We have been checking with other basketball historians & record-keepers to find out if there are any other instances of two players scoring 50+ points in the same game, as happened Tuesday when EH's Victor Vincz (52) and Alexandria's Mitch Yeagy (51) scored 50+ in the Royals' 92-91 victory.
According to Jason Wille of the IHSAA, their records did not show any. They do have instances of two 50+ point performances in the same day, but not in the same game. Another basketball historian also believes it to be the first instance. We are also checking with the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame.
So, for now, we'll call it the first "known" instance of two 50-point scorers in the same game.
Showing posts with label high school basketball. Show all posts
Showing posts with label high school basketball. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Marauders to face Roncalli at 6 p.m.
Mt. Vernon fell victim to an early run and fell 62-41 to the 4A No. 2 Penn Kingsmen in the second semifinal at the Hall of Fame Classic.
The unbeaten Kingsmen scored the game's first 17 points and led 25-2 after a quarter. MV rallied in the fourth quarter to close the score, outscoring the Kingsmen 22-13 in the final eight minutes.
Erica Moore had a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds, as well as two blocked shots for MV. Jessica Brown had nine points and six assists. Rachel Houck hit three 3-pointers and scored a team-high 13 points. She also had four steals.
Western Michigan commit Alex Morton had 15 points to lead Penn. Olivia Carlton scored 14 points and hit three 3-pointers in the fourth quarter. Sophomore Caroline Buhr had 12 points and six rebounds.
MV will face Roncalli in the 6 p.m. consolation game at the New Castle Fieldhouse tonight. Live coverage will begin on HancockCountySports.com at 5:45 p.m. Penn will face 3A No. 1 Norwell in the title game, as Norwell rallied to beat Roncalli 62-59 in the first semifinal.
The unbeaten Kingsmen scored the game's first 17 points and led 25-2 after a quarter. MV rallied in the fourth quarter to close the score, outscoring the Kingsmen 22-13 in the final eight minutes.
Erica Moore had a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds, as well as two blocked shots for MV. Jessica Brown had nine points and six assists. Rachel Houck hit three 3-pointers and scored a team-high 13 points. She also had four steals.
Western Michigan commit Alex Morton had 15 points to lead Penn. Olivia Carlton scored 14 points and hit three 3-pointers in the fourth quarter. Sophomore Caroline Buhr had 12 points and six rebounds.
MV will face Roncalli in the 6 p.m. consolation game at the New Castle Fieldhouse tonight. Live coverage will begin on HancockCountySports.com at 5:45 p.m. Penn will face 3A No. 1 Norwell in the title game, as Norwell rallied to beat Roncalli 62-59 in the first semifinal.
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Hall of Fame Classic Thursday
Mt. Vernon's girls basketball team will participate in the Hall of Fame Classic on Thursday, and HancockCountySports.com will have all of the Marauder action. Join Andrew Smith and Chris Lambert at approximately 12:40 p.m. for the Marauders' semifinal game against Penn.
The Marauders will play at either 6 or 8 p.m. in the night session. Our broadcast will begin 20 minutes before the tipoff.
Here's the schedule from the New Castle Fieldhouse.
11 a.m.: 3A #1 Norwell (8-0) vs. Roncalli (8-3)
1 p.m.: 4A #2 Penn (11-0) vs. 3A #3 Mt. Vernon (10-2)
6 p.m.: Consolation
8 p.m.: Championship
The Marauders are making their third appearance in the Hall of Fame Classic. They last did so in 1999, with a Johna Goff-Alissa Kirby-led team winning the Classic championship. That Marauder team would post a 22-2 record and finished ranked No. 2 in Class 3A, later playing eventual state champ Cathedral in a close sectional semifinal that was essentially the 3A championship game.
This year's MV squad is a balanced, veteran group with four starters returning from last year's 21-2 squad. Guard Jessica Brown, center Makenzi Reasor and forward Erica Moore are all averaging in double-figures, with guard Rachel Houck averaging just under double-figures at 9.3 ppg. Forward Anna Olson is one of the area's top rebounders with an 8.6 average on the glass. Brown, Reasor and Houck all scored in double-figures in the Marauders' 47-31 victory over New Palestine in the county championship game. Reasor (Indiana State) and Brown (Indiana Wesleyan) have committed to play collegiately. Reasor is one of several Div. I signees/commits at the tournament. Brown is headed to one of the NAIA's national powerhouse programs in IWU.
The Penn team MV will face is fairly similar -- a team that allows fewer than 40 points per game, a team that has five starters averaging at least 7.7 points per game and is led by a Div. I signee -- future Western Michigan Bronco Alex Morton, a 5-9 guard who is averaging 17 ppg. Penn is 11-0 and was the Class 4A state runner-up last year. The Kingsmen have won 35 straight regular-season games against Indiana teams dating back to the midpoint of the 2008-09 season. Their only regular-season loss in that span was a loss to an Illinois squad last year.
In the other semifinal, Norwell is a perfect 8-0 and took over the No. 1 spot in Class 3A from MV after the Marauders' early-December loss to Anderson. Since 2009, Norwell is 71-6 and was a regional finalist in 2011. The Knights are led by Miami-Ohio signee Jessica Rupright, who is totaling 18.4 points and 7.9 rebounds per game. Roncalli is 8-3 and is a team familiar to the Marauders -- the two teams met in the regional final last season. The Rebels are missing Butler signee Katie Brewer, who has missed several games with an injury, but have 6-2 junior guard Bridget Perry (Purdue) scoring 21 points per game. Sophomore forward Elizabeth Bowers is averaging 10 points and eight rebounds per contest. The Rebels start four underclassmen.
The Marauders will play at either 6 or 8 p.m. in the night session. Our broadcast will begin 20 minutes before the tipoff.
Here's the schedule from the New Castle Fieldhouse.
11 a.m.: 3A #1 Norwell (8-0) vs. Roncalli (8-3)
1 p.m.: 4A #2 Penn (11-0) vs. 3A #3 Mt. Vernon (10-2)
6 p.m.: Consolation
8 p.m.: Championship
The Marauders are making their third appearance in the Hall of Fame Classic. They last did so in 1999, with a Johna Goff-Alissa Kirby-led team winning the Classic championship. That Marauder team would post a 22-2 record and finished ranked No. 2 in Class 3A, later playing eventual state champ Cathedral in a close sectional semifinal that was essentially the 3A championship game.
This year's MV squad is a balanced, veteran group with four starters returning from last year's 21-2 squad. Guard Jessica Brown, center Makenzi Reasor and forward Erica Moore are all averaging in double-figures, with guard Rachel Houck averaging just under double-figures at 9.3 ppg. Forward Anna Olson is one of the area's top rebounders with an 8.6 average on the glass. Brown, Reasor and Houck all scored in double-figures in the Marauders' 47-31 victory over New Palestine in the county championship game. Reasor (Indiana State) and Brown (Indiana Wesleyan) have committed to play collegiately. Reasor is one of several Div. I signees/commits at the tournament. Brown is headed to one of the NAIA's national powerhouse programs in IWU.
The Penn team MV will face is fairly similar -- a team that allows fewer than 40 points per game, a team that has five starters averaging at least 7.7 points per game and is led by a Div. I signee -- future Western Michigan Bronco Alex Morton, a 5-9 guard who is averaging 17 ppg. Penn is 11-0 and was the Class 4A state runner-up last year. The Kingsmen have won 35 straight regular-season games against Indiana teams dating back to the midpoint of the 2008-09 season. Their only regular-season loss in that span was a loss to an Illinois squad last year.
In the other semifinal, Norwell is a perfect 8-0 and took over the No. 1 spot in Class 3A from MV after the Marauders' early-December loss to Anderson. Since 2009, Norwell is 71-6 and was a regional finalist in 2011. The Knights are led by Miami-Ohio signee Jessica Rupright, who is totaling 18.4 points and 7.9 rebounds per game. Roncalli is 8-3 and is a team familiar to the Marauders -- the two teams met in the regional final last season. The Rebels are missing Butler signee Katie Brewer, who has missed several games with an injury, but have 6-2 junior guard Bridget Perry (Purdue) scoring 21 points per game. Sophomore forward Elizabeth Bowers is averaging 10 points and eight rebounds per contest. The Rebels start four underclassmen.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
An Indiana icon in limbo
This post isn't Hancock County related, but it's about a neighbor that's very special to fans of Indiana high school basketball.
The lights go out. The spotlight is focused on one corner of hardwood after the teams have headed to their locker rooms.
Thump. Thump.
Two teenagers -- one male, one female -- in full Indian regalia slowly work their way around the floor.
Thump. Thump.
The anticipation builds. Tipoff is a few minutes away, but no regular-season game can go on without this ceremony. It's psyched out opponents, worked up a crowd that has seen it countless times -- many in the stands have witnessed this same ceremony hundreds of times. The people in the costumes change, but the moment doesn't.
A maiden and brave dance -- authentic and kitschy at the same time -- has been a part of every Anderson High School basketball game since time immaterial. It has survived many coaches, many players, many recessions, many tourney near-misses. And it's survived two Wigwams.
Once upon a time, the thump, thump of the drum would eventually work nearly 9,000 fans into an uproar. But when I finally witnessed a part of this timeless Indiana tradition, only a smattering of the Wigwam's 8,998 seats were occupied by Anderson followers in red and green, and fans of the opposing school in blue and gold.
Sure, it was a weeknight in the middle of December, but this was only two decades removed from a day when Anderson High School sold 5,000 season tickets, while neighboring Madison Heights and Highland High Schools routinely played in front of full houses at gyms about half the size of the Wigwam.
Now, both of those schools are memories -- Madison Heights painted over in Indian red and green a few years back, Highland turned into a junior high a year ago. And now, one last Anderson tradition appears to be gone.
This week, the Anderson Community School Corporation board voted 6-1 to shutter the Wigwam, citing high operating costs. The building is 50 years old, and since the closing of the 1910-built Anderson High School -- which later burned to the ground -- has stood alone, guarding over West 14th Street in Anderson while the student-athletes who inhabited it every Friday night went to school a few miles down Madison Avenue at a building that once housed the Madison Heights Pirates.
In my professional life, I've been fortunate enough to coach or cover varsity games in some great gyms -- the Muncie, New Castle and Southport fieldhouses, Richmond's Tiernan Center, Rushville's Memorial Gym, Muncie's Ball Gym and Knightstown's Hoosier Gym among them. But there was something magical about the Wigwam. I'll be honest -- it was a terrible place to cover a game as a media member, and it wasn't too comfortable for players and coaches to do their jobs, either. It was always incredibly hot in the building, and those of us working the game had to do our jobs from the stage in one end zone -- which doesn't provide the best view of the game for a reporter or broadcaster attempting to keep accurate stats or describe the game to our listeners. Right below us, for many years, were the team benches -- on the baseline in the same end zone, where one coach was always watching his team from behind, with the action taking place 60 feet from the benches half the game. The IHSAA finally made the teams move to their traditional sideline positions a few years back.
But that view was awesome at the same time. One could sit on the stage and see nearly 9,000 blond wooden bleacher planks topped with red wrapping around the gym, in two decks that went up as far as they could be.
This place seemed magical, from the moment I heard of it, reading about the fanaticism of its inhabitants in books like Philip Hoose's "Hoosiers: The Fabulous Basketball Life of Indiana," which spent its entire first chapter on Anderson and the Wigwam, the basketball epicenter of the state's hoops culture, where demand for sectional tickets was once so great, an annual draw had to be held to give fans an equal shot at tickets (and fans would buy season tickets to neighboring schools to have a better shot at sectional tickets). It was a place where college classmates would talk about how the entire county would band together to root against the three Anderson schools. It was a place where, even through listening to the great WLHN broadcasts hosted by announcers like Bill Stanczykiewicz and the late Rod Brooks -- two of the many great radio broadcasters who described the action of the local heroes -- hearing them pause to allow the public address announcer to say "Welcome, sports fans, to the Wigwam" and the ensuing roar from an overflow crowd before the lineups could make the hair stand up on your neck. For a Hoosier hoops junkie, this HAD to be the place where you visited. I always begged our high school coach to put Anderson on the schedule just to see and experience the place. After all, we played Muncie Central and Highland. Finally, as a young sportswriter with the Daily Reporter, I took a rare night off and dragged myself to the inaugural Madison County Tournament just to see the place -- even though I covered close to 100 games a year and could probably use a night away from a gym. When Greenfield-Central put the Indians on the schedule the next year, I called dibs and covered the game.
