The Hanover Central Wildcats’ valiant postseason journey reached its conclusion as they fell 55-33 to Columbia City Eagles in the IHSAA Class 1A Boys Basketball Regional Championship.
The matchup was played at Plymouth High School.
Hanover Central faced an early challenge as Columbia City surged to a 20–2 lead in the first quarter, putting the Wildcats in an early deficit. The Wildcats regrouped in the second quarter, tightening their defense and matching the Eagles 10–9 in the period to trail 30–11 at halftime. Hanover Central showed strong resilience in the third quarter, scoring 15 points outscoring Columbia City’s third quarter score. Despite the Wildcats’ continued effort in the fourth quarter, the Eagles held their advantage to close out the 55–33 regional victory, ending Hanover Central’s postseason run. The Wildcats finishes the year with a 12–15 overall record, having earned the respect of the region through their late-season surge and disciplined play.
The Wildcats finish with a 0.444 winning percentage, a 3–3 mark in the Northwest Crossroads Conference, and a respectable 4–2 record in neutral site games. With 1,270 points scored and 1,324 allowed, Hanover showed flashes of growth that set the stage for next year’s rebuild, according to MaxPreps.
The season concludes with recognition for Hanover Central’s efforts throughout its campaign.
