The Tipton boys basketball team came one win from a championship at last week's Kaysinger Conference Tournament at State Fair Community College.
Unfortunately for the Cardinals, their opponent in Saturday's final was state-power Sacred Heart.
Tipton, the No. 3 seed, beat No. 2 Cole Camp, 44-37, in the semifinal round on Tuesday, Feb. 10. The Cardinals then lost to No. 1 Sacred Heart, 75-35, in the title game. It was the Gremlins' second straight conference championship and sixth in seven years.
"Against a team like Sacred Heart, you're going to have to play well, period," said Tipton head coach Billy Jeffries. "It (was) the best Class 2 team we played, but those games prepare you for the district run. I like playing good competition late in the year."
Tipton played its best game in the semifinals, holding Cole Camp to 10 first-half points and building a 31-18 lead in the third quarter.
The Bluebirds tried to rally in the fourth, cutting the deficit to 41-37 with 40 seconds left. Tipton senior Dylan Cooper made one free throw to push the lead to five, leaving Cole Camp with a chance. The Bluebirds, however, missed a layup and 3-pointer on their next two possessions, and Cardinals junior Ryan Wood made a shot in the closing seconds to seal the win.
"I've been in this business long enough, until that final buzzer rings, you're never positively going to win," Jeffries said. "Win by one or 10, it doesn't matter to our kids. They're ready to play the next game."
Tipton's defense held Cole Camp to eight points in the first quarter, two in the second and eight in the third.
"We did play good defense, but that wasn't our goal," Jeffries said. "Cole Camp dictates the pace and they like to make every possession count. They slowed it down, even when we got up by 10."
Tipton senior Logan Hirst finished with 11 points, while Cooper and junior Bryce Sanders each scored nine. Senior Grant Huhman had seven points for the Cardinals, who were 13-8 overall after the conference tournament.