Mark Morrow's My View/Your View: Giants could be a dynasty in the making

The Ben Davis boys built a dynasty in the 1990s. Whether or not the Ben Davis girls can match or surpass that remains to be seen. There are similarities between the two north side Indianapolis programs. Coach Steve Witty's Giants won five straight Hinkle Regional championships, a feat that remains unequaled. They were also state champions in 1995 and 1996 and state runners-up in '93. A buzzer beater by Richmond in '94 kept the Giants from making it to the State Finals four straight years. Witty and company were ranked No. 1 in Indiana from 1994-96, and were nationally ranked by USA Today three times. Witty, who retired from coaching and currently serves as president of the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association, just missed posting an unbeaten season. The Giants finished 32-1 in 1995. His teams compiled an 81-10 record during that four-year span, and his teams won a state-best 80 percent of their games, averaging 20 wins per season during his 13 seasons as the head coach. All of this came about during the state's one-class tournament format. The Ben Davis girls program, under coach Stan Benge, has been making major strides ever since. The Giants won state in 2000 and 2001, and could become the school's first three-time state champion this year in the 34th Indiana High School Athletic Association tournament, which gets under way this week. "People want to talk about the football and boys basketball success, but people sometimes forget that the girls won back-to-back state titles,'' said Witty. "He (Stan) already may be well on his way to his own dynasty and a few more state championships. He has more young girls coming, so he is going to be really good for a few years.'' A dynasty in this decade? "I hope so . . . that would be nice,'' said Benge, called a 'great guy' by Witty. "Steve and I came to Ben Davis at the same time. So, yes, it would be special . . . but we're not there yet.'' There's also some additional familiarity between the coaches. Benge assisted Witty for two seasons. "I just decided it was time to do something different, and the girls job was open,'' said Benge. It appears he made the right decision. In addition to those two state titles, where his teams were 28-0 and 27-2, Benge has led the Giants to a 47-2 record the past two seasons and the Giants are 65-7 over a three-year period. They had visions of adding to those impressive totals last season, but their quest was ended by eventual state champion Carmel in the Southport Regional resulting in a 24-2 season for the Giants, who ended the regular season ranked No. 1 in Hoosierland. Ben Davis appears to be back on track this season. The Class 4A Giants are 23-0 and again ranked No. 1 heading into Tuesday's sectional opener against Manual at Ben Davis. They also just happen to be nationally ranked No. 1 by USA Today. And, you know, I can't think of anything better on a basketball resume. Their closest game this season was three points last week at previously unbeaten Terre Haute South. They could meet again in the semistate. Their closest games prior to that were 14 and 15 points -- the latter against a very good Carmel squad, which put up a valiant fight until midway through the final quarter. So just how good are the Giants? Well, only time will tell in the second season. But based on experience and depth, Ben Davis will enter the tournament as the favorite. Maybe not a prohibitive favorite, but it stands to reason it should be a pretty solid favorite just the same. Sectional notes . . . Class 4A No. 5 Fishers, in the same sectional at Zionsville with No. 9 Carmel and crosstown rival Hamilton Southeastern (No. 4), seeks its first sectional title. . . . Class 2A No. 1 Heritage Christian, the three-time defending state champion, drew a first-round bye at Triton Central and will play Tuesday's winner - either the host Tigers or Indian Creek - on Friday. The Eagles have won 36 straight games against 2A teams, not to mention 64 in succession against Indiana schools.