Back in the heyday, the Wigwam place was so galvanizing, a trip to crosstown Highland (where the 4,000+-seat Bob Fuller gym was packed that night even though Highland's girls were playing in the 1992 regional final at exactly the same time) netted lots of evening conversation at the concession stand before the tipoff (and of course, a fife & drum corps playing Scotland the Brave before the game -- the northeast siders' version of the Maiden and Brave dance). None of it was about the aforementioned Highland girls, nor about the HHS basketball team that was ranked third in the nation at the time. all of it was about the Anderson-Richmond game going on across town that night (and all of it assuming Richmond would win. Anderson would win the sectional that year -- Richmond its one and only state title).
There was magic just walking into the Wigwam -- seeing the old team photos on the wall, walking through the catacombs looking older than they really were, and then seeing thousands of seats open up in front of you. Unfortunately, that magic wouldn't last when you walked around the upper deck and wondered "what was it like 10 years ago when these seats were packed."
Things have been moving toward the inevitable for a long time. As noted, Madison Heights closed and its gym was painted over to be a mini-Wigwam (it's called the Tee Pee and has hosted the AHS girls team since the move down the street -- and was the home of one of the greatest tourney games I've ever witnessed, when Anderson beat G-C in double OT in the 2005 girls sectional). Highland is no more. The battered American auto industry has seen many old North Central Conference towns fall into decline, and Anderson -- a town with huge General Motors plants -- was probably hit the hardest. With that, the population has been in decline, creating a spiral that's been hard to shake. Much of Anderson's season ticket base kept getting older, and there weren't any younger fans left to take their place when they passed on.
Class basketball has also shifted the spotlight into the county, where neighboring Lapel and Alexandria have won Class 1A and 2A titles and Pendleton Heights has advanced to the semistate level in both boys and girls basketball. It's made playing for those schools as attractive as being an Indian once was -- and created an easier path to a state title in those communities than would be possible in Anderson, which hasn't won a title since Jumpin' Johnny Wilson led the Indians to the title in 1946. Open enrollment has claimed more of Anderson's population, as many would-be AHS students -- and children of Anderson, Highland or Madison Heights alumni -- are now driving out of the city to Frankton, Lapel, Pendleton Heights, Yorktown and other nearby schools. Their parents now support those teams. The great Anderson sectional -- which brought about story after story after story every night -- went away, and the Wigwam hasn't hosted a tourney game in years.
As a tourney venue, Hancock County teams had some good memories there. The great Eden teams of 1945-46 didn't play their regional games in the current Wigwam, but the original 5,000-seater next door that burned down mysteriously in 1958. However, in the last days of single-class basketball, the winner of the Hancock County sectional -- which was often Pendleton Heights in later years, but New Palestine in 1997 being the last such local team -- fed through the Wigwam. NP would eventually fall to Delta -- another conference squad that went on to dazzle the state and become the last single-class runner-up.
The Wigwam's likely swan song happened a couple of weeks ago, when the Indians rallied to beat Chatard in front of a nostalgic, half-full house. However, to me, the real "last dance" happened in 1998. Anderson and Pike were ranked 1-2, and met in the Wigwam in the old ill-fated one-game regional. The place was stuffed to the gills and WNDY-TV beamed it to a statewide audience to watch two great teams go toe-to-toe and decide who would move on. With the place rocking and 9,000 fans stuffed into every corner of the gym, Pike survived a heated game and went on to win the first Class 4A championship, while Anderson suffered another near-miss -- just like had happened in all those single-class years.
The magic just seemed to go away after that night. The crowds dwindled, the town kept dying and nothing ever could quite revive either. I still have that game on tape -- as a Pike grad, I was a bit interested in the outcome and was out of town that night -- and never erased it. I only wish I could've witnessed one of those great nights in person when the place was packed.
Since that night, the inevitable has been seen in rapidly-declining crowds, which would now comfortably fit in the Tee Pee most nights. Anderson has tried -- staging a "Fill the Wigwam night" a few years back -- and hosting an all-day Wigwam Classic the last two years -- but it just hasn't been enough to bring the fans in. They just aren't there anymore. The magic just seemed gone -- it's hard to get excited to play or watch a game in front of 7,000 empty seats and remember that supercharged atmosphere.
In a way, it's been a microcosm of what's happened in Indiana high school basketball, where the fan decline began to accelerate about two decades ago due to a confluence of factors -- the rise of the NCAA Tournament's popularity, the rise in success of big-city teams with smaller fan followings, the eventual coming of class basketball, which took the decline of fans and moved it to warp speed.
Hopefully, someone will step up and find another use for the Wigwam -- a community center, a place for travel basketball games like the Spiece Fieldhouse or the Fishers Fieldhouse. Other iconic arenas have been shuttered and reopened. In Marion, the old Coliseum is still in use as a YMCA. In Vincennes, the old Adams Coliseum was used by the local private school for many years. In Brownsburg, the Varsity Gym was used as a community fitness center.
For the Anderson Indians, life will go on. There will be another team take the floor next November -- either in the Tee Pee or at the slightly-larger Bob Fuller Memorial Gym at the old Highland building. There will still be a trip to the Lemon Drop or Art's Varsity Pizza on the way there. But it won't quite be the same without walking into the gigantic brick cube with the Indian head on the side.
A place that was built 50 years ago because a 5,000-seat gym was never big enough now suddenly is too big. Unfortunately, this is likely to be the first of many of the still-existing great old gyms on the endangered list.
The thump, thump of the drum and the P.A. announcer's one sentence greeting whipping 9,000 fans into a frenzy has faded into history. But for many of us, our memories of when the Wigwam was the epicenter of one of the greatest cultural phenomena in America will never go away.
The lights go out. The spotlight is focused on one corner of hardwood after the teams have headed to their locker rooms.
Thump. Thump.
Two teenagers -- one male, one female -- in full Indian regalia slowly work their way around the floor.
Thump. Thump.
The anticipation builds. Tipoff is a few minutes away, but no regular-season game can go on without this ceremony. It's psyched out opponents, worked up a crowd that has seen it countless times -- many in the stands have witnessed this same ceremony hundreds of times. The people in the costumes change, but the moment doesn't.
A maiden and brave dance -- authentic and kitschy at the same time -- has been a part of every Anderson High School basketball game since time immaterial. It has survived many coaches, many players, many recessions, many tourney near-misses. And it's survived two Wigwams.
Once upon a time, the thump, thump of the drum would eventually work nearly 9,000 fans into an uproar. But when I finally witnessed a part of this timeless Indiana tradition, only a smattering of the Wigwam's 8,998 seats were occupied by Anderson followers in red and green, and fans of the opposing school in blue and gold.
Sure, it was a weeknight in the middle of December, but this was only two decades removed from a day when Anderson High School sold 5,000 season tickets, while neighboring Madison Heights and Highland High Schools routinely played in front of full houses at gyms about half the size of the Wigwam.
Now, both of those schools are memories -- Madison Heights painted over in Indian red and green a few years back, Highland turned into a junior high a year ago. And now, one last Anderson tradition appears to be gone.
This week, the Anderson Community School Corporation board voted 6-1 to shutter the Wigwam, citing high operating costs. The building is 50 years old, and since the closing of the 1910-built Anderson High School -- which later burned to the ground -- has stood alone, guarding over West 14th Street in Anderson while the student-athletes who inhabited it every Friday night went to school a few miles down Madison Avenue at a building that once housed the Madison Heights Pirates.
In my professional life, I've been fortunate enough to coach or cover varsity games in some great gyms -- the Muncie, New Castle and Southport fieldhouses, Richmond's Tiernan Center, Rushville's Memorial Gym, Muncie's Ball Gym and Knightstown's Hoosier Gym among them. But there was something magical about the Wigwam. I'll be honest -- it was a terrible place to cover a game as a media member, and it wasn't too comfortable for players and coaches to do their jobs, either. It was always incredibly hot in the building, and those of us working the game had to do our jobs from the stage in one end zone -- which doesn't provide the best view of the game for a reporter or broadcaster attempting to keep accurate stats or describe the game to our listeners. Right below us, for many years, were the team benches -- on the baseline in the same end zone, where one coach was always watching his team from behind, with the action taking place 60 feet from the benches half the game. The IHSAA finally made the teams move to their traditional sideline positions a few years back.
But that view was awesome at the same time. One could sit on the stage and see nearly 9,000 blond wooden bleacher planks topped with red wrapping around the gym, in two decks that went up as far as they could be.
This place seemed magical, from the moment I heard of it, reading about the fanaticism of its inhabitants in books like Philip Hoose's "Hoosiers: The Fabulous Basketball Life of Indiana," which spent its entire first chapter on Anderson and the Wigwam, the basketball epicenter of the state's hoops culture, where demand for sectional tickets was once so great, an annual draw had to be held to give fans an equal shot at tickets (and fans would buy season tickets to neighboring schools to have a better shot at sectional tickets). It was a place where college classmates would talk about how the entire county would band together to root against the three Anderson schools. It was a place where, even through listening to the great WLHN broadcasts hosted by announcers like Bill Stanczykiewicz and the late Rod Brooks -- two of the many great radio broadcasters who described the action of the local heroes -- hearing them pause to allow the public address announcer to say "Welcome, sports fans, to the Wigwam" and the ensuing roar from an overflow crowd before the lineups could make the hair stand up on your neck. For a Hoosier hoops junkie, this HAD to be the place where you visited. I always begged our high school coach to put Anderson on the schedule just to see and experience the place. After all, we played Muncie Central and Highland. Finally, as a young sportswriter with the Daily Reporter, I took a rare night off and dragged myself to the inaugural Madison County Tournament just to see the place -- even though I covered close to 100 games a year and could probably use a night away from a gym. When Greenfield-Central put the Indians on the schedule the next year, I called dibs and covered the game.
Back in the heyday, the Wigwam place was so galvanizing, a trip to crosstown Highland (where the 4,000+-seat Bob Fuller gym was packed that night even though Highland's girls were playing in the 1992 regional final at exactly the same time) netted lots of evening conversation at the concession stand before the tipoff (and of course, a fife & drum corps playing Scotland the Brave before the game -- the northeast siders' version of the Maiden and Brave dance). None of it was about the aforementioned Highland girls, nor about the HHS basketball team that was ranked third in the nation at the time. all of it was about the Anderson-Richmond game going on across town that night (and all of it assuming Richmond would win. Anderson would win the sectional that year -- Richmond its one and only state title).
There was magic just walking into the Wigwam -- seeing the old team photos on the wall, walking through the catacombs looking older than they really were, and then seeing thousands of seats open up in front of you. Unfortunately, that magic wouldn't last when you walked around the upper deck and wondered "what was it like 10 years ago when these seats were packed."
Things have been moving toward the inevitable for a long time. As noted, Madison Heights closed and its gym was painted over to be a mini-Wigwam (it's called the Tee Pee and has hosted the AHS girls team since the move down the street -- and was the home of one of the greatest tourney games I've ever witnessed, when Anderson beat G-C in double OT in the 2005 girls sectional). Highland is no more. The battered American auto industry has seen many old North Central Conference towns fall into decline, and Anderson -- a town with huge General Motors plants -- was probably hit the hardest. With that, the population has been in decline, creating a spiral that's been hard to shake. Much of Anderson's season ticket base kept getting older, and there weren't any younger fans left to take their place when they passed on.
Class basketball has also shifted the spotlight into the county, where neighboring Lapel and Alexandria have won Class 1A and 2A titles and Pendleton Heights has advanced to the semistate level in both boys and girls basketball. It's made playing for those schools as attractive as being an Indian once was -- and created an easier path to a state title in those communities than would be possible in Anderson, which hasn't won a title since Jumpin' Johnny Wilson led the Indians to the title in 1946. Open enrollment has claimed more of Anderson's population, as many would-be AHS students -- and children of Anderson, Highland or Madison Heights alumni -- are now driving out of the city to Frankton, Lapel, Pendleton Heights, Yorktown and other nearby schools. Their parents now support those teams. The great Anderson sectional -- which brought about story after story after story every night -- went away, and the Wigwam hasn't hosted a tourney game in years.
