Hickory wins state

NDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — The final horn sounded, and for a moment nobody moved.

The thousands packed into Butler Fieldhouse stood silent as the scoreboard confirmed what few outside of Hickory believed was possible.

Hickory 42, South Bend Central 40.

Then the celebration began.

Players sprinted across the floor. Fans poured from the stands. Parents hugged strangers. Tears filled the eyes of people who had spent a lifetime dreaming of this moment.

For the first time in school history, the Hickory Huskers are Indiana State Champions.

Led by Coach Norman Dale and a roster that never quit believing, Hickory completed one of the most improbable championship runs the state has ever seen.

"This wasn't about basketball," Dale said after the game. "This was about a group of young men learning to trust each other."

The defining moment came in the final seconds. With the score tied and the season hanging in the balance, Dale called timeout.

Everyone in the building knew who would take the shot.

The ball found Jimmy Chitwood.

And Jimmy Chitwood delivered.

His jumper from the top of the key splashed through the net as time expired, sending Hickory into Indiana basketball immortality.

The championship trophy may sit in the school trophy case, but tonight it belongs to an entire town.

For one unforgettable evening, Hickory stood on top of Indiana.