ANDERSON, Ind. — At its peak, the Wigwam attracted 5,000 season-ticket holders to Anderson High School boys’ basketball games. The teams and the crowds measured up to the gym’s 8,996-seat capacity. That made the Wigwam the second-biggest high school gym in America, but Anderson athletic directors still found themselves testifying in divorce hearings over the custody of season tickets.
Welcome
Subscribe to our NewsletterWelcome to the home page of
Braves Basketball and Braves Sports
Braves Roll past Cougars
(Jordan Morey - The Tribune)
The Brownstown Central girls basketball team held firm on their home court Tuesday as they ousted Trinity Lutheran 58-37.
Like their opener against Paoli, the Braves came out strong from the opening tip. Senior forward Brooke Ebbing continued her hot-scoring start by tacking on six points, and fellow-senior Riley Wischmeier tacked-on five points to help the Braves take an early 13-5 lead.
In the first quarter, the Braves were able to hold the Cougars to just six points as they led 16-6 after eight minutes. The Braves also caused the Cougars to foul 10 times and commit a handful of turnovers.
“One of the things we like to do is drive to the basket,” Braves coach Karla Rieckers said. “We have some tall players, but they run the floor well. We want to continue to push the ball against everyone we play against. Getting them into foul trouble certainly helped us.”
The second quarter proved much of the same for the Braves as they amassed a 25-6 lead around the five minute mark.
At the half, the Braves stood firm at 27-15.
Five different Braves scored in the third quarter to help accumulate a 43-21 score.
The Braves rode out the rest of the game and emptied their bench as they cruised to the victory in the fourth.
“It was a very experienced, physical basketball team,” Cougars coach Mike Lang said. “Quite honestly that was the difference, experience versus inexperience. Our key points of emphasis were to try and contain Brooke (Ebbing) and Riley (Wischmeier), and we just don’t have the personnel to do that right now — a lot of teams can’t do that right now.”
Wischmeier finished with 11 points (7-11 free throws) and Ebbing led her team in scoring (20 points) and rebounds (13).
For the Cougars, freshman Maddie Roark led the team with 11 points while senior Sydney Stuckwisch nabbed eight boards.
“It’s 32 minutes more of experience, it’s 32 more minutes than we had before, that’s the way I look at it,” Lang said. “Each day we’re gonna keep getting better. I’m confident in this group. We’re not going to see the athletes that we saw tonight. If we can cut the turnovers down, do a better job locking-out and toughen up a little bit we are going to get this going in the right direction.
The Braves advance to 2-0, and the Cougars fall to 0-2 on the season.
“We have a senior-led team, and I think they’ve had some disappointments in some other sports,” Rieckers said. “We talk about leaving it all on the floor every game. You never know when it could be your last game so you have to play hard every single game, every single possession. Fortunately, they’ve been buying in.”
_____________________________________________
Braves’ Schneider signs to play basketball, baseball at Purdue Calumet
|
|
Having Versailles native Trent Tucker on staff as an assistant coach, Purdue University Calumet men’s basketball head coach Dan Voudrie assigned him the task of finding the best shooters in the southern part of the state.
As Tucker talked to people in the area, one name kept coming up — Chaz Schneider.
Voudrie was familiar with the success of head coach Dave Benter’s basketball program at Brownstown Central High School.
Now, Voudrie will become familiar with one of his star players, Schneider, who recently signed his letter of intent to play basketball for the Peregrines. Schneider also is going to play baseball at the Hammond campus.
“I knew the quality program coach Benter ran, and I knew that if a kid was a great shooter, and he played for coach Benter, he was going to be a good basketball player, he was going to be a worker, a guy that would improve,” Voudrie said. “The whole community really promotes good basketball and just being good people.”
While Voudrie’s assistant coaches had watched Schneider play a few times, Voudrie had only seen video of him until Schneider visited Calumet a couple of weeks ago and went through a workout.
“I liked everything about the university, like what it had to offer academically and athletically,” Schneider said. “I loved the gym. The gym was really cool, and I just really loved it.”
After going through the workout, Schneider found out more about his academic major, marketing. He then met with the basketball coaches and an admissions counselor before working out with the baseball team.
Playing college basketball had been Schneider’s longtime dream. But since getting back into baseball this year as a senior, he thought more about playing that sport in college, too.
“I had always kind of had it in the back of my mind,” he said. “Playing this year, I’m really enjoying it right now because I had to take a couple years off because of AAU basketball. I talked to their assistant coach, and he said I could do both (sports) if I can, so that really influenced my decision, too. It should work out good. I’ll just have to organize my time because I’ll be really busy.”
Growing up, Schneider said he played basketball, baseball, tennis, soccer and football. In high school, he played basketball, baseball and tennis.
Schneider’s father, Ron, got a traveling team together when Chaz was in third grade. Since then, Schneider has spent a lot of time in the offseason playing for a variety of teams.
“That’s why we’ve been really successful in the future,” Schneider said of his early start in travel ball. “We started off kind of slow. We lost a lot of games. But after a couple years, we started winning and got a good team together growing up, so it really made me the player I am today. All the experiences I’ve been through, I don’t even know how many games I’ve played. It really paid off.”