As a tourney venue, Hancock County teams had some good memories there. The great Eden teams of 1945-46 didn't play their regional games in the current Wigwam, but the original 5,000-seater next door that burned down mysteriously in 1958. However, in the last days of single-class basketball, the winner of the Hancock County sectional -- which was often Pendleton Heights in later years, but New Palestine in 1997 being the last such local team -- fed through the Wigwam. NP would eventually fall to Delta -- another conference squad that went on to dazzle the state and become the last single-class runner-up.
The Wigwam's likely swan song happened a couple of weeks ago, when the Indians rallied to beat Chatard in front of a nostalgic, half-full house. However, to me, the real "last dance" happened in 1998. Anderson and Pike were ranked 1-2, and met in the Wigwam in the old ill-fated one-game regional. The place was stuffed to the gills and WNDY-TV beamed it to a statewide audience to watch two great teams go toe-to-toe and decide who would move on. With the place rocking and 9,000 fans stuffed into every corner of the gym, Pike survived a heated game and went on to win the first Class 4A championship, while Anderson suffered another near-miss -- just like had happened in all those single-class years.
The magic just seemed to go away after that night. The crowds dwindled, the town kept dying and nothing ever could quite revive either. I still have that game on tape -- as a Pike grad, I was a bit interested in the outcome and was out of town that night -- and never erased it. I only wish I could've witnessed one of those great nights in person when the place was packed.
Since that night, the inevitable has been seen in rapidly-declining crowds, which would now comfortably fit in the Tee Pee most nights. Anderson has tried -- staging a "Fill the Wigwam night" a few years back -- and hosting an all-day Wigwam Classic the last two years -- but it just hasn't been enough to bring the fans in. They just aren't there anymore. The magic just seemed gone -- it's hard to get excited to play or watch a game in front of 7,000 empty seats and remember that supercharged atmosphere.
In a way, it's been a microcosm of what's happened in Indiana high school basketball, where the fan decline began to accelerate about two decades ago due to a confluence of factors -- the rise of the NCAA Tournament's popularity, the rise in success of big-city teams with smaller fan followings, the eventual coming of class basketball, which took the decline of fans and moved it to warp speed.
Hopefully, someone will step up and find another use for the Wigwam -- a community center, a place for travel basketball games like the Spiece Fieldhouse or the Fishers Fieldhouse. Other iconic arenas have been shuttered and reopened. In Marion, the old Coliseum is still in use as a YMCA. In Vincennes, the old Adams Coliseum was used by the local private school for many years. In Brownsburg, the Varsity Gym was used as a community fitness center.
For the Anderson Indians, life will go on. There will be another team take the floor next November -- either in the Tee Pee or at the slightly-larger Bob Fuller Memorial Gym at the old Highland building. There will still be a trip to the Lemon Drop or Art's Varsity Pizza on the way there. But it won't quite be the same without walking into the gigantic brick cube with the Indian head on the side.
A place that was built 50 years ago because a 5,000-seat gym was never big enough now suddenly is too big. Unfortunately, this is likely to be the first of many of the still-existing great old gyms on the endangered list.
The thump, thump of the drum and the P.A. announcer's one sentence greeting whipping 9,000 fans into a frenzy has faded into history. But for many of us, our memories of when the Wigwam was the epicenter of one of the greatest cultural phenomena in America will never go away.
Friday, January 28, 2011
Marauders, Dragons victorious
Mt. Vernon and Connersville were two teams led by outstanding senior guards who were just looking for a bit of consistency heading into the season's homestretch.
The Marauders got it in a 46-44 victory.
The two senior guards didn't disappoint -- MV's Quinn Williams scored 18 points on 8-of-14 shooting and led two key Marauder runs that helped open up leads of 19-10 and 28-20. Connersville's Zach Miller scored 19 points and hit back-to-back 3-pointers that cut an eight-point Marauder lead to 38-36 late.
And then it was time for the young players to shine. Freshman C.J. Coleman and sophomore Anthony Burnett hit 8-of-10 from the line in the final 1:25 to fend off Connersville's comeback -- although two more desperation 3s gave the Spartans a chance to win it with a triple at the buzzer that hit the rim and bounded off.
The Marauders did it with free throws -- they were 10-of-14 in the final quarter -- possession (six turnovers) and defense/rebounding. They held Connersville to 40% shooting (15-40), while shooting just under 50% themselves (15-31). Stephen Turner had a big game on the glass, and Coleman (nine points) and Burnett (10 points) were key complementary scorers, especially given they combined for nine in the fourth quarter.
MV has played three straight one-possession games. The Marauders (4-9/1-3) dive back into HHC play Saturday at Delta. Tip is 7:45 p.m.
Elsewhere ... all of the eyes in the HHC were on tonight's contest between Greenfield-Central and Pendleton Heights. The Cougars came in with the HHC lead and a win would put them in great shape heading into the final couple of conference games. Meanwhile, the Arabians needed a win to stay in the conference race.
PH got the win, but it was in a tight game. The Arabians won 59-50, forging a virtual three-way tie in the HHC race. PH is now 5-1 in conference play, while G-C (5-8) and Rushville are both 4-1. The Cougars and Rushville play each other late in the season. G-C also has a huge game against Delta next week.
But first, the Cougars have to face an 11-3 Eastern Hancock team that was idle tonight. The Royals will host G-C at 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Chris and Andrew will bring the game to you at 7:10. Of course, you always can LISTEN LIVE HERE!
New Palestine evened its mark back at .500 and got its first conference win tonight, knocking off Yorktown 68-53. The Dragons' (7-7) next game will be Feb. 4 at Shelbyville, which will be our Game of the Week broadcast next week.
Make sure you keep joining us for more high school basketball and sports action on Hancock County Sports.com!
The Marauders got it in a 46-44 victory.
The two senior guards didn't disappoint -- MV's Quinn Williams scored 18 points on 8-of-14 shooting and led two key Marauder runs that helped open up leads of 19-10 and 28-20. Connersville's Zach Miller scored 19 points and hit back-to-back 3-pointers that cut an eight-point Marauder lead to 38-36 late.
And then it was time for the young players to shine. Freshman C.J. Coleman and sophomore Anthony Burnett hit 8-of-10 from the line in the final 1:25 to fend off Connersville's comeback -- although two more desperation 3s gave the Spartans a chance to win it with a triple at the buzzer that hit the rim and bounded off.
The Marauders did it with free throws -- they were 10-of-14 in the final quarter -- possession (six turnovers) and defense/rebounding. They held Connersville to 40% shooting (15-40), while shooting just under 50% themselves (15-31). Stephen Turner had a big game on the glass, and Coleman (nine points) and Burnett (10 points) were key complementary scorers, especially given they combined for nine in the fourth quarter.
MV has played three straight one-possession games. The Marauders (4-9/1-3) dive back into HHC play Saturday at Delta. Tip is 7:45 p.m.
Elsewhere ... all of the eyes in the HHC were on tonight's contest between Greenfield-Central and Pendleton Heights. The Cougars came in with the HHC lead and a win would put them in great shape heading into the final couple of conference games. Meanwhile, the Arabians needed a win to stay in the conference race.
PH got the win, but it was in a tight game. The Arabians won 59-50, forging a virtual three-way tie in the HHC race. PH is now 5-1 in conference play, while G-C (5-8) and Rushville are both 4-1. The Cougars and Rushville play each other late in the season. G-C also has a huge game against Delta next week.
But first, the Cougars have to face an 11-3 Eastern Hancock team that was idle tonight. The Royals will host G-C at 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Chris and Andrew will bring the game to you at 7:10. Of course, you always can LISTEN LIVE HERE!
New Palestine evened its mark back at .500 and got its first conference win tonight, knocking off Yorktown 68-53. The Dragons' (7-7) next game will be Feb. 4 at Shelbyville, which will be our Game of the Week broadcast next week.
Make sure you keep joining us for more high school basketball and sports action on Hancock County Sports.com!
Saturday, March 13, 2010
It's Mt. Vernon vs. Danville
The Mt. Vernon Marauders lead early and control the game throughout in a 45-30 win over #7 Greensburg this afternoon. MV scored the first 13 points of the game and then never saw the lead drop below seven the rest of the night. Jake Stafford had a big start, with seven first-quarter points, a couple of steals, a blocked shot and a couple of early rebounds. He finished with 10 points. D'Armond Davis had a game-high 13 points and was our Indiana Basketball Digest Player of the Game for his offensive, defensive and rebounding prowess, while Daniel Turner had 11. MV led 15-8 after a quarter, and extended the lead in the second despite scoring just four points (the Marauders outscored Greensburg 4-2 in the period).
Like a lot of Marauder opponents, Greensburg struggled to find shots against MV. Ty Miller got a few looks inside and finished with 12 of the Pirates' 30 points, but the Pirates never could make a serious run at the Marauders.
Tonight's foe is Danville, which had to pull a Houdini act to beat Brebeuf. The Braves led for much of the day and led by as many as seven points at 32-25. But Danville rallied, led by 6-10 Purduer recruit Travis Carroll, who had 25 points. Brebeuf missed two chances at the line to put it away. Jordan Widener hit two free throws for Danville with four seconds left to win it for the Warriors 47-46. Carroll (19ppg) and Widener (16 ppg) are the top two scorers for a Warriors team that has been rarely challenged.
It should be a state championship game atmosphere from Garrett Gym in Shelbyville tonight. One team moves on to next week's semistate at either Southport or Seymour. Listen LIVE at www.crosscomsports.com.
Like a lot of Marauder opponents, Greensburg struggled to find shots against MV. Ty Miller got a few looks inside and finished with 12 of the Pirates' 30 points, but the Pirates never could make a serious run at the Marauders.
Tonight's foe is Danville, which had to pull a Houdini act to beat Brebeuf. The Braves led for much of the day and led by as many as seven points at 32-25. But Danville rallied, led by 6-10 Purduer recruit Travis Carroll, who had 25 points. Brebeuf missed two chances at the line to put it away. Jordan Widener hit two free throws for Danville with four seconds left to win it for the Warriors 47-46. Carroll (19ppg) and Widener (16 ppg) are the top two scorers for a Warriors team that has been rarely challenged.
It should be a state championship game atmosphere from Garrett Gym in Shelbyville tonight. One team moves on to next week's semistate at either Southport or Seymour. Listen LIVE at www.crosscomsports.com.
Friday, March 12, 2010
It's regional time
Time to head to Shelbyville to bring forth one of the best regionals in the state, beginning with one of the marquee games in Indiana.
In the black & gold corner: #3 Mt. Vernon (21-2), champions of the Hoosier Heritage Conference, Hancock County, the Hall of Fame Classic and the Mt. Vernon sectional.
In the blue & white corner: #7 Greensburg (20-2), champions of the Eastern Indiana Athletic Conference, Tree City Holiday Tournament and the Greensburg sectional.
The broadcast begins at 9:40 a.m. Saturday (LISTEN HERE) with the pregame show, and tipoff at 10 a.m. Should the Marauders win, we'll have the regional title game at 7:40 p.m. from Garrett Gymnasium.
There are three regionals in the state with three Top 10 teams -- this one, the 3A regional at Washington and the 1A regional at Triton. #1 Danville (23-1) is the third ranked team, facing a dangerous Brebeuf (14-8) squad in Saturday's second morning semifinal.
To the Marauders' game. MV has been very impressive this season, especially in a 17-game winning streak in which the Marauders' defense has been stifling. MV allowed two high-scoring teams 37 points last week, and slowed down some of the sectional's top players. Meanwhile, Daniel Turner had a huge sectional, with 44 points in the two games en route to being named tournament MVP. He has, of course, a really solid supporting cast with 6-7 D'Armond Davis (12 points against HH), 6-4 Jake Stafford (22 in the regular-season finale against Yorktown) and 6-4 P.J. Hubert, whose early 3-point shooting staked the Marauders to leads in both of last week's sectional games.
They've been very workmanlike and businesslike and it really shows on the boards, where they've been badly outrebounding teams.
