The following account of the 1954
state championship game appeared in The Indianapolis Staron
By Bob Collins
| <![if !vml]> 1954 State Finals Program Cover |
Bobby Plump drove a jump shot home
with three seconds remaining and just like that the Mighty Men of
And the game well, it was one of the greatest this state tourney ever has seen and the Butler Fieldhousewas a madhouse as the final gun sounded last night.
What a night for
The TresterMedal kid was, of course, Plumpthe mightiest Redskin of all.The award gave Robert a grip on just about
everything but the fieldhouse doorknobs.He also was the best scorer in the
semi-finals and finals with 81 points the last two of which will not be
forgotten in
After
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It was the tried and proven Plump formula.Three steps down, lean forward, fake pull back, jump and shoot.With a great deliberation, Plumpjumped cocked his right arm and watched the ball sail through with just three seconds showing on the clock.
And Cinderella marched proudly off the floor her slippers intact and her coach a shiny Cadillac in no danger of turning into a pumpkin shell.
The nice thing about watching
Only difference this time was the cat almost swallowed the mouse.
This time the Indians got their lead at 14-11
just at the end of the first quarter.
Craft and Ronnie Truitt ran the
count to 19-11 with minutes left to play in the
half.But the untiring Gene Flowers who
kept
He had the score respectable at 23-17 when the protagonist went below for a short rest.
Came the third quarter and
A pair of free throws by Bob Crawford cut two more points off Muncies agony and a long one-hander by the ever-present Flowersmade the score 23-21, Milan.Less than two minutes of the third quarter had been played.
Plumpsfree throw gave Milan a better working margin and the Redskins, playing calmly and deliberately, managed to hold the Bearcats, at bay until Leon Agullana tied the score at 26-26 just as the third quarter ended.
| <![if !vml]> Bobby Plump (obscured from view) hit the game-winner with three seconds remaining. |
Truitt fouled
Plump dribbled up over mid-court
pulled the ball up against his stomach, and stood still.
Plump held the ball amidst more noise than youll hear in the wildest fast breaking game, for four minutes and 14 seconds and then called time.
Only remained to be played.
Then with remaining, Plumpshot and missed and
A bad pass gave the ball back to the Indians and Craft tied the score at 28-28 with only showing on the clock.
With to play Jimmy Barnes fouled
Plump.Naturally he hit both free
throws.
| <![if !vml]> At games end, disappointed Muncie Central players are consoled by their coaches and school administrators. |
The rest now is one of the finest
parts of
It was a disappointing defeat for
Jay McCreary and the
It was just their misfortune to run head on into Destinys grandchildren at the wrong time.
And truthfully now, who on this
broad earth will begrudge little Marvin Wood and those wonderful, men of
| <![if !vml]> The newly-crowned state champs posed for this photo in the locker room after the game. |
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Scoring by Quarters
| Total | |||||
| | 14 | 9 | 3 | 6 | 32 |
| | 11 | 6 | 9 | 4 | 30 |
Errors by Quarters
| Total | |||||
| | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
Shooting by Quarters
| | .455 | .375 | .000 | .500 |
| | .190 | .300 | .333 | .200 |
<![if !vml]> At games end, disappointed Muncie Central players are consoled by their coaches and school administrators.
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