Ron Schneider said Chaz has always had a passion for basketball.
“He has loved to play,” Ron Schneider said. “He was always good it. You saw his eye-hand coordination.”
His mother, Pam Schneider, said he had a ball in his hand since he was 2½ years old.
“He’s one of those kids that it kind of came natural,” Pam Schneider said. “We didn’t have to teach a whole lot. Of course, he had to learn the fundamentals and everything, and he went to so many camps. Between all of the camps and the travel ball and just out in the driveway, he would just come home after doing all that and then he would still go back out there.”
Benter saw Schneider’s dedication, too.
“He was a gym rat that loved to be in the gym,” Benter said. “That’s very valuable to have in your program because younger guys see that, and younger guys saw how much he improved throughout his high school career and how hard work eventually leads to success on the court.”
Schneider helped the Braves win four Mid-Southern Conference titles and three sectional titles and go 89-12 in the past four years, and he finished his varsity career with 994 points. As a senior, he was named the Braves’ most valuable player, and he received several state honors and played in all-star games.
“He was a self-made player,” Benter said. “He came in as a freshman very physically undeveloped. We obviously saw very good skill in him; and as he got older, he improved in a lot of different areas. As a sophomore, he was probably just more of a shooter. By his junior and senior year, he could find different ways to score. He could score off the dribble, and he became very good defensively and a much better passer.”
Schneider said he was happy to contribute to the Braves’ success.
“This program is one of the best out there,” he said. “Coach Benter has been doing a great job here. There have been a bunch of great players that are older than me. I’ve learned from them, and they’ve made me a better player.”
In the winter, Voudrie said he will have two all-conference senior guards, and he expects Schneider to fit in with them.
“We like guards who have the full range of basketball skill sets, so we feel Chaz fits well with that style of play, whether he’ll be the primary ball-handler or the secondary ball-handler,” Voudrie said. “We run a lot of pick-and-roll stuff, which we think his ability to shoot the ball as well as pass it and drive it make him a deadly player in that position.
“It puts him in a unique position to play alongside those guys and play behind those guys and then have a great three-year run where maybe he’s the guy that is the main guard for the next three years.”
Benter said Schneider always worked hard and had success on and off the court, and he doesn’t see that changing at the college level.
“He’s quick enough and athletic enough, and he’ll continue to get stronger, and I think that will be a big thing for him that will help take his game even a step further,” Benter said. “He has gotten a lot stronger, and he has really worked at it; and as his body continues to mature, he’s going to continue to get stronger. You see guys, once they get to college, really take that next step once that strength comes.”
Schneider said he had trouble with his hip midway through the basketball season, and he is going to have surgery soon. Once he is recovered from that, he is going to prepare for being a two-sport college athlete.
“I’ve got to get better from that, and then I’ll start training and lifting and getting stronger,” Schneider said. “It’s awesome to get an opportunity like this to play college basketball and baseball. I’m looking forward to it. I’m excited to start my major and get going with what I’ll be doing with the rest of my life.”
Schneider’s parents also are excited for their son’s next step.
“He had a lot of interest from a lot of schools in Kentucky, around this area, full ride over at Olney (in Illinois),” Ron Schneider said. “For him to pick (Calumet), he must have really liked it. He came home and said, ‘This is a really great place.’”
Pam Schneider said with the positive environment of Calumet’s athletics program and the academic opportunities, her son picked the perfect place.
“This hasn’t been an easy road. As with anything in life, there have been many trials along the way,” she said. “Through it all, however, Chaz has always kept his heart where it should be, and God has seen him through. We are more than thankful for that than anything and are very proud of him for the kindness he has always shown to others and the character he has shown both on the court and in his life.”
_______________________
Braves' Schneider invited to participate in IBCA Top 100 Showcase
The Indiana Basketball Coaches Association, with support from the Indiana High School Athletic Association, will conduct its 11th annual Top 100 Showcase events for girls (July 18) and boys (July 23) at Ben Davis High School in Indianapolis.
The showcases are designed to give exposure to top players from across Indiana to colleges of various levels from across the country. Both events are NCAA certified and take place during the live evaluation period, meaning Division I college coaches are permitted to attend.
Here’s the list of Southern Indiana players invited to attend:
BOYS
Brandon Auker, Evansville Memorial, 2014; Howie Backherms, East Central, 2014; Tucker Blackwell, Bloomington South, 2016; Micah Bullock, Barr-Reeve, 2014; Jeff Byrne, New Albany, 2015; Austin Clark, Switzerland County, 2014; Beau Dedmond, Evansville Central, 2014; Adam Eberhard, Evansville Memorial, 2015; Perry Fairrow, Evansville Bosse, 2014; Myles Harvey, Jeffersonville, 2015; Keaton Hendricks, Bloomington South, 2014; Evan Henry, Columbus North, 2014; Bryan Hoeing, Batesville, 2015; Johnny Jager, Bloomington South, 2015; Saikou Jallow, Bloomington North, 2014; Bryce Lienhoop, Columbus East, 2014; Kourtlandt Martin, Evansville Central, 2014; Dre McBirth, New Albany, 2014; Calvin McEwen, Clarksville, 2014; Bryant McIntosh, Greensburg, 2014; Devon Merder, Heritage Hills, 2014; Landon Perry, Madison, 2014; Jaelan Sanford, Evansville Reitz, 2015; Chaz Schneider, Brownstown, 2014; Sean Sellers, Greensburg, 2014; Grant Sims, Bloomington North, 2014; Cory Smith, North Harrison, 2014; Troy Spears, Martinsville, 2014; Josh Speidel, Columbus North, 2015; Alex Stein, Evansville Reitz, 2015; Tyler Truesdel, Bloomington North, 2014; Connor Umphress, Columbus East, 2014; Addison Wagler, Barr-Reeve, 2015; Elliott Welmer, Columbus North, 2014; Keenan Williams, Jeffersonville, 2014.
