single night, but they’re content settling for single digits if it gives them the best chance to win.

“In a time like that where somebody needs to score, you can’t put all your focus on one guy,” Mikesell said. “With all of us being able to put up 20 on any given night, I think it makes it harder for teams to guard us.”

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In sectionals, the scorer just so happened to be Luebbe. He put up 13 points in the first round against Shenandoah. He scored 25 in the semifinals against Union County, going 9-for-10 from the field (7-for-8 from 3-point range) in just 13 minutes of playing time. He dropped an even 20 in the championship against Hagerstown.

“It makes it easier. (Defenses) don’t have to focus on one person to take them out of the game,” Luebbe said. “Last night, I got hot, but it could have been Keaton. You never know who’s going to get hot, so it definitely helps having five different scorers out there at all times.”

Even more so than its balanced offense, Northeastern’s identity is in its defense, and it especially shows up when the game matters most. This season, the Knights have been known to close games extremely well, and that starts on the defensive end. You may not recognize it by looking at all the final scores, but Northeastern has been in many close games this year.

Twice against Centerville, the Knights and Bulldogs were separated by five points or fewer at halftime. Northeastern won those games by 15 and 25 points. Against Winchester, with a third straight undefeated Tri-Eastern Conference record on the line, Northeastern held the Falcons to just four points in the last five minutes of the game. The Knights led by three points with one minute to play. A Harmon 3-pointer and a few clutch free throws gave them a 10-point victory. In their first-round sectional game against Shenandoah, the Knights trailed 27-25 at the half but held the Raiders to just 14 points the rest of the way to advance.

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“All the coaches really harp on defense,” Luebbe said. “Every day, it’s defense, defense, defense wins championships. I think our defense is what sets us apart from a lot of teams.”

Northeastern led Hagerstown 27-19 at the midway break in the championship. In the locker room, Ross said, he joked with his players that they were winning at halftime for once. They kept it up in the second half to secure the 54-41 sectional championship win.

“Amazing,” Mikesell said of what it was like to finally climb the ladder and cut down the nets. “Words can’t even describe how happy I am for me and my teammates … We were all pumped for it.”

Luebbe echoed Mikesell’s sentiment, adding that it felt like a weight off their shoulders.

“It’s just awesome to be able to do it with all five of us seniors,” Luebbe said. “We’ve been playing basketball together for 13 years now, and it’s just a blessing to be able to do it together.”

‘Bring out the Knights’

The Northeastern cheerleaders lined the east entrance of Larry Moore Gymnasium Saturday night in front of the packed one side of the stands and started a “Bring out the Knights” chant. Led by the seniors — what else would you expect — the Knights entered the gym to thunderous applause with the trophy held high by Scarrette.

Once everyone settled and the players grouped together on the court, Ross said a few words on the microphone. Understand, Ross is not one to brag. He’s aware of his program’s success over the last decade, but he usually lets the accomplishments themselves do the talking.

Not this night.

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“We preach all the time, me and the coaches — and I think the players are believing it now — we’re the best basketball program in East Central Indiana,” Ross said as the crowd gave another round of applause.

He noted that the only two remaining teams in the area were Blue River Valley and Delta and added that Northeastern beat both earlier this season. More applause.

The five seniors then said a few words, all mentioning how thankful and appreciative they were for all the support this season. Luebbe and Terrell made sure to add that they weren’t done.

Northeastern plays Parke Heritage at 4 p.m. March 11 at Greenfield-Central for a regional championship, which would be another first for the Knights if they can bring it home.

Ross wrapped things up with another statement: “We’re going to win this regional.”

More applause.

Zach Piatt is a reporter for The Palladium-Item. Contact him at zpiatt@gannett.com or on Twitter @zachpiatt13.

This article originally appeared on Richmond Palladium-Item: Northeastern boys basketball wins 6th sectional title in 10 years