This is the Marauders' first regional since 1999, when they played eventual state champ Plainfield on the Garrett Gymnasium floor in a one-game affair. MV is looking for regional title #3 in school history, to go along with titles won in 1987 and 1991.
To get here, Greensburg had to survive a couple of high-wire finishes in the sectional, beating Scottsburg 48-46 on a driving shot with four seconds left by senior forward Shawn Burcham in the opening round, and then knocking off Batesville 49-48 in OT in the title game, with 6-3 senior forward Ty Miller hitting two FTs in the closing seconds to win the game. The Pirates are experienced, with 10 seniors on the 11-man roster, and five seniors who start. Like MV, they have balance, with three players (6-3 senior Greg Dougan, Burcham and Miller) averaging between 10.1 and 11.6 ppg, and a fourth (5-10 senior Adam Wilson) totaling 9.1. Greg Dougan averaged 13.7 ppg in the sectional, while Burcham totaled 10 ppg. Greensburg also has tournament experience, having won this regional last year by beating Roncalli and North Montgomery.
The other game features Danville and Brebeuf, and the only rematch in the tournament. Danville won an earlier meeting 42-36, and the Warriors are led by 6-10 Purdue signee Travis Carroll (19.7 ppg, 11.9 rpg, 65% FG) and 6-2 senior Jordan Widener (16.8 ppg, 5.3 rpg). Two other players -- guards Tyler Hall and Michael Humphrey -- are also at or close to double-figures. Danville is deep and loaded, a big reason it is 23-1 and has only played one game within 5 points -- and that was the season opener against Western Boone. Brebeuf is led by Trent Hoffman (11.9 ppg) and Evan Kroot (10.1 ppg) and has a lot of balance behind. Andy Fagan's team is defensively-minded, but plays a brutal schedule that is meant to prepare the Braves for this time of year.
We're looking forward to having you join us for breakfast Saturday morning, and maybe for dinner Saturday night, as we bring the Marauders in the Shelbyville regional. We will be with MV throughout the tournament.
In the black & gold corner: #3 Mt. Vernon (21-2), champions of the Hoosier Heritage Conference, Hancock County, the Hall of Fame Classic and the Mt. Vernon sectional.
In the blue & white corner: #7 Greensburg (20-2), champions of the Eastern Indiana Athletic Conference, Tree City Holiday Tournament and the Greensburg sectional.
The broadcast begins at 9:40 a.m. Saturday (LISTEN HERE) with the pregame show, and tipoff at 10 a.m. Should the Marauders win, we'll have the regional title game at 7:40 p.m. from Garrett Gymnasium.
There are three regionals in the state with three Top 10 teams -- this one, the 3A regional at Washington and the 1A regional at Triton. #1 Danville (23-1) is the third ranked team, facing a dangerous Brebeuf (14-8) squad in Saturday's second morning semifinal.
To the Marauders' game. MV has been very impressive this season, especially in a 17-game winning streak in which the Marauders' defense has been stifling. MV allowed two high-scoring teams 37 points last week, and slowed down some of the sectional's top players. Meanwhile, Daniel Turner had a huge sectional, with 44 points in the two games en route to being named tournament MVP. He has, of course, a really solid supporting cast with 6-7 D'Armond Davis (12 points against HH), 6-4 Jake Stafford (22 in the regular-season finale against Yorktown) and 6-4 P.J. Hubert, whose early 3-point shooting staked the Marauders to leads in both of last week's sectional games.
They've been very workmanlike and businesslike and it really shows on the boards, where they've been badly outrebounding teams.
This is the Marauders' first regional since 1999, when they played eventual state champ Plainfield on the Garrett Gymnasium floor in a one-game affair. MV is looking for regional title #3 in school history, to go along with titles won in 1987 and 1991.
To get here, Greensburg had to survive a couple of high-wire finishes in the sectional, beating Scottsburg 48-46 on a driving shot with four seconds left by senior forward Shawn Burcham in the opening round, and then knocking off Batesville 49-48 in OT in the title game, with 6-3 senior forward Ty Miller hitting two FTs in the closing seconds to win the game. The Pirates are experienced, with 10 seniors on the 11-man roster, and five seniors who start. Like MV, they have balance, with three players (6-3 senior Greg Dougan, Burcham and Miller) averaging between 10.1 and 11.6 ppg, and a fourth (5-10 senior Adam Wilson) totaling 9.1. Greg Dougan averaged 13.7 ppg in the sectional, while Burcham totaled 10 ppg. Greensburg also has tournament experience, having won this regional last year by beating Roncalli and North Montgomery.
The other game features Danville and Brebeuf, and the only rematch in the tournament. Danville won an earlier meeting 42-36, and the Warriors are led by 6-10 Purdue signee Travis Carroll (19.7 ppg, 11.9 rpg, 65% FG) and 6-2 senior Jordan Widener (16.8 ppg, 5.3 rpg). Two other players -- guards Tyler Hall and Michael Humphrey -- are also at or close to double-figures. Danville is deep and loaded, a big reason it is 23-1 and has only played one game within 5 points -- and that was the season opener against Western Boone. Brebeuf is led by Trent Hoffman (11.9 ppg) and Evan Kroot (10.1 ppg) and has a lot of balance behind. Andy Fagan's team is defensively-minded, but plays a brutal schedule that is meant to prepare the Braves for this time of year.
We're looking forward to having you join us for breakfast Saturday morning, and maybe for dinner Saturday night, as we bring the Marauders in the Shelbyville regional. We will be with MV throughout the tournament.
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Looking ahead
There's a huge game tonight between the Marauders and Golden Bears for the sectional championship. MV looking for its first title since 1999 and 11th in school history, Shelby looking for its first since 2001, which would make 37 in its illustrious basketball history.
Listen to the game here, beginning at 7:10 p.m.
Friday night reminded me of the old one-class days -- by halftime of the MV-HH game, it was standing room only, with people standing on the stairways overlooking the gym and crammed into every available seat. The hallway adjacent to the gym was packed during the fourth quarter. The parking lot was so full, The Shelbyville News' Jeff Brown told me he parked "in downtown Indianapolis."
That felt like a sectional. Great atmosphere, very passionate and a lot of fun. Expect a similar atmosphere tonight when Mt. Vernon faces Shelbyville. I'd expect to see a huge Marauder crowd on hand, given it's a home game, and a sizeable contingent of Bear fans.
The first time they played, MV won 99-82. P.J. Hubert had 28 points, while Daniel Turner and D'Armond Davis had 21 each for MV in that game. Three Golden Bears were also in double-figures.
The winner cuts down the nets, adds to the trophy case in its school and moves on to the March 13 regional at Shelbyville, which could be one of the state's most dynamite.
The winner of tonight's game faces either #7 Greensburg (19-2) or Batesville (18-4) in the opening game of the regional at 10 a.m. Saturday. Greensburg won the regional title last season, and is led by Stacy Meyer, who led Southwestern (Shelby) to the State Finals a number of years ago. One of Greensburg's losses is to Rushville, a team both the Marauders and Golden Bears (twice) have defeated. Greensburg beat Shelby 64-58 on Jan. 8, and hasn't played MV. Greensburg & Batesville have played two close games, with Greensburg winning 45-42 and 48-38.
The noon semifinal pits the winner of the Indianapolis sectional (Brebeuf 13-8 vs. #12 Howe 20-5) against the winner of the Danville sectional, which includes #1 Danville (22-1) and Purdue signee Travis Carroll. Lebanon (13-9) is tonight's foe. Danville beat the Tigers 71-39 earlier this season and is a heavy favorite -- the Warriors' only loss is to 4A #3 North Central.
We will broadcast all of Mt. Vernon's games the rest of the tournament, so we will be at Shelbyville next week should the Marauders win tonight, at 9:40 a.m. for the semis, and at 7:40 p.m. for the championship game should MV win.
==
In the northern half of the draw, Friday was "carnage night" in Class 3A -- partially due to the Hoosier Heritage Conference. Two top-five teams were defeated.
#4 Mississinewa -- which had been 20-1 -- was defeated 51-41 by Delta at the Muncie Fieldhouse. Paul Keller's Eagles (12-9) will play another all-HHC final tonight, as they face Yorktown (13-8). Those two split their regular-season meetings. Mississinewa was denied a shot at its first sectional title since 1954.
#2 Peru finished the regular season 19-1 and rolled through much of its schedule, with an average win margin of 18. The only loss was a two-point defeat to 4A Logansport. However, the Tigers fell behind early last night and couldn't catch up, falling to Norwell 53-51.
Some other strong -- yet unranked -- teams were defeated, including defending state champ Princeton, which finished 17-9, and multi-time champ and usual 3A sleeper Harding of the Fort Wayne area (16-7). Princeton fell to Vincennes and Harding lost to FW Dwenger. Culver Military, a somewhat loaded 14-8 team that was 10-2 against Indiana teams had played a lot of out-of-state schools and had some huge victories on its resume (namely, one over Pike and another over 1A #1 Gary Bowman), was beaten in OT last night by defending 3A runner-up Rochester.
The rest of the 3A top 10 is still in action, with six of the remaining eight ranked teams in the southern half. #5 Gary Wallace (15-4) or the soon-to-be-closed #9 Fort Wayne Elmhurst (15-5) are the favorites in the north. The south features #1 Danville, #3 MV and #7 Greensburg (and #12 Howe) all feeding into the Shelbyville regional, and #6 Washington, #8 Sullivan and #10 Crawford County (as well as #11 Boonville) all feeding into the Washington regional.
Listen to the game here, beginning at 7:10 p.m.
Friday night reminded me of the old one-class days -- by halftime of the MV-HH game, it was standing room only, with people standing on the stairways overlooking the gym and crammed into every available seat. The hallway adjacent to the gym was packed during the fourth quarter. The parking lot was so full, The Shelbyville News' Jeff Brown told me he parked "in downtown Indianapolis."
That felt like a sectional. Great atmosphere, very passionate and a lot of fun. Expect a similar atmosphere tonight when Mt. Vernon faces Shelbyville. I'd expect to see a huge Marauder crowd on hand, given it's a home game, and a sizeable contingent of Bear fans.
The first time they played, MV won 99-82. P.J. Hubert had 28 points, while Daniel Turner and D'Armond Davis had 21 each for MV in that game. Three Golden Bears were also in double-figures.
The winner cuts down the nets, adds to the trophy case in its school and moves on to the March 13 regional at Shelbyville, which could be one of the state's most dynamite.
The winner of tonight's game faces either #7 Greensburg (19-2) or Batesville (18-4) in the opening game of the regional at 10 a.m. Saturday. Greensburg won the regional title last season, and is led by Stacy Meyer, who led Southwestern (Shelby) to the State Finals a number of years ago. One of Greensburg's losses is to Rushville, a team both the Marauders and Golden Bears (twice) have defeated. Greensburg beat Shelby 64-58 on Jan. 8, and hasn't played MV. Greensburg & Batesville have played two close games, with Greensburg winning 45-42 and 48-38.
The noon semifinal pits the winner of the Indianapolis sectional (Brebeuf 13-8 vs. #12 Howe 20-5) against the winner of the Danville sectional, which includes #1 Danville (22-1) and Purdue signee Travis Carroll. Lebanon (13-9) is tonight's foe. Danville beat the Tigers 71-39 earlier this season and is a heavy favorite -- the Warriors' only loss is to 4A #3 North Central.
We will broadcast all of Mt. Vernon's games the rest of the tournament, so we will be at Shelbyville next week should the Marauders win tonight, at 9:40 a.m. for the semis, and at 7:40 p.m. for the championship game should MV win.
==
In the northern half of the draw, Friday was "carnage night" in Class 3A -- partially due to the Hoosier Heritage Conference. Two top-five teams were defeated.
#4 Mississinewa -- which had been 20-1 -- was defeated 51-41 by Delta at the Muncie Fieldhouse. Paul Keller's Eagles (12-9) will play another all-HHC final tonight, as they face Yorktown (13-8). Those two split their regular-season meetings. Mississinewa was denied a shot at its first sectional title since 1954.
#2 Peru finished the regular season 19-1 and rolled through much of its schedule, with an average win margin of 18. The only loss was a two-point defeat to 4A Logansport. However, the Tigers fell behind early last night and couldn't catch up, falling to Norwell 53-51.