GIRLS
Vanessa Brown, Edgewood, 2014; Mackenzie Campbell, Rushville, 2014; Olivia Carroll, South Knox, 2015; Sarah Cook, Rushville, 2015; Kelsey Cunningham, Columbus North, 2014; Bailey Dreiman, Vincennes Rivet, 2014; Tayler Goodall, Columbus North, 2014; Maria Gugliotta, North Knox, 2014; Lauren Herman, Vincennes Rivet, 2014; Brooke Hinton, Floyd Central, 2014; Ally Hunsinger, Washington, 2014; Jenna Knepp, Barr-Reeve, 2014; Meghan Knepp, North Daviess, 2014; Kendra Lambert, North Harrison, 2014; Keragan Niehoff, Rushville, 2014; Marie Rothrock, Corydon, 2014; Zuriel Sanders, Castle, 2015; Tori Schickel, Evansville Mater Dei, 2015; Stephanie Sherwood, Evansville Memorial, 2015; Annie Thomas, Southwestern (Shelby), 2014; Haley Vogen, Jeffersonville, 2014; Lauren Whitlatch, Bloomington South, 2014; Jackie Young, Princeton, 2016.
______
Brownstown basketball, cheer squads honored
Throughout his four-year basketball career at Brownstown Central High School, Brett McCory compiled an extensive list of accomplishments.
In just his senior season, he led the team with 435 points and 197 rebounds and also was near the top with 87 assists, 39 steals and 17 blocks.
He also joined the school’s 1,000-point club and finished his career with 1,046 points, and he was named to the all-Mid-Southern Conference team, Graber Post Buildings Classic all-tournament team, Hoosier Basketball Coaches Association All-Star team and Indiana 3A South All-Star team. He made the Hoosier Basketball Magazine Top 100 Senior Boys list, too, and will attend a workout April 7 at Indianapolis.
Braves coach Dave Benter said McCory was a unanimous choice as the MSC player of the year, and his teammates voted him as the 2012-13 most valuable player. Benter presented him with the latter award during Monday night’s program in the BCHS auditorium.
“He had one of the more decorated careers in Brownstown history,” Benter said. “He could do so many things as a player. He was a pretty difficult matchup. Brett really worked on his game where he could do so many things with the basketball, and he was so selfless.”
In four years as a varsity player, McCory was a part of teams that combined for a record of 94-9. During that time, the Braves won four MSC, two Graber Post Buildings Classic and four sectional titles and made it to the regional finals twice.
Also on Monday night, senior Skylar Thompson took home three plaques — highest free-throw percentage (81 percent), highest field-goal percentage (53 percent) and the Jonathon Brewer Mental Attitude Award.
Benter said Thompson went from being quiet as a freshman to confident as a senior. He finished the season with 356 points, 166 rebounds, 17 assists, 22 steals and a team-high 40 blocks.
“Skylar grew as an individual probably as much as any person I’ve seen here in four years,” Benter said. “He’s still up in the air about whether to play in college. But if he decides to play, his best basketball days are still ahead of him.”
The other two awards went to junior Chaz Schneider for most assists (93) and junior Chase Klinge for outstanding defense.
Thompson and Schneider also made the all-MSC team, and Benter said it was the first time for him to have three players earn that honor in one season. Also, Schneider was named to the Indiana 3A South All-Star Junior team, and Thompson, Klinge, Schneider and senior manager Amanda Wischmeier received their letter jackets.
The varsity team finished with a 24-2 record, while coach Marty Young’s junior varsity team made school history by going 20-0, and coach Brandon Allman’s freshman squad went 14-2. The JV awards went to freshman Zach McCory for highest free throw percentage (76 percent) and sophomore Cole Borden for most improved.
Cheerleading coach Todd Darlage introduced his junior varsity and varsity squads, and the sole award, for mental attitude, went to senior Laken Johnson.nter named District IV Coach of Year
Benter named District IV Coach of Year
For 12-straight seasons, coach Dave Benter has led the Brownstown Central High School boys basketball team to a winning record.
He has had a lot of postseason success in his 15 years at the helm, including two trips to the state finals, and he has been recognized for his coaching.
Benter recently found out he was selected for the third time as the Hoosier Basketball Coaches Association District IV Coach of the Year, and he earned the opportunity to coach in the HBCA East-West All-Star Classic on Sunday at Tecumseh High School in Lynnville.
