Lawrence North-Lawrence Central boys basketball game ends with scary scene
The Lawrence Central-Lawrence North high school boys basketball game, played every year for a decade on the second Wednesday of December, is about as close to a holiday tradition as it gets.
“The biggest game atmosphere in the state,” Lawrence Central coach Phil Washington said. “You learn how to play in that, you can play anywhere.”
For three quarters in front of a sellout crowd, the upstart Bears did everything they needed to, overcoming a 14-0 deficit to tie the game against Class 4A third-ranked Lawrence North. The Wildcats then dominated the fourth quarter, using its size and balanced to overwhelm Lawrence Central for a 79-61 victory.
Junior guard Azaiver Robinson, with Indiana coach Mike Woodson and Notre Dame coach Micah Shrewsberry watching, led Lawrence North with 21 points. All five Wildcat starters finished in double figures.
“As an old school type of guy, that’s what you want to see,” Lawrence North coach Chris Giffin said. “You want to see everybody contribute and everybody make an impact on both ends of the floor.”
The celebration of basketball, an early season tradition, gave way to a scary scene shortly after Lawrence North celebrated at midcourt with the trophy. It was unclear what caused a disturbance in the southwest corner of the gym, but dozens of fans ran from that area and scattered toward the exits. The teams were sent to their locker rooms, where several family members joined Lawrence North players, when the scene in the gym appeared to be calm again.
A few minutes later, roughly 200 people remained in the gym when several students ran in in obvious fear. Lawrence Township police, armed with rifles, hustled toward the northwest corner of the building. Though it was unknown to those inside at the time, including the players and families in the locker rooms, police were responding to a report of a fight and a shot fired outside the building near the athletic entrance.
“Armed officers responded immediately and the shooter, who does not attend our schools and was not in attendance at the game, was apprehended,” Lawrence Township superintendent Shawn Smith wrote in a message to families of students Wednesday night. “There were no injuries and the building was immediately evacuated and placed on lockdown by Lawrence Police.”
Lawrence North’s players and families were told it was safe to exit the gym after about 20 minutes in the locker room and the gym was cleared. There were no injuries, according to Lawrence Township deputy police chief Gary Woodruff.
The scary scene to end the night was in sharp contrast to an atmosphere that is always one of the best of the season. Lawrence Central battled back from an early 14-point deficit, cutting Lawrence North’s lead to 36-30 by halftime. Senior guard Cordale Edwards scored all nine of his points in the third quarter as Lawrence Central drew even by the end of the quarter, 54-54.
“We started to tire at a couple key position,” Giffin said. “We weren’t able to keep up scoring and get into the press. And they made some buckets and got themselves right back into the game. We missed a lot of point-blank shots and they made some big plays. They broke our press a few times and made some plays on the back end and hit some threes. With that kind of game in this heated rivalry and the electricity, it’s tough to pull away again.”
Lawrence North (3-0) did have one final run, though, and it was a big one. Myles Baker drilled a 3-pointer to put the Wildcats ahead 59-54 and it only grew from there. A 21-1 run over a 5-minute span ended any doubt.
“I told them to keep their heads up,” Washington said of his team. “We have to understand that we’ll see them two more times (the teams will play in the first round of the Marion County tournament at Lawrence North) in the county and sectional. You grow, you get better and you get another chance. Yeah, it won’t be for the Bell trophy. But if we win and advance in the county tournament, it would be huge for them. It’s all about a learning process for a young team to grow up.”
It was not how it should end in a rivalry game with both teams waiting out a scary situation in their locker rooms. There were students in the gym in tears, clearly shaken by what they had seen and heard minutes after the game ended. A common refrain was heard from those in the gym and outside, where a dozens of police cars surrounded the school Wednesday night: “At least no one was hurt.”
Call Star reporter Kyle Neddenriep at (317) 444-6649.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Police respond to report of shots fired outside LN-LC basketball game
