IHSAA basketball semistates: Wapahani falls to Gary 21st Century in Class 2A North bracket
MICHIGAN CITY, Ind. — Wapahani's boys basketball season came to an end in the first round of IHSAA Class 2A semi-states Saturday with a 61-59 loss to Gary 21st Century at Michigan City High School.
It was a hard-fought, down-to-the-wire game between two high-scoring, fast-paced offenses. The Raiders' offense was stymied in the first quarter as Gary 21st got out to a fast 7-0 start. Wapahani closed the gap at the end of the quarter, but the Cougars pulled ahead by double-digits in the second. Wapahani finished the first half on a 10-4 run to make it a 26-23 deficit at halftime.
The second half started with another big run by Gary 21st, as the Cougars rattled off 10 straight points to start the third quarter. Wapahani stuck around and pulled to within one point in the fourth quarter as the Raiders finally started to heat up from beyond the arc, but Gary 21st consistently had answers and never relinquished its lead.
Senior Nate Luce hit a 3-pointer with seven seconds left to cut it to a two-point game, but that was the last possession for the Raiders. Wapahani finished its season with a 26-2 record.
"Twenty-seven years ago, I signed up. I didn't know what I wanted to do in my life. I just wanted to be a teacher and coach," Wapahani coach Matt Luce said. "I didn't sign up to coach my sons. I didn't coach sign up to coach anyone. I just wanted to be a part of it, because my dad taught me a love for high school basketball, and my life and my wife and my family has led me to this.
"What an incredible year, what an incredible group of young men, what an incredible crowd."
Out of all 32 teams to qualify for semi-states, Wapahani had to make the longest journey to its site — a 3-and-a-half hour drive from Selma to Michigan City. Despite the long haul, it felt like a Raiders home game in the Michigan City gymnasium. Wapahani fans packed both sides of the bleachers, and the Raiders' pep band even made the trip by hitting the road in the early hours of Saturday morning.
"Our band left at 6 a.m. this morning, the Michigan City people said, 'No, your band can't play.' They didn't realize that our band's followed us for 15 years," Luce said. "They were at state finals, semi-state, regional, sectional. 6 a.m., why? Because it's what's right. It's innocent fun. It's great fun."
For Nate Luce, it was an emotional finish to a stellar high school career. A four-year varsity player for his father, Nate was a three-time sectional and regional champion and was a state runner-up as a junior last season. He compiled a career record of 96-12, but when he was asked about his favorite memory as a Wapahani Raider, none of those 96 wins came to his mind.
"Locker room. That's where it all goes down, and that's where it's the best time of my life," Nate Luce said. "I could never ask for better people, better friends, better teammates, better brothers. These guys are my family right here, and I could never thank them enough."
Nate Luce won't just go down as a Wapahani legend for his skills on the court, though.
"What Nate has done, as a young man, has left a mark on the Liberty-Perry and Wapahani community for his attitude, effort, incredible work ethic, hard work in the classroom and just being a good dude," Matt Luce said. "Coach's sons are a special breed, and Nate Luce is a special player."
Tears were shed by both father and son as Nate's high school career and Wapahani's season came to a close. Matt Luce is proud of his son and proud of his team, but his biggest source of pride is how the Selma community has rallied around his Raiders.
"The region will remember Wapahani for our effort, for our attitudes, for our togetherness, for our school spirit," Matt Luce said. "It didn't come out the way we wanted, but when the day is over, the Wapahani boys basketball community spirit and togetherness, it'll be remembered, and I'm proud of that."
Contact Cade Hampton via email at cbhampton@muncie.gannett.com or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @CadeHamp10.
This article originally appeared on Muncie Star Press: IHSAA semistates: Wapahani boys basketball falls to Gary 21st Century
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