He is going to be out of town, however, so assistant coach Marty Young is stepping in. The District II Coach of Year, Aaron Garrett of Batesville, will coach with Young.
“Obviously, anytime a coach gets voted by other coaches, it is an honor,” Benter said. “It is really a tribute to the kids on the team, because without good players it would be impossible to get any coaching awards.”
Brownstown seniors Brett McCory and Skylar Thompson were selected to play for the HBCA East All-Star team, but only Thompson will make the trip because McCory already was committed to playing in the Indiana Elite North vs. South All-Star Challenge at Lebanon High School.
Still, McCory said he was glad to be selected to the team.
“It’s an honor to be chosen,” McCory said. “I thank God for blessing me with this opportunity.”
McCory, who topped 1,000 career points as a senior and played on teams that won Mid-Southern Conference and sectional titles all four years, said Benter helped him become a better player.
“He taught me not to be a one-dimensional player and that anyone can guard someone who just stands and shoots,” McCory said. “So I worked on being more of a complete player and not just a shooter, and that helped tremendously.”
McCory said Brownstown has had success at all levels, because Benter puts a focus on kids at a young age, and he knows how to get the best out of each player.
“I mean, what can I say, he is one of the best coaches around,” McCory said. “He knows what it takes to win, so all the players respect him and listen to what he says. He knows how to not only get the best out of his players but also the best out of his team.
“He’s not afraid to tell you how it is. If you’re not playing well, he will let you know. He knows how to push you to play up to your potential, and I loved that.”
Benter said it was nice for McCory and Thompson to be recognized.
“Brett and Skylar were both nominated, and both are very deserving,” Benter said. “They brought so much to our program not just in wins and championships but also as a locker room presence.”
Even though he won’t be coaching on Sunday, Benter said it was always a good experience in past years.
“These games are fun to coach, because you have very good players, and there is really no pressure to win,” he said. “You also get a chance to coach some players that you have competed against the last few years, and you see them in a different light.”
McCory is among nine county basketball players who will compete over the weekend at Lebanon.
In the girls games today, Brownstown’s Kaylee Bennett will play for the Class 3A South Senior team, while Trinity Lutheran’s Allison Posey and Haley Couch will play for the Class A South Junior team.
Then on Sunday in the boys games, Crothersville’s Gene Hodge and Grayson Barnes and Trinity’s Craig Stuckwisch and Jacob Harless will play together on the Class A South Junior team; Brownstown’s Chaz Schneider will play on the Class 3A South Junior team; and McCory will play for the Class 3A South Senior team.
__________
Braves’ Bennett signs to play for IU Southeast
Tribune photo by Zach Spicer/ Brownstown Central High School senior Kaylee Bennett, seated at center, recently signed her letter of intent to play basketball at Indiana University Southeast. Seated at left is BCHS head coach Karla Rieckers; seated at right is IUS head coach Robin Farris; and standing are Bennett's parents, Rita and Larry Bennett.
BROWNSTOWN
Larry Bennett said his daughter, Kaylee, has always had a love for basketball.
He coached Kaylee through successful seasons at Medora Community Schools, and then she decided to go to Brownstown Central High School and play.
She got some varsity experience as a freshman and then as a sophomore was a part of the team that finished as the Class 2A runner-up.
“I remember when she came home with her order form for her class ring, it came out of her bookbag, and I said, ‘Oh, it’s time to get your class ring,’” Larry Bennett said. “And she said, ‘I don’t want a class ring. There’s only one ring I want.’”
Kaylee got close to receiving a state championship ring, and while she wasn’t able to get back to the state finals her junior and senior years, she might get the opportunity to do big things at the college level. She recently signed her letter of intent to play for Indiana University Southeast, an NAIA school in New Albany.
“I’ve always played basketball, and my family has always been a basketball family, so getting to play in college just continues my love for basketball,” Kaylee Bennett said.
Bennett’s first sport was basketball, starting in kindergarten. A few years later, she picked up volleyball, and in her late middle school years, she added track and field. Larry Bennett coached Kaylee through middle school, and the team was 27-3 her eighth-grade year.
“She just kept wanting to play, and she just wanted to get better at the game,” Larry Bennett said of Kaylee. “She wanted to know everything about the game, and when she really got serious when someone asked her to be on their AAU team, she goes, ‘Yeah, that’s what I want to do.’ From then on, (Larry and his wife, Rita) just encouraged her. The only thing our kids couldn’t do is quit.”
Kaylee Bennett said transitioning to a bigger school was a difficult decision, but it ended up being the best thing for her.
This year as a senior, she led the team with 187 points, 161 rebounds and 27 blocks and tied for the lead with 42 assists. She leaves Brownstown as fourth on the career rebounding list with 646 and 13th on the career scoring list with 736.
Braves coach Karla Rieckers said Bennett improved every year and was a big asset to the program.
“The last three seasons, she led our team in rebounding,” Rieckers said. “She made it to fourth on our career rebounding list, which says a lot about her. Rebounding is not something that everyone likes to do because you take a lot of abuse in there, and so from that standpoint, she certainly led our team.
“And her ability to find the open man, it seemed like she could find that person whenever we needed them. That’s one of the reasons why she also tied for (the lead in assists).”