Some other strong -- yet unranked -- teams were defeated, including defending state champ Princeton, which finished 17-9, and multi-time champ and usual 3A sleeper Harding of the Fort Wayne area (16-7). Princeton fell to Vincennes and Harding lost to FW Dwenger. Culver Military, a somewhat loaded 14-8 team that was 10-2 against Indiana teams had played a lot of out-of-state schools and had some huge victories on its resume (namely, one over Pike and another over 1A #1 Gary Bowman), was beaten in OT last night by defending 3A runner-up Rochester.
The rest of the 3A top 10 is still in action, with six of the remaining eight ranked teams in the southern half. #5 Gary Wallace (15-4) or the soon-to-be-closed #9 Fort Wayne Elmhurst (15-5) are the favorites in the north. The south features #1 Danville, #3 MV and #7 Greensburg (and #12 Howe) all feeding into the Shelbyville regional, and #6 Washington, #8 Sullivan and #10 Crawford County (as well as #11 Boonville) all feeding into the Washington regional.
Friday, March 5, 2010
Sectional championship Saturday night
Tonight's scores:
Mt. Vernon 52, Hamilton Heights 37
Shelbyville 55, Rushville 52
Listen to the championship game at 7:10 p.m. Saturday between the Marauders (20-2) and Golden Bears (11-8) here.
MV won its first sectional game since 2002 by making an early statement -- P.J. Hubert drained 3s on the Marauders' first two possessions and they never trailed from there. MV led 16-8 after a quarter and pushed the lead to 20-10 early in the second. HH cut it to three at one point in the third, but Daniel Turner scored 13 of his game-high 21 points in the second half to help the Marauders pull away.
MV's D'Armond Davis scored 11, while Hubert had 10 and Jake Stafford had 8 on 8-of-12 FT shooting.
MV won the game at the line -- going 22-for-34. Turner was 7-of-12, while Davis was 5-of-6 from the stripe.
The Marauders also held HH's Austin Etherington to 11 points, as he battled foul trouble most of the night. Freshman Alex Etherington had nine.
==
In the second game, Shelbyville held on to beat Rushville 55-52. The Golden Bears had a huge early lead, but Rushville came storming back and tied the game on multiple occasions in the fourth quarter. With the game tied at 52, Shelby's Patrick Ellis stole an inbounds pass in the final minute for the second straight night. That set up John Krise, who hit three free throws in the final 29 seconds to give the Bears the lead for good, while Rushville missed three shots that would have tied the game on two possessions. Ben Kramer led Shelby with 12 points, while John Hartnett had 11 and Ellis 10. Jon Thompson led Rushville with 20 and Spencer Comer had 15.
MV beat Shelbyville 99-82 when they played in December. Should be a fun matchup. We're looking forward to bringing it to you on www.crosscomsports.com!
Mt. Vernon 52, Hamilton Heights 37
Shelbyville 55, Rushville 52
Listen to the championship game at 7:10 p.m. Saturday between the Marauders (20-2) and Golden Bears (11-8) here.
MV won its first sectional game since 2002 by making an early statement -- P.J. Hubert drained 3s on the Marauders' first two possessions and they never trailed from there. MV led 16-8 after a quarter and pushed the lead to 20-10 early in the second. HH cut it to three at one point in the third, but Daniel Turner scored 13 of his game-high 21 points in the second half to help the Marauders pull away.
MV's D'Armond Davis scored 11, while Hubert had 10 and Jake Stafford had 8 on 8-of-12 FT shooting.
MV won the game at the line -- going 22-for-34. Turner was 7-of-12, while Davis was 5-of-6 from the stripe.
The Marauders also held HH's Austin Etherington to 11 points, as he battled foul trouble most of the night. Freshman Alex Etherington had nine.
==
In the second game, Shelbyville held on to beat Rushville 55-52. The Golden Bears had a huge early lead, but Rushville came storming back and tied the game on multiple occasions in the fourth quarter. With the game tied at 52, Shelby's Patrick Ellis stole an inbounds pass in the final minute for the second straight night. That set up John Krise, who hit three free throws in the final 29 seconds to give the Bears the lead for good, while Rushville missed three shots that would have tied the game on two possessions. Ben Kramer led Shelby with 12 points, while John Hartnett had 11 and Ellis 10. Jon Thompson led Rushville with 20 and Spencer Comer had 15.
MV beat Shelbyville 99-82 when they played in December. Should be a fun matchup. We're looking forward to bringing it to you on www.crosscomsports.com!
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
It's up to the Marauders
... to carry the banner for Hancock County.
Greenfield-Central fell 58-37 to Muncie Central in the opening game tonight at New Castle. The Cougars finish 5-16.
And, in a mild upset, Eastern Hancock fell to Northeastern 64-61 in OT. The Royals finished the season with a 13-8 record. Centerville knocked off Knightstown in the other quarterfinal game tonight.
Mt. Vernon will play Hamilton Heights at 6 p.m. Friday at MV. Our broadcast will begin at 5:40 p.m. Listen live here.
Greenfield-Central fell 58-37 to Muncie Central in the opening game tonight at New Castle. The Cougars finish 5-16.
And, in a mild upset, Eastern Hancock fell to Northeastern 64-61 in OT. The Royals finished the season with a 13-8 record. Centerville knocked off Knightstown in the other quarterfinal game tonight.
Mt. Vernon will play Hamilton Heights at 6 p.m. Friday at MV. Our broadcast will begin at 5:40 p.m. Listen live here.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
End of the regular season
... and we saw some great individual performances last night during the Mt. Vernon-Yorktown game.
The Marauders finished the regular season 19-2 and 7-0 in the HHC. They've won every title available to them -- Hall of Fame Classic, Hancock County Tournament and HHC. They also won games at Hinkle and Conseco Fieldhouses.
Last night was a heck of an exclamation point. Yorktown came out in a zone and was paying extra-special attention to Daniel Turner and D'Armond Davis inside, but that allowed MV's guards to shine. Jake Stafford was 8-of-10 from the floor and scored 22 points on the night, adding five rebounds. P.J. Hubert was 7-of-9 (including 6-of-8 from deep) and scored 24. Defending them means "pick your poison" on a night like last night, and the guards were hitting. MV was 20-of-33 from the field on the day.
And we also saw an incredible performance from the Tigers, as Elliott Kampen hit 12-of-18 and scored 32 points -- doing a great job of getting himself some openings. He had four three-point play opportunities, often on drives into the lane in which he appeared to have very little room, and still got his shot off. He is one of the best players we've seen at any level this season -- especially at creating shots in traffic.
MV led 17-8 after a quarter, thanks to Stafford's nine points, but Elliott Kampen of Yorktown led a 9-3 run that cut the Marauders' lead to 20-17. MV pushed the lead back to double-digits by halftime, and then used 3s from Hubert and Stafford to fuel a 10-0 run that pushed the lead to 50-30 and they pulled away from there.
Three of the four Hancock County schools finished the year with wins on Friday -- and winning records. New Palestine beat Greenwood and Eastern Hancock knocked off Hagerstown. The Dragons are 11-9, EH is 13-7 heading into tournament play.
Now, we turn our attention to the state tournament. We will be broadcasting the Mt. Vernon sectional, starting with Tuesday's Shelbyville-NP game. They played a 2OT game in the regular season that was one of the wildest of the year, eventually won by Shelby. The Bears like to run-and-gun and score in bunches, while NP's athleticism and speed fits that style of game. It should be an interesting matchup.
The schedule (all broadcasts begin 20 minutes before tipoff on www.crosscomsports.com).
Tuesday: Shelbyville (9-8) vs. New Palestine (11-9), 7 p.m.
Friday: #3 Mt. Vernon (19-2) vs. Hamilton Heights (12-7), 6 p.m.
followed by: Rushville (12-6) vs. NP/Shelby winner, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday: Championship, 7:30 p.m.
Also, good luck to the other Hancock County schools. Greenfield-Central (5-15) meets Muncie Central (10-10) at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the New Castle sectional. Eastern Hancock (13-7) faces Northeastern (8-12) at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Hagerstown sectional.
The Marauders finished the regular season 19-2 and 7-0 in the HHC. They've won every title available to them -- Hall of Fame Classic, Hancock County Tournament and HHC. They also won games at Hinkle and Conseco Fieldhouses.
Last night was a heck of an exclamation point. Yorktown came out in a zone and was paying extra-special attention to Daniel Turner and D'Armond Davis inside, but that allowed MV's guards to shine. Jake Stafford was 8-of-10 from the floor and scored 22 points on the night, adding five rebounds. P.J. Hubert was 7-of-9 (including 6-of-8 from deep) and scored 24. Defending them means "pick your poison" on a night like last night, and the guards were hitting. MV was 20-of-33 from the field on the day.
And we also saw an incredible performance from the Tigers, as Elliott Kampen hit 12-of-18 and scored 32 points -- doing a great job of getting himself some openings. He had four three-point play opportunities, often on drives into the lane in which he appeared to have very little room, and still got his shot off. He is one of the best players we've seen at any level this season -- especially at creating shots in traffic.
MV led 17-8 after a quarter, thanks to Stafford's nine points, but Elliott Kampen of Yorktown led a 9-3 run that cut the Marauders' lead to 20-17. MV pushed the lead back to double-digits by halftime, and then used 3s from Hubert and Stafford to fuel a 10-0 run that pushed the lead to 50-30 and they pulled away from there.
Three of the four Hancock County schools finished the year with wins on Friday -- and winning records. New Palestine beat Greenwood and Eastern Hancock knocked off Hagerstown. The Dragons are 11-9, EH is 13-7 heading into tournament play.
Now, we turn our attention to the state tournament. We will be broadcasting the Mt. Vernon sectional, starting with Tuesday's Shelbyville-NP game. They played a 2OT game in the regular season that was one of the wildest of the year, eventually won by Shelby. The Bears like to run-and-gun and score in bunches, while NP's athleticism and speed fits that style of game. It should be an interesting matchup.
The schedule (all broadcasts begin 20 minutes before tipoff on www.crosscomsports.com).
Tuesday: Shelbyville (9-8) vs. New Palestine (11-9), 7 p.m.
Friday: #3 Mt. Vernon (19-2) vs. Hamilton Heights (12-7), 6 p.m.
followed by: Rushville (12-6) vs. NP/Shelby winner, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday: Championship, 7:30 p.m.
Also, good luck to the other Hancock County schools. Greenfield-Central (5-15) meets Muncie Central (10-10) at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the New Castle sectional. Eastern Hancock (13-7) faces Northeastern (8-12) at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Hagerstown sectional.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Mt. Vernon sectional
The Mt. Vernon sectional pairings are in. You can listen to all games involving Mt. Vernon and New Palestine on www.crosscomsports.com.
Tuesday: Shelbyville (9-7) vs. New Palestine (9-9), pregame at 6:40 p.m.
Friday: Mt. Vernon (17-2) vs. Hamilton Heights (12-6), pregame at 5:40 p.m.
Rushville (10-6) vs. Tuesday winner (we will stay on for this game if NP is playing)
Saturday: Championship game, pregame at 7:10 p.m.
The winner heads to the Shelbyville regional, which could be dynamite, with No. 1 Danville, No. 4 Greensburg and No. 12 Howe potentially feeding in. Again, we plan to broadcast all games involving Hancock County schools at the regional.
Tuesday: Shelbyville (9-7) vs. New Palestine (9-9), pregame at 6:40 p.m.
Friday: Mt. Vernon (17-2) vs. Hamilton Heights (12-6), pregame at 5:40 p.m.
Rushville (10-6) vs. Tuesday winner (we will stay on for this game if NP is playing)
Saturday: Championship game, pregame at 7:10 p.m.
The winner heads to the Shelbyville regional, which could be dynamite, with No. 1 Danville, No. 4 Greensburg and No. 12 Howe potentially feeding in. Again, we plan to broadcast all games involving Hancock County schools at the regional.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
It's MV-NP night and a big weekend
It's a huge night in high school basketball. After being gone for a couple of weeks, we're back for the end of the regular season. We also will have a special announcement for you hopefully after the IHSAA Tournament draw on Sunday.
Mt. Vernon vs. New Palestine.
