GBB 2A FINAL: Two appearances, two titles for #1 Evansville Mater Dei

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From ihsaa.org

TERRE HAUTE – The Evansville Mater Dei Wildcats, after discovering the joy of a Class 2A championship in their first state finals appearance a year ago, resolved to do it again.

Mission accomplished as the top-ranked Wildcats repeated as champions by toppling No. 6 Eastern (Greentown), 62-42, in the 2A finals March 2 at the Hulman Center in Terre Haute.

CHECK OUT THE VIDEO PLAYER TO THE RIGHT OF THE HOME PAGE FOR POSTGAME INTERVIEWS AS WELL AS THE PHOTO GALLERY!!

A familiar cast of team leaders contributed for Mater Dei, led by 18 points and a 2A title-game-record 17 rebounds from 6’2” sophomore post player Tori Schickel. In the 2012 final, Schickel totaled 11 points and 11 rebounds in the Wildcats' 56-52 overtime victory over Fort Wayne Luers.

Coach Steve Goans' 15th Mater Dei squad (28-2) grabbed a 13-5 lead after one quarter and never trailed. The Wildcats used their size advantage to outrebound Eastern, 43-28. They also held the Comets to 16 of 55 shooting (a shivering 29.1 percent) as 5’10” senior forward/center Beth Fischer had 14 points for Mater Dei.

For Eastern, 5’7” senior guard Brittany Neeley – who had 48 points (32 in second half) and 20 rebounds in Comets’ 74-55 semistate victory over Fort Wayne Luers – had 16 points, while 5’6” junior guard Allison Oyler scored 12.

Senior 5’7” Bethany Neeley and 6-foot sophomore forward Taylor Holliday each grabbed nine rebounds for fifth-year coach Jeremy Dexter's Comets (22-4), who were making their first state finals appearance.

Eastern’s Brittany Neeley named Roy Mental Attitude Award winner
Following the game, members of the IHSAA Executive Committee named Brittany Neeley of Eastern High School as the winner of the Patricia L. Roy Mental Attitude Award in Class 2A girls basketball. Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance, the IHSAA’s corporate partner, will present a $1,000 scholarship to the school in her name.

The award is named in honor of former IHSAA assistant commissioner Patricia L. Roy, who oversaw the girls basketball state tournament from its inception in 1976 until her retirement in 1999. The award is presented annually to a senior participant in each classification who was nominated by her principal and coach and has demonstrated excellence in mental attitude, scholarship, leadership, and athletic ability.

Neeley ranks second in her senior class with a 4.5 GPA and is a member of the National Honor Society, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Spanish Club, Key Club, and Students Against Drunk Driving (SADD). She is the school’s all-time leading scorer in girls basketball, is a three-time state finalist in track & field, and is a two-time state finalist in cross country.

The daughter of Jill Pursifull of Greentown will attend Indiana University, where she’ll run track and cross country for the Hoosiers.

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