IU Southeast head coach Robin Farris said he and his assistant coaches saw Bennett play in high school and AAU, and her versatility stood out.
“A lot of players are one-dimensional, and it appears that she has the ability to shoot, pass, dribble and rebound,” Farris said. “The way the game is today, you’ve got to be able to do multiple things unless you’re just a really good post player or something.”
Farris lost three players to graduation, and two others decided not to return for the 2013-14 season, so Bennett will have the opportunity to fill one of the spots. Farris said she would fit well as a power forward.
Bennett, who is going to study elementary education in college, said she is ready to get started.
“(Farris) is going to be giving me a workout to do, and I’m just going to try to work really hard on that, try to make it to a few open gyms and get my foot in the door,” Bennett said.
Bennett is Rieckers’ first player to continue with basketball in college, and she is excited to see how Bennett does at the next level.
“She’s played volleyball and basketball and track, and to have her go on in basketball is quite an accomplishment because I’ve had players in the past who have been interested, but once they do three sports, they are ready for a break,” Rieckers said. “So we’re really happy for her that she’s made that decision. We hope that she goes there and excels and is a good student-athlete, and we certainly wish her the best.”
Bennett’s parents are confident that their daughter will succeed.
“It’s something that she loves,” Rita Bennett said. “She would go to AAU games and have a 103 (degree) fever, and she still wanted to play. It was just that passion. She just loves the game, and knowing that she’s doing something that she loves and is going to get to continue to do that, it’s good.”
Larry Bennett said, “She’s got a state runner-up ring on her finger, she’s got memories she’ll never forget, and she gave us memories we’ll never forget. That’s all we ever wanted our kids to do, just do the best you could and never quit.”
___________________
McCory earns county basketball honors
During the 2012-13 boys basketball season, Brett McCory was at the top of opposing teams’ scouting reports.
That’s because the 6-foot-4 Brownstown Central High School senior could do it all on the court, from posting up and making a shot in the paint to stepping back and burying a 3-pointer.
Many opponents, however, found out he wasn’t the only threat on the court.
“There was no pressure whatsoever for this year because I knew coming in, I would have a lot of shooters and a lot of scoring around me,” McCory said. “If they started focusing on me, I had no problem with letting the other guys do the scoring if we needed it.”
McCory racked up several more individual accomplishments as a senior, including joining the 1,000-point club. While he led the team in rebounding and scoring, his unselfishness showed by finishing second in assists.
For helping lead the Braves to another successful season, McCory is The Tribune’s Athlete of the Year for boys basketball.
“Being the main guy this year, I had to make my teammates around me better because the opposing defense was going to focus more on me,” McCory said. “So, coming in, I just wanted to make my teammates better, and that’s what I really strove to do this year, whether it’s scoring, rebounding or getting shots for other people.”
McCory went from being mainly a shooter when he entered games as a freshman to becoming an all-around player his senior year. He led the team with 435 points and 197 rebounds, and he also had 87 assists, 39 steals and 17 blocks.
“Last year, we lost two of our top three scorers in Jalen (Snodgrass) and Tanner (Payton),” McCory said. “I knew someone needed to score. Coach (Dave) Benter said that I needed to score more this year, and we had a bunch of shooters, so if I wasn’t having a good night or something, I could pass it to the guy outside, and I could trust them to score for us.”
Early in the season, Benter had McCory play in the post. Later on, he came on strong in his 3-point shooting and got to the free-throw line, and that made him an all-around threat.
“He’s always been able to guard multiple positions, so that’s been huge for us with his versatility the last few years because he can guard a 6-7 or 6-8 kid, and he can guard a 6-foot, quick guard also,” Benter said. “I think this year, he just became a more complete player as far as creating shots for others, and he got stronger and started to fill out.
“He can match up with other teams better, but I think sometimes teams had trouble matching up with him. If they put a bigger guy on him, he could beat them off the dribble, and if they put a guard on him, we would try posting him up. We hadn’t really posted him up much until this year, and that just added another dimension to his game.”
Benter said McCory made his teammates better.
“He probably on some teams could average a lot more (points per game) than what he did,” Benter said. “But he was so unselfish, almost too much at times where we wanted him to look to score even more than what he did. But I think our team fed off of that, and our team was very unselfish, and I thought he was a big reason for that.”
McCory topped 1,000 career points while helping the Braves defeat Corydon Central 55-50 in overtime in the championship game of the Charlestown Sectional. The Braves then defeated Vincennes Lincoln at regional before falling to eventual Class 3A state champion Greensburg in the finals, ending the season at 24-2. McCory finished his career with 1,046 points for 11th on the school’s all-time list.
He was a unanimous choice as the Mid-Southern Conference player of the year. Also, he was named to the Graber Post Buildings Classic all-tournament team, Hoosier Basketball Coaches Association All-Star team, Indiana 3A South All-Star team and Hoosier Basketball Magazine Top 60 Senior Boys, and he earned Associated Press all-state honorable mention.
In four years, McCory was a part of teams that combined for a record of 94-9, winning four MSC, two Graber Post Buildings Classic and four sectional titles.
While his career at Brownstown is over, McCory may not have played his last basketball game because he is considering playing in college.
