With hopes of a third consecutive state title, unbeaten Lawrence North is harsh when grading its performances. Winning its first two postseason games by a combined 46 points didn't rate good marks.
In the March 4 Tech Class 4A Sectional final, coach Jack Keefer and his players were looking for a quality of play more than a specific margin of victory.
"The last two games we had were so horrible we had to realize, 'Hey, we've got to get it together,'" senior point guard Mike Conley said after the Wildcats returned to the form they showed most of the season by handling Warren Central 64-39. "I think we started playing our game a little bit and didn't let the triangle-and-two (defense) faze us."
The 4A No. 1 Wildcats take a 25-0 record and 41-game winning streak into the March 11 regional at Hinkle Fieldhouse. LN faces Carmel (17-7) in the noon semifinal. No. 2 Pike (20-3) and Franklin (14-10) play at 10 a.m., and the winners play for the title at 8 p.m.
The Wildcats have beaten Carmel (68-49) and Pike (74-67 and 73-60) and haven't played Franklin . The 74-67 home victory over Pike on Feb. 21 remains LN's closest game of the year.
Warren Central (17-7) played without Ohio State-bound sophomore Walter Offutt, who has not been playing back-to-back games while recovering from a knee injury.
The Wildcats moved past Marion (40 consecutive victories from 1984-86) for the second-longest winning streak in state history. The four victories LN needs to win the state title would push the streak to 45, tying the 50-year-old state record set by Oscar Robertson-led Crispus Attucks.
The Wildcats shot 54 percent while holding Warren Central to 27 percent, including 3-for-27 from 3-point range.
"This was a wonderful effort on our part against a very good team," Keefer said. "Coach (Scott) Heady has brought that team a long way from when we played them the first time. I was surprised we were able to maintain that lead we got at the beginning, because at any given time they had the ability to come back on you."
LN, who won 69-38 at Warren Central on Jan. 24, held the Warriors to one basket and three free throws over a 12-minute period from late in the first quarter to early in the third. The Wildcats led 33-15 at that point.
Senior center Greg Oden had 20 points and 13 rebounds. He added three blocked shots and four assists in 27 minutes.
