Lew Wallace tops Fort Wayne Elmhurst to earn first-ever trip to Indy

LAFAYETTE | Leave it up to modern technology to provide more motivation for Lew Wallace and its fiery coach Renaldo Thomas.

It didn't take Thomas long to search the Internet for quotes from Fort Wayne Elmhurst coach Shabaz Khaliq, who claimed Hornets star Branden Dawson wasn't exactly an expert marksman from the perimeter.

"We watched the video," Thomas said. "Thanks."

Added senior guard LaTroy Taylor: "It was a big motivation for us, but particularly for Brandon."

Already feeling his team doesn't receive proper respect throughout the state and even in the Region, Thomas used it to motivate Dawson and the Hornets before Saturday's Class 3A Lafayette Jeff Semistate against Elmhurst.

The Hornets dispatched the Trojans 57-47, and Dawson led the way with 24 points and 14 rebounds with Illinois coach Bruce Weber in attendance.

Wallace (19-4) will face Washington (22-3) at 5 p.m. Region time next Saturday at Conseco Fieldhouse, following the earlier games that will feature Bowman Academy and Wheeler. It will be the Hornets' first-ever appearance in the championship game.

"This means a lot to everyone in the city," Dawson said prior to cutting down the nets. "Everyone in Gary is going to support us and Thea Bowman."

Fans may have expected a fast-paced game, and it did start out that way.

Wallace broke out to a 22-11 lead at the first-quarter break, highlighted by a Dawson dunk off an alley-oop pass from Devonte Harris and a Harris 3-pointer at the buzzer.

Dawson got a put-back dunk at 6:05 of the second quarter, but Thomas decided to take the foot off the accelerator when Dawson and starting center Brandon Crawford got in foul trouble.

At one point, the Hornets worked more than 1:30 off the second-quarter clock while nursing a 27-19 lead. And at the end of the game, Wallace dribbled out the final 1:29 when Elmhurst basically threw in the towel and didn't foul.

Whenever the Trojans threatened, the Hornets put together a small 4-0 or 6-2 run to keep a manageable lead.

"They couldn't get a stop," said Taylor, who scored 13 points.

And Elmhurst didn't have an answer for the high-scoring Hornets' version of the four-corners offense.

"We worked on it all year," Thomas said. "It's been in the family for a long time, we just don't put it out there all the time.

"When the fouls pile up on you like that ... I just took the officials out of the game."

Two players did most of the damage for Elmhurst (18-6). Pervis Hall, a 6-foot-5 forward, scored 17 and grabbed five rebounds, while 6-7 Evan Cleveland had 12 points while spending most of the night trying to guard Dawson.

A majority of Thomas' post-game remarks centered on his belief the Hornets don't get the respect they deserve. Lew Wallace has not lost to a team in Indiana, and will take a 10-game winning streak into the state championship.

"Nobody plays the type of competition we play," Thomas said. "Not Bowman. Not Merrillville. Not Valparaiso. But that's OK, that's my plan.

"Nobody in Indiana basically wanted to play us."

And the players were happy to help Thomas back up his words.

"It means a lot to people," Taylor said. "Coach Thomas has been saying, 'Wait until I get the 2010 seniors.' It feels good to help him fulfill his mission."

CLASS 3A Lafayette Jeff Semistate

Lew Wallace 57, Fort Wayne Elmhurst 47

Branden Dawson had 24 points and 14 rebounds to lead the Hornets.

STATE FINALS

Saturday (Times Region)

At Conseco Fieldhouse, Indianapolis

Class A

No. 1 Bowman Academy (23-1) vs. No. 2 Barr-Reeve (24-3), 9:30 a.m.

Class 2A

No. 2 Wheeler (26-1) vs. Park Tudor (15-10). 11:45 a.m.

Class 3A

No. 6 Lew Wallace (19-4) vs. No. 4 Washington (22-3), 5 p.m.

Class 4A

No. 8 Warsaw (23-2) vs. No. 3 Indianapolis North Central (24-3), approx. 7:15 p.m.