Nothing needs to go further. The Marauders, ranked #3 in 3A, are 16-2 and have won 12 straight. The Dragons are 9-8, but they have been very strong against some good teams and are somewhat snakebitten -- losing back-to-back games in 3OT and 2OT on one weekend a couple of weeks back. There are a few storylines going on here:
Also, the IHSAA tournament draw will be Sunday night at 6 p.m. We will find out where all four of the Hancock County schools go. As the draw is made, we'll post the pairings.
Elsewhere in the county, G-C has a double-weekend with Cambridge City coming to town on Friday and a trip to Delta on Saturday for a make-up game. EH is off, with a make-up game against Triton Central Monday.
Mt. Vernon vs. New Palestine.
Nothing needs to go further. The Marauders, ranked #3 in 3A, are 16-2 and have won 12 straight. The Dragons are 9-8, but they have been very strong against some good teams and are somewhat snakebitten -- losing back-to-back games in 3OT and 2OT on one weekend a couple of weeks back. There are a few storylines going on here:
- MV is looking to clinch the HHC title outright. It would be the Marauders' second HHC championship in a row, but first outright title. MV can clinch with a win in either of its final two conference games OR a Shelbyville loss.
- It's Senior Night for a very decorated Marauder senior class, which includes UWGB signee Daniel Turner, IUPUI signee P.J. Hubert, 6-7 center D'Armond Davis, 6-4 guard Jake Stafford and forward Daniel Morales. The first four are all averaging 10+ points per game. As a group, they've been at the forefront of a program that has gone 33-6 the last two seasons. They've won two HHC titles, two county titles and the Hall of Fame Classic in that run.
- New Palestine is a tough matchup. The Dragons and Marauders played a five-point game on New Year's Day, and their second regular-season meeting last year ended up a 42-41 game decided on a late FT by Turner. The Dragons have much of the nucleus back from a sectional championship team, led by athletic slashers Pat Feeney and Nathan Penley and a couple of steady senior guards in Trevor Baker and David Anderson, with sophomore Taylor Rainey providing scoring punch from outside. They spread their scoring around -- several players average between 8-10 ppg.
- This could be a sectional preview. That takes place in two weeks on the same floor. NP and MV last met in the sectional in 2007, with the Dragons winning that matchup.
Also, the IHSAA tournament draw will be Sunday night at 6 p.m. We will find out where all four of the Hancock County schools go. As the draw is made, we'll post the pairings.
Elsewhere in the county, G-C has a double-weekend with Cambridge City coming to town on Friday and a trip to Delta on Saturday for a make-up game. EH is off, with a make-up game against Triton Central Monday.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
County Tourney: Marauders win
Mt. Vernon was impressive tonight, jumping out to a 16-0 lead early and keeping the lead in that ballpark the rest of the way to win back-to-back county championships.
The Marauders beat Greenfield-Central 65-41. MV was on fire in the first quarter -- using its changing defenses to ignite an outstanding offense that outscored the Cougars 27-8 over the opening eight minutes. Things settled down from there, but MV stayed in control, largely because of the efforts of Daniel Turner. The 6-6 UWGB recruit had a big night, with 20 points and a slew of rebounds and steals. D'Armond Davis had five blocked shots inside. P.J. Hubert scored 10 points, as did PG Clayton Sanders -- the guy who is usually on the dishing end of Marauder baskets.
Wes McQueeney got G-C going with three first-half 3s and finished with 11 points.
If the two teams weren't familiar enough with each other, they'll go at it again next Friday night at G-C. We will have that broadcast as our Game of the Week.
Eastern Hancock won a back-and-forth consolation game 65-60, led by Steven Stunda's 29 points and 22 from Dustin Smith. Trevor Baker scored 17 for NP.
Also, congratulations to the Marauder girls team, which beat G-C 47-36 to win their county championship and break the Cougars' three-year stranglehold on the title. New Palestine won the consolation game 51-27 over Eastern Hancock.
It was a very enjoyable and intense two days of basketball. The crowds at all of the venues were great and the games were entertaining. It's now time to settle down and get ready for the second half of the regular season, which for us begins next Friday night.
The Marauders beat Greenfield-Central 65-41. MV was on fire in the first quarter -- using its changing defenses to ignite an outstanding offense that outscored the Cougars 27-8 over the opening eight minutes. Things settled down from there, but MV stayed in control, largely because of the efforts of Daniel Turner. The 6-6 UWGB recruit had a big night, with 20 points and a slew of rebounds and steals. D'Armond Davis had five blocked shots inside. P.J. Hubert scored 10 points, as did PG Clayton Sanders -- the guy who is usually on the dishing end of Marauder baskets.
Wes McQueeney got G-C going with three first-half 3s and finished with 11 points.
If the two teams weren't familiar enough with each other, they'll go at it again next Friday night at G-C. We will have that broadcast as our Game of the Week.
Eastern Hancock won a back-and-forth consolation game 65-60, led by Steven Stunda's 29 points and 22 from Dustin Smith. Trevor Baker scored 17 for NP.
Also, congratulations to the Marauder girls team, which beat G-C 47-36 to win their county championship and break the Cougars' three-year stranglehold on the title. New Palestine won the consolation game 51-27 over Eastern Hancock.
It was a very enjoyable and intense two days of basketball. The crowds at all of the venues were great and the games were entertaining. It's now time to settle down and get ready for the second half of the regular season, which for us begins next Friday night.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Big week starts well
County Tournament week is always a big week for Hancock County's basketball teams.
It signals the start of the 2nd half of the season -- and replicates the old Greenfield-Central sectional of single-class yore. It brings the rivalries we all know and love into a tournament atmosphere.
However, the 10th-ranked Mt. Vernon Marauders will be going into the tournament already coming off one title -- winning the prestigious Hall of Fame Classic on Wednesday. MV (6-2) beat previously-unbeaten 4A No. 5 Munster 56-42 in the opening game, and then knocked off Zionsville 50-38 in an impressive defensive performance in the championship game, using its size to suffocate the Eagles' offense with a well-played zone defense. As is custom for the Marauders, they had different players carry them at different times -- Daniel Turner, Jake Stafford and P.J. Hubert all scored in different spurts to lead the Marauders in the title game.
Congrats to the Marauders for winning the state's most prestigious invitational tournament -- making it an HHC sweep. Rushville won the girls tournament by beating Mooresville and Jay County.
MV faces New Palestine (4-2) in the opening game -- a rematch of the last three county champinship games. NP is coming off a sectional title, and the two teams played a one-point game in their last meeting in February, won by the Marauders. NP is 2-0 against county competition, having defeated both Greenfield-Central and Eastern Hancock so far. The Dragons haven't played since a Dec. 18 victory over Morristown, which they won 52-50 when Trevor Baker hit a shot at the buzzer.
The other New Year's Day game pits Eastern Hancock (6-2) -- coming off a big 65-55 victory at Blue River on Tuesday -- at Greenfield-Central (1-6), a team with a very deceptive record. The Cougars have an OT loss to Whiteland and a one-point loss to New Palestine on their docket, and are rapidly-improving under first-year coach Josh Johnson. This game will feature some outstanding guard play -- G-C's Jordan Conley and Wes McQueeney can fill it up from long range, as can EH's Dustin Smith, Zach Kissick and Steven Stunda.
Each game is at 6 p.m., with a girls game to follow.
We will be broadcasting the championship game from New Palestine on Jan. 2, again with a 6 p.m. tipoff. You can listen here. The consolation game will be going on simultaneously in the NPHS auxiliary gym, with girls games again to follow.
Enjoy the county tournament. If you can't make it in person, join our webcast on Saturday night.
It signals the start of the 2nd half of the season -- and replicates the old Greenfield-Central sectional of single-class yore. It brings the rivalries we all know and love into a tournament atmosphere.
However, the 10th-ranked Mt. Vernon Marauders will be going into the tournament already coming off one title -- winning the prestigious Hall of Fame Classic on Wednesday. MV (6-2) beat previously-unbeaten 4A No. 5 Munster 56-42 in the opening game, and then knocked off Zionsville 50-38 in an impressive defensive performance in the championship game, using its size to suffocate the Eagles' offense with a well-played zone defense. As is custom for the Marauders, they had different players carry them at different times -- Daniel Turner, Jake Stafford and P.J. Hubert all scored in different spurts to lead the Marauders in the title game.
Congrats to the Marauders for winning the state's most prestigious invitational tournament -- making it an HHC sweep. Rushville won the girls tournament by beating Mooresville and Jay County.
MV faces New Palestine (4-2) in the opening game -- a rematch of the last three county champinship games. NP is coming off a sectional title, and the two teams played a one-point game in their last meeting in February, won by the Marauders. NP is 2-0 against county competition, having defeated both Greenfield-Central and Eastern Hancock so far. The Dragons haven't played since a Dec. 18 victory over Morristown, which they won 52-50 when Trevor Baker hit a shot at the buzzer.
The other New Year's Day game pits Eastern Hancock (6-2) -- coming off a big 65-55 victory at Blue River on Tuesday -- at Greenfield-Central (1-6), a team with a very deceptive record. The Cougars have an OT loss to Whiteland and a one-point loss to New Palestine on their docket, and are rapidly-improving under first-year coach Josh Johnson. This game will feature some outstanding guard play -- G-C's Jordan Conley and Wes McQueeney can fill it up from long range, as can EH's Dustin Smith, Zach Kissick and Steven Stunda.
Each game is at 6 p.m., with a girls game to follow.
We will be broadcasting the championship game from New Palestine on Jan. 2, again with a 6 p.m. tipoff. You can listen here. The consolation game will be going on simultaneously in the NPHS auxiliary gym, with girls games again to follow.
Enjoy the county tournament. If you can't make it in person, join our webcast on Saturday night.
Monday, December 28, 2009
It's county tourney week
We haven't been as up on things on the blog side as we'd like to be, largely because of time pressures of late.
However, the Game of the Week contests have been barnburners so far -- the last 3 have been decided by a total of 7 points, all with the outcome in doubt in the last 60 seconds. Now, we're getting ready for a busy second half of the season, which begins with the traditional mid-season Hancock County Tournament. Our next Game of the Week broadcast will be the tournament title game on Saturday night. There is an early 6 p.m. tipoff, so we'll be on at approximately 5:40 p.m.
This year, it's on Jan. 1-2, for two reasons. The most obvious is the weekend date, but the less obvious is the fact that Mt. Vernon is playing in the Hall of Fame Classic on Wednesday, therefore giving the Marauders a day of rest before diving back in. MV is 4-2 so far, and has played a brutal schedule, with the two losses coming to HSE and Tipton, teams that have a combined record of 10-3. It doesn't get any easier Wednesday, as the Marauders take on an unbeaten Munster team in the opening 11 a.m. game. Defending 3A champ Princeton and Zionsville are the other two teams competing at New Castle.
The County Tourney has become a much-anticipated event in its six years of existence. Greenfield-Central won the inaugural tournament, but since, New Palestine (thrice) and Mt. Vernon (twice) have dominated the action, meeting in the title game each of the last three years. MV is the defending champ. That can't happen this year, as the Marauders and Dragons -- both posting 4-2 records coming into the week -- meet in the opening round on New Year's Day at MV. Eastern Hancock (5-2) visits Greenfield-Central (1-6) in the other opening-round matchup. All boys games are at 6 p.m. -- all games are boy/girl doubleheaders.
New Palestine will host the finals Saturday night -- boys at 6, girls at 8 -- with championship games in the main gym and consolations in the auxiliary gym across the hall. We will have the boys final as our Game of the Week webcast. Listen here.
The schedule
(boys @ 6 p.m., girls @ 8 p.m.)
