Instant Classic: Princeton versus Rochester

What a game! This was surely one of the most hotly contested State Finals games of all time. Rochester led by eight at halftime, 37-29, behind some hot shooting by Bruce Grimm, Jr. and the rest of the Zebra squad. A defensive change at half by coach Tom Weeks turned the game into Princeton's hands in the third quarter, but the entire final frame was a back and forth affair. In the final two minutes, Rochester erased a five-point deficit behind three three-pointers, two from Grimm, sandwiched between a couple buckets by the Tigers. The final three by Grimm tied the game, but the Tigers came down the floor and sophomore Rontray Chavis scored and was fouled, and hit the free throw. Rochester answered again on two Grimm free throws, which was again followed by two freebies by senior Trevor George. After a kicked ball, Rochester had the ball on the side with 3.2 seconds remaining. Luckily for Rochester, Grimm had some magic remaining. Taking the inbounds pass, Grimm hit a fading three pointer to tie the game as the clock ran out, sending the game into overtime. The three was Grimm's sixth, which tied the State Finals record, which Grimm would later break with his seventh trey in the extra period. The seventh three was from so deep, many onlookers could have sworn he shot it from Monument Circle. Rochester's Colt Meadows tied the game up with almost a minute and a half, 70-70, on two free throws. Marc Bowers put the Zebras up by two with a minute on two more charity shots. Princeton soph Jalen Packer missed two free throws, but Dontray Chavis gobbled up the offensive rebound and put it back in with about forty seconds to play. With 22.8 seconds to play, Rochester called timeout and went for the last shot. The Zebras bled the clock until six seconds, when Grimm pulled up for three, letting fly with under three seconds. The shot was just short, and the game went to a second overtime, tied 72-72. Princeton started the second OT with an offensive rebound by Rontray on which he was fouled, and made the free throw. Grimm then came down and hit a midrange jumper. The game wet back and forth with Princeton up one until Dontray made a basket with just over two minutes. Austin Lowell followed that up with a basket. Jordan Simmons of Princeton made a two, and then Grimm hit his eighth three to tie it at 79-79 with under a minute. Princeton held the ball until under ten seconds when they took a three pointer, which missed, but Dontray got an offensive rebound, shot, missed, but was fouled with 2.9 seconds to play. He hit both, and Rochester called timeout, 81-79. Would it be a Brownsburg redux? Coach Rob Malchow set up a play for a baseball pass, which was intercepted, and the Tigers pulled out an astounding win. Grimm did all he could for the Zebras, hitting those eight record treys and scoring 40 points!!!! Wow! He was 14 for 29 from the field and eight of ffteen from three point range. As a team,the Zebras hit fifteen threes, a state record, but they were outscored 44 to 12 in the paint by the Tigers. Princeton becomes the eleventh undefeated champ in Indiana state history. Rochester's Brody Schoen won the Trester Award. Sixth man Dontray Chavis was awarded the MVP award after going scoreless in the first half, but finished with 14 points and four big boards, including three huge offensive ones, but it really could've gone to anyone on Princeton, and Grimm as well. Rontray Chavis finished with 25 points, Trevor George had 20 points, and Jordan Simmons had a dozen. Congrats to both teams and coaches, especially winning coach Tom Weeks.