“I’m 95 percent sure I want to play in college somewhere, but where that is, I’m not sure yet,” he said. “I’m looking at a couple schools right now and trying to decide. I just want to go to a program and try to help their team win and improve my game some more and hopefully help out the team as much as I can wherever I go.”
Boys all-county team
Brownstown Central’s Brett McCory is joined by the following boys basketball players on The Tribune’s all-county team:
Skylar Thompson. The Brownstown Central senior led the team with 81 percent free-throw shooting and 53 percent from the field; was third in scoring with 356 points and second with 166 rebounds; earned all-Mid-Southern Conference honors and the Jonathon Brewer Mental Attitude Award.
Chaz Schneider. The Brownstown Central junior led the team with 93 assists; was second in scoring with 382 points; shot 39 percent from the 3-point line and 80 percent from the free-throw line; earned all-MSC; named to Indiana 3A South All-Star team.
Craig Stuckwisch. The Trinity Lutheran junior led the team with 69.8 percent free-throw shooting and 302 points, putting him at third on the school’s all-time list for points in a season; named most valuable player.
Jacob Harless. The Trinity Lutheran junior led the team with 51 percent shooting from the field.
Luke Stuckwisch. The Trinity Lutheran sophomore led the team with 67 assists and was second with 242 points; set the school record for 3-pointers in a game with eight against Christian Academy.
Gene Hodge. The Crothersville junior led the team with 401 points, 66 assists, 76 percent free-throw shooting and 36 percent 3-point shooting; tied the single-game scoring record with 43 points against Columbus Christian; earned all-Southern Athletic Conference honors.
Grayson Barnes. The Crothersville junior led the team with 247 rebounds, putting him at second on the single-season record list; named to all-sectional team.
Brian Money. The Crothersville junior was second on the team with 221 points.
Roy Edwards. The Medora junior led the team with 338 points and 147 rebounds; became the seventh member of the boys basketball 1,000-point club.
Bryce Cockerham. The Medora junior was second on the team with 231 points and 118 rebounds.
Landon Booth. The Seymour junior led the team with 212 points; named most valuable player.
Chase Salmon. The Seymour junior was second on the team with 160 points; named most improved player.
____________________
Braves lose to Greensburg in regional finals
15-0 Start too much to overcome.
A slow start and missed opportunities down the stretch proved to be too much for Brownstown Central to overcome in the championship game of the Class 3A Washington Regional on Saturday night, March 9.
Greensburg opened up a 15-0 lead after three minutes and defeated the Braves 65-54.
Greensburg is 24-1 and Braves coach Dave Benter says it is going to take an outstanding team to beat the Pirates. “They’ve got so many scorers, and they’ve got so much length and athleticism. They’ve got three guys that are (college) Division I players, and they’ve got two really good basketball players that they put on the floor. The two guys they bring off the bench play their tail ends off. If they play like they did in the morning game (an 82-65 win over Evansville Bosse) and the start of our game, I'm not sure there are any teams in the state that can beat them. They were unbelievable for a five-quarter stretch there. I thought our guys really battled them the last three quarters.”
Greensburg held a 45-36 lead going into the fourth period, and Chaz Schneider’s runner in the lane cut the Pirates lead to 53-46 with 2:50 remaining.
The Braves forced a turnover on Greensburg’s next possession,? then Braves missed a 3-point shot, and Benter said that was a big miss. “We put ourselves back in position to have chances late. We cut it to 7 and had a wide open 3-point shot, and we had all the momentum at that time."
Greensburg outscored Brownstown 20-18 in the fourth quarter. The Pirates made 15 of 21 free throws in the fourth quarter, and 20 of 28 for the game, while the Braves were 2-for-5 for the night.
“You always talk about every possession is crucial and you play 32 minutes, and we just didn’t do that," Benter said. "We were not ready to play at the start of the game.”
The Braves missed their first four shots from the floor, and had a turnover, and the Pirates built their lead? to 15-0 lead on a layup by Ryan Welage at 4:56.
The Braves finally scored on a short jumper by Skylar Thompson at 4:41 for a 15-2 score.
Macy Holdsworth and Collin Rigney both made two 3-pointers to spark the Pirates to a 22-10 lead at the end of the period.
The Pirates held a 32-17 lead at the half before Schneider made a pair of 3-pointers, and Skylar Thompson made five baskets for 10 points, and the Braves outscored Greensburg 19-13 in the period.
Benter said the Braves played a lot better in the second half. “We hit shots (15-for-33) and really turned up our pressure defensively. Our guys just exerted a ton of energy. We’ve got a lot of tired guys and hurt guys in the locker room. I couldn't be more proud of our effort. We just didn't have enough at the end.”
Schneider topped the Braves with 20 points, while McCory and Thompson scored 16 apiece.
McIntosh topped the Pirates with 17 points, and Sean Sellers added 16, including 10-for-10 at the line in the fourth period.
The Braves finished 24-2. Benter said, “We won 94 games in four years. That’s one of the top, if not the top (record) in the state. We’ve been regional finalists three years and won a sectional the other year, and? won four conferences. I really don’t know? what other kind of legacy they could leave. They (the seniors) are greatly going to be missed. This team has been so unselfish. They’ve been so enjoyable to coach and watch. They play hard and defend really well.”
