With stalwarts Damien King, Collin Lewis and Javon Warfield returning, Anderson was considered the heavy favorite to repeat as Madison County champions for an unprecedented fourth straight Madison County title.
The Indians left little doubt this week that that would be the case, but the contributions of a pair of newcomers to the team’s rotation proved to be key.
Aaron Morgan scored 16 of his team-high 25 points in the first half and Titus Hunter added 14 points as first-year varsity starters in support of a Damien King double-double as the Indians rolled to a 78-61 win over Liberty Christian, becoming the first four-peat Madison County boys basketball champion.
Anderson (11-1) also established a new mark by winning its three tournament games by a combined 93 points, bettering the 21-year-old record of 89 points established by the 2004 Anderson team.
“I really didn’t know about it until yesterday,” Anderson coach Donnie Bowling said. “I decided not to bring it up and we’d just come out here and play the way we have the last four years.”
In the third-place contest, Cooper Sims scored 10 of his game-high 17 points in the second half to lead Pendleton Heights to a 51-34 win over the Frankton Eagles.
King, an Indiana All-Star candidate, finished with 17 points and 10 rebounds while Warfield scored 10 points with five assists.
The improved balance of the roster — and the contributions of Morgan and Hunter— give King and company improved confidence and energy as they pursue North Central Conference and sectional championships over the next two months.
“It’s a good team win and another accomplishment, nothing new,” King said. “It feels really good to know that we have a good team and good backups. Everyone knows their role.”
Morgan and Hunter came to Anderson’s starting lineup through different routes. Both are seniors, but Morgan has been with Bowling and the Indians throughout his career while Hunter transferred from Indianapolis Pike prior to the summer.
Both have been invaluable to the fast start by the seventh-ranked Indians.
Morgan, who was not on the varsity roster during the county tournament last year, is averaging six points per game for the season, but connected on all eight of his first-half free throws on his way to a new career high.
“It feels good to come out with the energy and step up for our team, especially with one of our best players (Don Bowling) out hurt,” he said. “I came out and dominated the way coach Bowling wanted me to do as a senior.”
The 6-foot-6 Hunter’s contributions have been in rebounding at nearly six per game, but he has become increasingly comfortable in the Indians offense. He is now averaging nearly 11 points per game after Monday’s performance.
“It’s been a good process, a lot of hard work in the offseason,” he said. “I’m very comfortable and I work on it all day in practice.”
“I knew Aaron had it, but in the games the shots just wouldn’t go in,” Bowling said. “I think these games right now are giving him confidence and he’s showing what kind of player he is.
“(Hunter) had a great week and he’s been big for us.”
The Indians took their first double-digit lead of the game at 26-16 on a Warfield 3-point basket in the second quarter. Anderson also finished the half on an 8-2 run, capped by a Collin Lewis layup, to head to the locker room in command at 42-27.
The Anderson defense also harassed the Lions into 24 turnovers while the Indians committed just 13.
Anderson’s win also spoiled a 31-point, 12-rebound performance by Liberty Christian (7-5) sophomore Tamarje English.
Bowling still hasn’t forgotten the questions that surrounded him after he lost in his first county tournament game against the Lions.
“There was a little bit of doubt if I was the right fit for Anderson High School,” he said. “To be at this point now, winning four in a row, at the end of the day I just praise God.”
Lewis, the Anderson point guard, had six assists and six steals to go with his five points.
Hayden Fox opened the fourth quarter with a 3-point basket and Sims followed with a traditional 3-point play as PH (5-6) broke open a tight contest with Frankton (3-7).
The Arabians trailed just once — at 7-5 on a Ja’Von Miller layup — but struggled to shake loose from the Eagles until Fox and Sims started a 10-2 PH run that ultimately sealed the game. The Eagles had problems with the PH defense, committing 18 turnovers, twice as many as the Arabians.
Joe Estes and Evan Mozingo supported Sims with eight points each while Brady Carmack led Frankton with eight points.
This article appeared in The Herald Bulletin.