Friday, Jan. 1: New Palestine @ Mt. Vernon; Eastern Hancock @ Greenfield-Central
Saturday, Jan. 2: Championship games @ NPHS Main Gym (LISTEN LIVE TO BOYS FINAL), consolation games @ NPHS Auxiliary Gym
Hancock County Tourney results
BOYS
2008-09
Mt. Vernon 65, @Eastern Hancock 64
@New Palestine 60, Greenfield-Central 54
Greenfield-Central 52, Eastern Hancock 51, OT, consolation
@Mt. Vernon 51, New Palestine 19, championship
2007-08
New Palestine 75, @Greenfield-Central 69
@Mt. Vernon 54, Eastern Hancock 46
Eastern Hancock 59, Greenfield-Central 56, consolation
@New Palestine 41, Mt. Vernon 39, championship
2006-07
@Mt. Vernon 70, Eastern Hancock 43
@New Palestine 61, Greenfield-Central 38
@Eastern Hancock 53, Greenfield-Central 43, consolation
Mt. Vernon 74, New Palestine 55, championship
2005-06
New Palestine 62, @Eastern Hancock 47
@Greenfield-Central 51, Mt. Vernon 50
@Mt. Vernon 50, Eastern Hancock 31, consolation
New Palestine 59, Greenfield-Central 57, OT, championship
2004-05
New Palestine 41, @Mt. Vernon 38
Greenfield-Central 53, @Eastern Hancock 49
Mt. Vernon 52, Eastern Hancock 45, consolation
@New Palestine 51, Greenfield-Central 50, OT, championship
2003-04
Greenfield-Central 67, @New Palestine 53
@Eastern Hancock 53, Mt. Vernon 47
New Palestine 59, Mt. Vernon 49, consolation
@Greenfield-Central 75, Eastern Hancock 63, championship
All-time record
Eastern Hancock: 3-9 (1 2nd, 2 3rds, 3 4ths)
Greenfield-Central: 5-7 (1 1st, 2 2nds, 1 3rd, 2 4ths)
Mt. Vernon: 7-5 (2 1sts, 1 2nd, 2 3rds, 1 4th)
New Palestine: 9-3 (3 1sts, 2 2nds, 1 3rd)
GIRLS
2008-09
Greenfield-Central 55, @New Palestine 42
Mt. Vernon 61, @Eastern Hancock 22
New Palestine 48, Eastern Hancock 31, consolation
Greenfield-Central 40, @Mt. Vernon 39, championship
2007-08
@Greenfield-Central 62, New Palestine 38
@Mt. Vernon 53, Eastern Hancock 42
@New Palestine 55, Eastern Hancock 29, consolation
Greenfield-Central 54, Mt. Vernon 38, championship
2006-07
Greenfield-Central 52, @New Palestine 33
@Mt. Vernon 55, Eastern Hancock 30
New Palestine 59, @Eastern Hancock 29, consolation
Greenfield-Central 62, Mt. Vernon 43, championship
2005-06
New Palestine 65, @Eastern Hancock 34
@Greenfield-Central 56, Mt. Vernon 39
@Mt. Vernon 47, Eastern Hancock 31, consolation
New Palestine 78, Greenfield-Central 75, 2OT, championship
2004-05
@Mt. Vernon 69, New Palestine 61
@Eastern Hancock 55, Greenfield-Central 50
@New Palestine 63, Greenfield-Central 44, consolation
Mt. Vernon 42, Eastern Hancock 35, championship
2003-04
Mt. Vernon 48, @Eastern Hancock 43
@New Palestine 72, Greenfield-Central 47
@Greenfield-Central 64, Eastern Hancock 54, consolation
Mt. Vernon 63, New Palestine 47, championship
All-time record
Eastern Hancock: 1-11 (1 2nd, 5 4ths)
Greenfield-Central: 8-4 (3 1sts, 1 2nd, 1 3rd, 1 4th)
Mt. Vernon: 8-4 (2 1sts, 3 2nds, 1 3rd)
New Palestine: 7-5 (1 1st, 1 2nd, 4 3rds)
However, the Game of the Week contests have been barnburners so far -- the last 3 have been decided by a total of 7 points, all with the outcome in doubt in the last 60 seconds. Now, we're getting ready for a busy second half of the season, which begins with the traditional mid-season Hancock County Tournament. Our next Game of the Week broadcast will be the tournament title game on Saturday night. There is an early 6 p.m. tipoff, so we'll be on at approximately 5:40 p.m.
This year, it's on Jan. 1-2, for two reasons. The most obvious is the weekend date, but the less obvious is the fact that Mt. Vernon is playing in the Hall of Fame Classic on Wednesday, therefore giving the Marauders a day of rest before diving back in. MV is 4-2 so far, and has played a brutal schedule, with the two losses coming to HSE and Tipton, teams that have a combined record of 10-3. It doesn't get any easier Wednesday, as the Marauders take on an unbeaten Munster team in the opening 11 a.m. game. Defending 3A champ Princeton and Zionsville are the other two teams competing at New Castle.
The County Tourney has become a much-anticipated event in its six years of existence. Greenfield-Central won the inaugural tournament, but since, New Palestine (thrice) and Mt. Vernon (twice) have dominated the action, meeting in the title game each of the last three years. MV is the defending champ. That can't happen this year, as the Marauders and Dragons -- both posting 4-2 records coming into the week -- meet in the opening round on New Year's Day at MV. Eastern Hancock (5-2) visits Greenfield-Central (1-6) in the other opening-round matchup. All boys games are at 6 p.m. -- all games are boy/girl doubleheaders.
New Palestine will host the finals Saturday night -- boys at 6, girls at 8 -- with championship games in the main gym and consolations in the auxiliary gym across the hall. We will have the boys final as our Game of the Week webcast. Listen here.
The schedule
(boys @ 6 p.m., girls @ 8 p.m.)
Friday, Jan. 1: New Palestine @ Mt. Vernon; Eastern Hancock @ Greenfield-Central
Saturday, Jan. 2: Championship games @ NPHS Main Gym (LISTEN LIVE TO BOYS FINAL), consolation games @ NPHS Auxiliary Gym
Hancock County Tourney results
BOYS
2008-09
Mt. Vernon 65, @Eastern Hancock 64
@New Palestine 60, Greenfield-Central 54
Greenfield-Central 52, Eastern Hancock 51, OT, consolation
@Mt. Vernon 51, New Palestine 19, championship
2007-08
New Palestine 75, @Greenfield-Central 69
@Mt. Vernon 54, Eastern Hancock 46
Eastern Hancock 59, Greenfield-Central 56, consolation
@New Palestine 41, Mt. Vernon 39, championship
2006-07
@Mt. Vernon 70, Eastern Hancock 43
@New Palestine 61, Greenfield-Central 38
@Eastern Hancock 53, Greenfield-Central 43, consolation
Mt. Vernon 74, New Palestine 55, championship
2005-06
New Palestine 62, @Eastern Hancock 47
@Greenfield-Central 51, Mt. Vernon 50
@Mt. Vernon 50, Eastern Hancock 31, consolation
New Palestine 59, Greenfield-Central 57, OT, championship
2004-05
New Palestine 41, @Mt. Vernon 38
Greenfield-Central 53, @Eastern Hancock 49
Mt. Vernon 52, Eastern Hancock 45, consolation
@New Palestine 51, Greenfield-Central 50, OT, championship
2003-04
Greenfield-Central 67, @New Palestine 53
@Eastern Hancock 53, Mt. Vernon 47
New Palestine 59, Mt. Vernon 49, consolation
@Greenfield-Central 75, Eastern Hancock 63, championship
All-time record
Eastern Hancock: 3-9 (1 2nd, 2 3rds, 3 4ths)
Greenfield-Central: 5-7 (1 1st, 2 2nds, 1 3rd, 2 4ths)
Mt. Vernon: 7-5 (2 1sts, 1 2nd, 2 3rds, 1 4th)
New Palestine: 9-3 (3 1sts, 2 2nds, 1 3rd)
GIRLS
2008-09
Greenfield-Central 55, @New Palestine 42
Mt. Vernon 61, @Eastern Hancock 22
New Palestine 48, Eastern Hancock 31, consolation
Greenfield-Central 40, @Mt. Vernon 39, championship
2007-08
@Greenfield-Central 62, New Palestine 38
@Mt. Vernon 53, Eastern Hancock 42
@New Palestine 55, Eastern Hancock 29, consolation
Greenfield-Central 54, Mt. Vernon 38, championship
2006-07
Greenfield-Central 52, @New Palestine 33
@Mt. Vernon 55, Eastern Hancock 30
New Palestine 59, @Eastern Hancock 29, consolation
Greenfield-Central 62, Mt. Vernon 43, championship
2005-06
New Palestine 65, @Eastern Hancock 34
@Greenfield-Central 56, Mt. Vernon 39
@Mt. Vernon 47, Eastern Hancock 31, consolation
New Palestine 78, Greenfield-Central 75, 2OT, championship
2004-05
@Mt. Vernon 69, New Palestine 61
@Eastern Hancock 55, Greenfield-Central 50
@New Palestine 63, Greenfield-Central 44, consolation
Mt. Vernon 42, Eastern Hancock 35, championship
2003-04
Mt. Vernon 48, @Eastern Hancock 43
@New Palestine 72, Greenfield-Central 47
@Greenfield-Central 64, Eastern Hancock 54, consolation
Mt. Vernon 63, New Palestine 47, championship
All-time record
Eastern Hancock: 1-11 (1 2nd, 5 4ths)
Greenfield-Central: 8-4 (3 1sts, 1 2nd, 1 3rd, 1 4th)
Mt. Vernon: 8-4 (2 1sts, 3 2nds, 1 3rd)
New Palestine: 7-5 (1 1st, 1 2nd, 4 3rds)
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Friday upcoming
We love rivalry matchups -- and we have three great ones in December. Last week, we had a down-to-the-wire back-and-forth game between the New Palestine Dragons and Eastern Hancock Royals, one NP pulled out 50-46, with a big boost from sophomore Taylor Rainey, who scored 17 points in his first career start.
Meanwhile, Greenfield-Central (1-3, 0-0) posted its first victory of the year with a 62-61 win over Southport, giving coach Josh Johnson his first win at the Cougars' helm. With some young talent, the Cougars appear to be improved. The Dragons (2-2, 0-1) have a veteran team, and will finally enjoy the comforts of home after playing their first four games on the road. Meanwhile, the Cougars will put on the blue uniforms for the first time after having played at home.
This is the first HHC game for the Cougars, while the Dragons fell last Saturday night at Rushville. Should be a fun one. Listen as Chris Lambert & Andrew Smith bring you the call at 7:10 p.m. Friday night from the Dragons' den.
Elsewhere, Mt. Vernon also has a big rivalry game and a HUGE game for early positioning in the HHC, as the Marauders (2-1) travel to Pendleton Heights (3-1, 1-0), while Eastern Hancock (3-1) will face sectional foe Northeastern at home on Friday.
Meanwhile, Greenfield-Central (1-3, 0-0) posted its first victory of the year with a 62-61 win over Southport, giving coach Josh Johnson his first win at the Cougars' helm. With some young talent, the Cougars appear to be improved. The Dragons (2-2, 0-1) have a veteran team, and will finally enjoy the comforts of home after playing their first four games on the road. Meanwhile, the Cougars will put on the blue uniforms for the first time after having played at home.
This is the first HHC game for the Cougars, while the Dragons fell last Saturday night at Rushville. Should be a fun one. Listen as Chris Lambert & Andrew Smith bring you the call at 7:10 p.m. Friday night from the Dragons' den.
Elsewhere, Mt. Vernon also has a big rivalry game and a HUGE game for early positioning in the HHC, as the Marauders (2-1) travel to Pendleton Heights (3-1, 1-0), while Eastern Hancock (3-1) will face sectional foe Northeastern at home on Friday.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Friday preview
Friday night, the CCSN crew heads to Royal country -- Eastern Hancock -- to see the first intra-county clash of the year, as the Royals face New Palestine.
Hancock County basketball has definitely been in an "up" cycle -- last seen in the early 2000s -- with one team ranked in the top five after two very impressive wins (Mt. Vernon), one that is defending a sectional championship (New Palestine) and one that is one basket away from being back-to-back sectional champs (Eastern Hancock). Greenfield-Central is in the midst of a rebuilding cycle, but nearly pulled off an OT win over Whiteland last Friday night.
The Royals are a very underrated 2A team -- and usually have been, as they play a fairly brutal schedule, especially on the front end. Last week's 2-0 start and back-to-back wins over Centerville and Frankton was the Royals' first since the 2002-03 season -- a year that ended with a regional championship. Aaron Spaulding's teams are generally known for having excellent 3-point shooting and solid post play. Dustin Smith poured in a school-record 7 3s and scored 27 points in the victory over Centerville on opening night. Zach Kissick then had a big game against Frankton, scoring 17 points. On the inside, 6-8, 300+-pound post Devin Tharpe is one rebound shy of back-to-back double-doubles. He's averaging in double-figures in both scoring and rebounding.