Benter said he feels like he has a good nucleus returning. “Right now they’re pieces. Players are made in the offseason; teams are made during the year. How those pieces fit together we won't know until next year, but they are definitely there. It’s not like the cupboard is empty.”
Braves advance
The Braves held a 29-26 lead going into the fourth quarter when Schneider made back-to-back 3-pointers to put Brownstown up 35-26.
“Chaz is such a good shooter. We knew it was just a matter of time, before he started knocking a couple in. He hadn’t shot the ball real well the last couple weeks. We ran sets that we hadn’t run all year to start the fourth quarter, and he got two open looks and he made them pay.”
The teams traded points over the next five minutes that left Brownstown on top 39-35, and the Braves closed with a 10-0 run.
Benter said, “We knew, once we got separation that they had to speed up, and there would be some long rebounds, and we had to control the backboards. Brett and Skylar got some huge ones late.”
Benter said both teams played solid defense throughout the game. “I thought both teams defended really well in the half-court,” he said. “There just weren’t a lot of good looks out of either team, I didn’t think.
“I thought they kind of hurt us on the backboards a little bit in the first half rebounding, and I kind of challenged our guys at halftime. I thought our guys rebounded the ball much better in the second half. That was a big key.”
The Braves held a 23-21 advantage on the boards with Thompson topping the winners with 10.
The Braves had balance as McCory and Thompson each scored 13 and Schneider had 12.
Patrick Toole and Josh Sprinkle topped the Alices (18-7) with 11 points each.
Saturday, March 9, at Washington Regional
Class 3A Regional Championship
BCHS 10 7 19 18 ??“ 54
GHS 22 10 13 20 ??“ 65
BCHS (24-2): Brett McCory 6 0-0 16, Skylar Thompson 8 0-0 16, Chaz Schneider 7 2-4 20, Austin Snodgrass 0 0-1 0, Chase Klinge 1 0-0 2. Totals 16 12-16 54.
Greensburg (24-1): Macy Holdsworth 3 2-5 10, Collin Rigney 3 0-0 8, Bryant McIntosh 7 2-5 17, Ryan Welage 3 4-5 10, Sean Sellers 3 10-10 16, Tyler Burcham 1 2-3 4. Totals 20 20-28 65.
3-point goals: BCHS 8 (B. McCory 4, Schneider 4), Greensburg 5 (Holdsworth 2, Rigney 2, McIntosh); Rebounds: BCHS 20 (Thompson 7, B. McCory 5), Greensburg 23 (Sellers 8, Welage 5); Fouls: BCHS 22 (fouled out: B. McCory) Greensburg 11; Turnovers: BCHS 6, Greensburg 10.
First round
BCHS 14 6 9 20 ??“ 49
VL 10 6 10 9 ??“ 35
BCHS (24-1): B. McCory 5 2-2 13, Thompson 4 6-6 13, Schneider 4 0-0 12, Snodgrass 0 3-7 3, Klinge 0 2-2 2, DeHart 1 0-0 3, Cole Borden 0 2-2 2, Drew Shoemaker 0 1-2 1. Totals 14 18-24 49.
Vincennes Lincoln (18-7): Brandt Nowaskie 5 0-0 10, Patrick Toole 4 0-2 11, Devin Lett 1 1-3 3, Josh Sprinkle 5 1-2 11. Totals 15 2-7 35.
3-point goals: BCHS 5 (Schneider 2, Thompson, McCory, DeHart), Vincennes Lincoln 3 (Toole 3); Rebounds: BCHS 23 (Thompson 10, B. McCory 6), Vincennes Lincoln 21 (Nowaskie 7, Lett 7); Fouls: BCHS 11, Vincennes Lincoln 21; Turnovers: BCHS 9, Vincennes Lincoln 12.
___________________________
Braves can't push past Pirates in Championship
(Zach Spicer - The Tribune)
Brownstown Central’s boys basketball team couldn’t quite overcome giving up the first 15 points of the game.
You can’t have that kind of start in the regional championship, especially against a quick, aggressive, efficient team.
In Saturday’s Class 3A Washington Regional, No. 2 Greensburg knocked down three 3-pointers during that run to open the game, and the Pirates hit another one at the buzzer for a 22-10 lead through one quarter. Fourth-ranked Brownstown managed to pull as close as seven three times in the fourth quarter, but the Braves couldn’t pull through, losing 65-54.
“You look at our stats, rebounding was close, we had five turnovers,” Braves coach Dave Benter said. “(The Pirates) just made shots early, and we had some really bad breakdowns defensively where we didn’t play very smart the first three or four minutes.”
Greensburg shot 31 of 53 from the field in the 82-65 semifinal win against No. 5 Evansville Bosse. In the championship game, the Pirates were 20 of 32.
Brownstown trailed 32-17 at halftime, but the Braves didn’t back down. In the third quarter, they had two 3-pointers by Chaz Schneider, a 3 by Brett McCory and five baskets by Skylar Thompson.
They shot 50 percent from the field in outscoring the Pirates 19-13 to make it a nine-point game going into the final eight minutes.
