The Indiana Lyons of the American Basketball Association (ABA) hosted the Midwest Region Final Four tournament over the weekend and emerged as regional champions, earning a spot in the ABA Final Eight in St. Louis in April.
On Saturday, the Clarksville Phoenix defeated the St. Louis Spirits in the first semifinal game of the Midwest Region Final Four by a score of 114-106. The Phoenix led throughout most of the game and were never really threatened by the Spirits.
By virtue of that victory, Clarksville advanced to the championship game on Sunday.
Later in the evening, the Lyons took the floor against the defending Midwest Region champions, the Music City Jazz, and cruised to a 112-84 win in the second semifinal contest. Indiana was led by Gerald “Cam” Campbell and his 26 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals.
Lleon Tillman turned in 12 points, 17 rebounds, and a steal for the Lyons while Tee Williams registered 14 points, 6 assists, 6 rebounds, 2 steals, and a block. Danville Community High School graduate Jackson Stone added 14 points and 6 rebounds to the effort.
The win over the Jazz put the Lyons in the championship game to face the Phoenix.
The championship game on Sunday was a battle from start to finish. The Lyons opened up double-digit leads a few different times throughout the contest, but for the most part, Clarksville and Indiana were neck-and-neck throughout.
The Phoenix missed some key shots at the end of regulation, and the Lyons were able to run the clock out despite Clarksville’s best efforts. The epic clash finally concluded with the Indiana Lyons on top, 107-105, and hoisting the 2022-23 ABA Midwest Region Champions trophy up in the air at midcourt, surrounded by hundreds of fans who attended the game.
The ABA Midwest Regional Final Four tournament was sponsored by The Republican.
This is the second regional championship for the Lyons in the past three seasons. They won the ABA North Central Region in 2020-21 before being moved by the league to the Midwest Region. The team lost a close three-point contest in the 2021-22 ABA Midwest Region championship game against the Jazz, but they sealed the deal in 2022-23. This is the Lyons’ fifth season in existence.
The Indiana Lyons will represent the Midwest Region in the ABA Final Eight tournament, which will be held in St. Louis from April 13-15. Eight regional champions from around the nation will gather in Missouri to slug it out for the league championship in a single-elimination tournament.
The Lyons’ opening-round game date, time, and opponent have yet to be determined.
Indiana Lyons vs. Music City Jazz
Indiana Lyons vs. Clarksville Phoenix
