Jan 2, 2026
Late-game decision-making separates contenders
Trophy Day
The final day of the First Financial Classic opened with the consolation bracket championship, where the Greencastle Tiger Cubs defeated the Linton-Stockton Miners 59–50. Greencastle was led by All-Tournament Team selection Sam Gooch, who capped off an impressive week with another strong performance.
In the 5th-place game, the Bloomfield Cardinals controlled the action from start to finish against the Sullivan Golden Arrows. Blake Neill etched his name into Classic history, breaking the all-time tournament scoring record of 312 points, previously held by Brandon Wolfe. Neill now owns the mark after several dominant seasons in the Classic. Fans will remember his masterful performance last year against Northview, when he pushed the eventual champions to overtime. An outstanding Classic career for Neill, and a strong 5th-place finish for Bloomfield.
The Northview Knights, the 2024 Classic Champions, captured 3rd place with a convincing win over the Martinsville Artesians. While Martinsville impressed in the early rounds, Northview left little doubt on Day 4. The game featured three All-Tournament Team selections: Brayden Goff and Trayven Buis of Northview, along with Grady Gardner for Martinsville. Northview’s balanced attack proved too much, as the Knights controlled the tempo and pulled away for a 59–42 victory.
Championship Game
The championship game of the First Financial Classic delivered in every way imaginable.
Pregame, it was nearly impossible to identify a favorite. The Terre Haute North Vigo Patriots had already suffered a buzzer-beater loss to the Parke Heritage Wolves earlier in the season at a neutral site, a result that clearly fueled motivation for Coach Woelfle and his group. Both fan bases showed up in force, with thousands packing the gym for the finale.
From the opening tip, Coach Schelsky’s game plan was clear: make Tyler Renn beat us. Renn answered immediately, scoring the Patriots’ first seven points, including a three, to give TH North a 7–6 lead. From there, Parke Heritage seized control, closing the first quarter on a 7–0 run to lead 13–7.
The second quarter was played nearly even, with the Wolves taking a seven-point advantage into halftime. The Patriots struggled to find offensive rhythm, and momentum favored Parke Heritage.
Coming out of the locker room, a Patriots run felt imminent. Instead, Parke Heritage extended its lead to 14 late in the third quarter. TH North finally responded, closing the quarter on a 5–0 run sparked by a Cam Fennell three, a Klopenstein steal, and a Renn layup at the buzzer. Parke Heritage still held the lead entering the fourth, but momentum had clearly shifted.
Fennell ignited the fourth quarter by stealing the inbounds pass and laying it in to cut the deficit to seven, continuing to show the defensive instincts and two-way reliability that translate well to the college level. The Patriots’ defense tightened, forcing multiple Wolves turnovers, including a rare 10-second backcourt violation. TH North had a chance to tie on a Woelfle three but couldn’t convert. Moments later, another Parke Heritage turnover gave the Patriots life, and Fennell buried a deep three to complete a stunning 14–0 run and tie the game at 43.
Isaac Pickell answered with a bucket to halt the run. On the next possession, Blake Hammond was fouled on a layup attempt and knocked down both free throws to tie the game at 45. Parke Heritage missed a three, and TH North pushed the ball back into the frontcourt.
With 2:40 remaining and the game still tied, the chess match began. Parke Heritage’s zone defense had frustrated the Patriots all night. Coach Woelfle instructed Renn to dribble at the top of the key, trusting his composure, ball security, and feel for the moment — traits college staffs consistently value in lead guards. Coach Schelsky countered by keeping his team in the zone. Renn dribbled for over two minutes, bleeding the clock down to 13.8 seconds before a Patriots timeout.
Out of the timeout, Gavin Woelfle attempted a pass that was intercepted by Treigh Schelsky with 2.5 seconds remaining. After a Wolves timeout, the final possession unfolded unexpectedly. Instead of Schelsky taking the last shot, Joel Miller threw a lob toward Pickell at the rim, but Hammond intercepted it. Hammond launched a desperation 70-foot heave at the buzzer and absorbed contact that went uncalled. Overtime.
In OT, Fennell struck first with a corner three. Schelsky answered with a three-point attempt that touched nearly every part of the rim before spinning out. Parke Heritage opted to play the foul game, and Renn calmly converted two free throws to make it 50–45. Miller responded with a tough, contested three to keep the Wolves within striking distance.
Another Wolves foul sent Woelfle to the line, where he scored his first two points of the game. Schelsky’s next three came up short, but Parke Heritage secured the offensive rebound. After a long possession, Miller finished at the rim to cut the deficit to 52–50 with under a minute remaining.
More fouling followed. Woelfle split a pair at the line. Parke Heritage had another chance to tie, but after an offensive rebound, Schelsky was trapped and turned it over with 13 seconds remaining. Fennell calmly knocked down two more free throws. Schelsky’s final three-point attempt was blocked, and a missed half-court heave sealed it.
The Terre Haute North Vigo Patriots claimed their 13th First Financial Wabash Valley Classic Championship in the last 26 years.
Awards
The Patriots landed just one All-Tournament Team selection in Blake Hammond, which was well deserved. Notably omitted was Cam Fennell, whose ability to guard multiple positions, knock down timely shots, and impact winning without dominating the ball are traits that consistently translate to the college level.
For the second consecutive year, the Gary Fears Most Outstanding Player Award went to a player from the non-championship team. Treigh Schelsky earned the honor, with his offensive versatility, shot-making confidence, and ability to create against set defenses standing out throughout the tournament. That said, the race was far closer than in years past. Strong cases could have been made for Blake Neill, Cam Fennell, Sam Gooch, and Quinn Lewis of Northview, who also missed the All-Tournament Team despite a standout week.