Meanwhile, the Dragons are in the midst of a similarly brutal stretch early in the year, playing four consecutive road games to open the season, before next week's home opener against rival Greenfield-Central (which will be our Dec. 11 Game of the Week broadcast). NP spoiled Dean Foster's debut at Jennings County with a 39-38 win on Wednesday before falling to New Castle on Saturday. NP is deep and quick -- racking up huge steals totals with a tight defense. Pat Feeney -- whose name we called a lot intercepting passes in football -- has 4.0 steals per game. Senior David Anderson has been the top scorer, with a 17-point game to his credit. Nathan Penley scored nine points to lead the Dragons on Saturday night. Trevor Baker and Andrew McClatchey were also key rotation players on the sectional-winning team last season, while outside bombers Nick Huntsman and Taylor Rainey played a big role late in the year last season, and now are full-time varsity performers, which gives coach Adam Barton a lot of options.
There was a time when the bigger area schools could circle a game against Eastern Hancock as a breather. That's not the case anymore -- NP beat EH on a 30-foot shot by Steve Kottlowski at the buzzer last season, and while the Dragons have won more than 20 in a row against the Royals, many of the games have been ultra-close (although last year's was the closest). The Royals do have multiple wins against both Mt. Vernon and Greenfield-Central in this decade, and they were exactly one point in regulation away from winning both county tourney games last year.
It should be a great game. Chris Lambert and I are looking forward to bringing it to you. Airtime is 7:10 p.m. Friday from Eastern Hancock High School. LISTEN HERE!
Elsewhere, it's a big weekend for Hancock County & HHC schools
EH visits Southwestern (Shelby) on Saturday.
NP heads to Rushville on Saturday night for each team's first HHC game.
Greenfield-Central (0-2) has a double-weekend at home, facing New Castle and Southport.
3A #4 Mt. Vernon (2-0) has another tough test against Hamilton Southeastern. HSE then turns around to face Pendleton Heights on Saturday.
Shelbyville opened the Tom Beach era 2-0, with Columbus North visiting Friday night.
After a 58-35 loss to Pendleton Heights in its opener, Delta meets Cowan on Friday and Muncie South on Saturday.
Dan Carmony's Rushville squad (0-1) meets arch-rival Connersville before facing the Dragons on Saturday.
As far as the WRAC:
Knightstown (2-0) visits Union County on Friday and Wapahani Saturday. Lapel (1-1) hosts Madison-Grant Saturday, while Shenandoah (1-1) is at Alexandria.
Hancock County basketball has definitely been in an "up" cycle -- last seen in the early 2000s -- with one team ranked in the top five after two very impressive wins (Mt. Vernon), one that is defending a sectional championship (New Palestine) and one that is one basket away from being back-to-back sectional champs (Eastern Hancock). Greenfield-Central is in the midst of a rebuilding cycle, but nearly pulled off an OT win over Whiteland last Friday night.
The Royals are a very underrated 2A team -- and usually have been, as they play a fairly brutal schedule, especially on the front end. Last week's 2-0 start and back-to-back wins over Centerville and Frankton was the Royals' first since the 2002-03 season -- a year that ended with a regional championship. Aaron Spaulding's teams are generally known for having excellent 3-point shooting and solid post play. Dustin Smith poured in a school-record 7 3s and scored 27 points in the victory over Centerville on opening night. Zach Kissick then had a big game against Frankton, scoring 17 points. On the inside, 6-8, 300+-pound post Devin Tharpe is one rebound shy of back-to-back double-doubles. He's averaging in double-figures in both scoring and rebounding.
Meanwhile, the Dragons are in the midst of a similarly brutal stretch early in the year, playing four consecutive road games to open the season, before next week's home opener against rival Greenfield-Central (which will be our Dec. 11 Game of the Week broadcast). NP spoiled Dean Foster's debut at Jennings County with a 39-38 win on Wednesday before falling to New Castle on Saturday. NP is deep and quick -- racking up huge steals totals with a tight defense. Pat Feeney -- whose name we called a lot intercepting passes in football -- has 4.0 steals per game. Senior David Anderson has been the top scorer, with a 17-point game to his credit. Nathan Penley scored nine points to lead the Dragons on Saturday night. Trevor Baker and Andrew McClatchey were also key rotation players on the sectional-winning team last season, while outside bombers Nick Huntsman and Taylor Rainey played a big role late in the year last season, and now are full-time varsity performers, which gives coach Adam Barton a lot of options.
There was a time when the bigger area schools could circle a game against Eastern Hancock as a breather. That's not the case anymore -- NP beat EH on a 30-foot shot by Steve Kottlowski at the buzzer last season, and while the Dragons have won more than 20 in a row against the Royals, many of the games have been ultra-close (although last year's was the closest). The Royals do have multiple wins against both Mt. Vernon and Greenfield-Central in this decade, and they were exactly one point in regulation away from winning both county tourney games last year.
It should be a great game. Chris Lambert and I are looking forward to bringing it to you. Airtime is 7:10 p.m. Friday from Eastern Hancock High School. LISTEN HERE!
Elsewhere, it's a big weekend for Hancock County & HHC schools
EH visits Southwestern (Shelby) on Saturday.
NP heads to Rushville on Saturday night for each team's first HHC game.
Greenfield-Central (0-2) has a double-weekend at home, facing New Castle and Southport.
3A #4 Mt. Vernon (2-0) has another tough test against Hamilton Southeastern. HSE then turns around to face Pendleton Heights on Saturday.
Shelbyville opened the Tom Beach era 2-0, with Columbus North visiting Friday night.
After a 58-35 loss to Pendleton Heights in its opener, Delta meets Cowan on Friday and Muncie South on Saturday.
Dan Carmony's Rushville squad (0-1) meets arch-rival Connersville before facing the Dragons on Saturday.
As far as the WRAC:
Knightstown (2-0) visits Union County on Friday and Wapahani Saturday. Lapel (1-1) hosts Madison-Grant Saturday, while Shenandoah (1-1) is at Alexandria.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Opening night redux
Wow.
Not just the new-look Marauder gymnasium -- which isn't complete yet, but still has received an overhaul that almost makes it unrecognizable to those of us who have been there in the past. It has new bleachers (and is double-decked on both sides), new lights, new paint job, new floor. Looks great, too (for those who might wonder ... yes, it's still a wise idea to wear short sleeves when you attend a game there. Some things don't change :) ).
However, what was even more impressive was the Marauders' performance against 2A #8 Lapel. MV showed it's worth every bit of its #4 ranking in Class 3A with a 68-39 victory. The Marauders won this with their defense -- using four different defenses during the game to befuddle Lapel and then using their size and quickness to create turnovers and turn them into transition baskets -- lots of transition hoops. Many of those touched off an 18-point first-half run that put the Marauders up 30-13. Lapel cut the deficit to 14 late in the third quarter, but MV quickly pushed the lead north of 20 and it stayed there.
Daniel Turner was impressive in his work ethic. He battled foul trouble, but he twice got position, missed the initial shot against 6-5 Lapel center Logan Ingle, and then stuck with it for a putback. He finished with 18 points, most of them in the 3rd and early 4th quartesr. But the guy who was most impressive was Jake Stafford, who scored 14 first-half points and ended up with 16 overall. He also had several rebounds and ran the point much of the night for the Marauders.
For the record, Turner scored the first basket in the newly-renovated gym -- a 3-pointer 12 seconds into the game. He actually scored the first six points in the new gym. MV center D'Armond Davis became the first to dunk, quickly flushing an alley-oop pass late in the third quarter (although it was the Marauders' fifth attempt at said dunk ... the other four went awry somehow). Quinn Williams, a transfer from Fishers, played some point guard and had the move of the night, running on the break using his 5-7 body against three significantly taller Lapel players, squirting through to hit a scoop shot and draw the foul for a 3-point play.
MV has a HUGE game Saturday, traveling to Hinkle Fieldhouse to face Hamilton Heights, the team that upset the Marauders in sectional play last year. Tipoff is approximately 4 p.m., right after the Marauder and Huskie girls play at 2:30.
Wednesday was a good night for Hancock County teams -- including the two we'll have on the next Game of the Week broadcast. Defending sectional champion New Palestine spoiled Dean Foster's debut as Jennings County coach by a 39-38 score. Eastern Hancock won its traditional opening game against Centerville 72-57. Greenfield-Central played Tuesday, and wasn't as fortunate in being doubled up by Richmond in Josh Johnson's debut with the Cougars.
Elsewhere in the HHC, Shelbyville won Tom Beach's debut as the Golden Bears' coach, knocking off Beech Grove 73-70. Pendleton Heights beat Alexandria Tuesday 68-61.
Everyone in Hancock is in action this weekend. In addition to the aforementioned MV game against HH, New Palestine travels to New Castle on Saturday, while Eastern Hancock visits Frankton the same day. Greenfield-Central hosts Whiteland Friday night. Our next Game of the Week broadcast will feature New Palestine at Eastern Hancock at 7:10 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4.
Not just the new-look Marauder gymnasium -- which isn't complete yet, but still has received an overhaul that almost makes it unrecognizable to those of us who have been there in the past. It has new bleachers (and is double-decked on both sides), new lights, new paint job, new floor. Looks great, too (for those who might wonder ... yes, it's still a wise idea to wear short sleeves when you attend a game there. Some things don't change :) ).
However, what was even more impressive was the Marauders' performance against 2A #8 Lapel. MV showed it's worth every bit of its #4 ranking in Class 3A with a 68-39 victory. The Marauders won this with their defense -- using four different defenses during the game to befuddle Lapel and then using their size and quickness to create turnovers and turn them into transition baskets -- lots of transition hoops. Many of those touched off an 18-point first-half run that put the Marauders up 30-13. Lapel cut the deficit to 14 late in the third quarter, but MV quickly pushed the lead north of 20 and it stayed there.
Daniel Turner was impressive in his work ethic. He battled foul trouble, but he twice got position, missed the initial shot against 6-5 Lapel center Logan Ingle, and then stuck with it for a putback. He finished with 18 points, most of them in the 3rd and early 4th quartesr. But the guy who was most impressive was Jake Stafford, who scored 14 first-half points and ended up with 16 overall. He also had several rebounds and ran the point much of the night for the Marauders.
For the record, Turner scored the first basket in the newly-renovated gym -- a 3-pointer 12 seconds into the game. He actually scored the first six points in the new gym. MV center D'Armond Davis became the first to dunk, quickly flushing an alley-oop pass late in the third quarter (although it was the Marauders' fifth attempt at said dunk ... the other four went awry somehow). Quinn Williams, a transfer from Fishers, played some point guard and had the move of the night, running on the break using his 5-7 body against three significantly taller Lapel players, squirting through to hit a scoop shot and draw the foul for a 3-point play.
MV has a HUGE game Saturday, traveling to Hinkle Fieldhouse to face Hamilton Heights, the team that upset the Marauders in sectional play last year. Tipoff is approximately 4 p.m., right after the Marauder and Huskie girls play at 2:30.
Wednesday was a good night for Hancock County teams -- including the two we'll have on the next Game of the Week broadcast. Defending sectional champion New Palestine spoiled Dean Foster's debut as Jennings County coach by a 39-38 score. Eastern Hancock won its traditional opening game against Centerville 72-57. Greenfield-Central played Tuesday, and wasn't as fortunate in being doubled up by Richmond in Josh Johnson's debut with the Cougars.
Elsewhere in the HHC, Shelbyville won Tom Beach's debut as the Golden Bears' coach, knocking off Beech Grove 73-70. Pendleton Heights beat Alexandria Tuesday 68-61.
Everyone in Hancock is in action this weekend. In addition to the aforementioned MV game against HH, New Palestine travels to New Castle on Saturday, while Eastern Hancock visits Frankton the same day. Greenfield-Central hosts Whiteland Friday night. Our next Game of the Week broadcast will feature New Palestine at Eastern Hancock at 7:10 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4.
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