McCory and Schneider each sank two more 3s in the final quarter. Schneider banked his second one in from the top of the key at 1:20 to make it 59-51, and after two free throws by Bryant McIntosh, McCory swished his second 3 with 55 seconds to go.
Those, however, were the Braves’ final baskets, and Greensburg finished the game from the free-throw line. The Pirates made 14 of 20 free throws in the fourth quarter and 20 of 28 for the night, while the Braves were only 2 of 5 — all in the first half.
“We played our tail end off the last three quarters and really put ourselves back in a position to have chances late,” Benter said. “We cut it to seven and had a wide-open 3-point shot late, and we had all the momentum at that time. But I’m really proud of our guys. We played so hard and really competed.
“It’s just I always talk about every possession is crucial and playing 32 minutes, and we just didn’t do that. We were not ready to play at the start of the game.”
Benter was proud that his team only had five turnovers, while the Pirates had 11, including seven in the second half when the Braves applied pressure.
“We really turned up our pressure defensively, and our guys just exerted a ton of energy,” Benter said. “We’ve got a lot of tired guys and hurt guys in the locker room. ... We told our guys (the game) would come back to us. It just wasn’t going to be real quick. We couldn’t get it against a team like that all back so quickly, and they did chip away and come back, but we just didn’t have enough at the end.”
Schneider finished with a game-high 20 points, while McCory and Thompson each had 16. Thompson led the Braves (24-2) with seven rebounds.
This was the final high school game for seniors McCory, Thompson, Kory Kovert, Dylan Patman and Hayden Stuckwisch. The team also has senior managers Clate Kaiser and Amanda Wischmeier.
“We won 94 games in four years, and that’s got to be one of the top, if not the top, in the state,” Benter said. “And we’ve been regional finalists three years and won a sectional the other year and won four conference (titles). I really don’t know what other kind of legacy they could leave. They are greatly going to be missed.
“This team has been so unselfish. It’s been really enjoyable to coach and watch. They play hard. They defend really well. We’re limited size-wise and maybe athleticism-wise compared to some of these teams over here, but I’m really proud of our guys’ effort. ... We’re going to feel bad here for a couple days, and then our guys are going to reflect on what they’ve accomplished.”
In the second semifinal game on Saturday, Vincennes Lincoln kept it close throughout. Brownstown led 14-10 through one quarter, 20-16 at halftime and 29-26 going into the final quarter. Schneider then opened the fourth quarter with two big 3s, and the Braves outscored the Alices 20-9 for the 49-35 win.
McCory and Thompson shared game honors with 13 points apiece, and Thompson made it a double-double with a game-high 10 rebounds. Schneider chipped in 12 points.
Schneider, a junior, will be among the players returning next winter.
“There are pieces, but right now, they are just pieces,” Benter said, looking ahead to next season. “Players are made in the offseason. Teams are made during the year. And how those pieces will fit together, we won’t know until next year. But there’s definitely pieces there.”
Greensburg (24-1) moves on to play top-ranked Mount Vernon (Fortville) (24-1) in Saturday’s semistate, which will be played at Richmond.
____________________
Braves named to All-Conference squads
Brownstown Central placed three players on the all-MSC team for the 2012-2013 season. Earning all-conference honors were seniors Brett McCory and Skyler Thompson, while junior Chaz Schneider was also named to the squad. It is the first time in BCHS history that three members have made the all-conference team in any one year. Dave Benter also was named top coach in the conference, as Brownstown went undefeated at 9-0 in the league, earning it's four straight title - either shared or outright.
For the Lady Braves, senior Kaylee Bennett was named to the all-League squad.
• Scottsburg’s Jillian Romero, Katie Wampler and Kelsey Smith were named to the Mid-Southern Conference team. Joining them are Corydon’s Marie Rothrock, Silver Creek’s Alexis McFarland and Alex Tinsley, North Harrison’s Kendra Lambert, Charlestown’s Kaitlynn Henning, Austin’s Jessie Davidson, Brownstown’s Kaylee Bennett and Eastern Pekin’s Krista Roberts.
Austin’s Jared Petersen and Scottsburg’s Donna Cheatham were named the Coaches of the Year.
Brownstown’s Brett McCory, Skylar Thompson and Chaz Schneider were named to the Mid-Southern Conference team. Joining them were Clarksville’s Calvin McEwen and Aidan McEwen, North Harrison’s Cory Smith and Tyler Bement, Corydon’s Bronson Kessinger, Charlestown’s Aaron Daniel and Eastern Pekin’s R.J. Jackson.
Brownstown’s Dave Benter was the Coach of the Year.
___________________________
McCory lifts Braves to 5th-straight title
Like any senior should, and like he has done throughout the season, Brownstown Central’s Brett McCory wanted the ball in his hands to try and lift his team to victory.
McCory came through big time, helping the Braves defeat Corydon Central 55-50 in overtime in Saturday’s championship game of the Class 3A Sectional 30 at Charlestown. It was Brownstown’s fifth straight sectional title, including this year and last year at the 3A level.
After Corydon’s Bronson Kessinger made 1 of 2 free throws with 11 seconds remaining in regulation, McCory dribbled down the left side of the court, felt pressure from the Panthers, released a 3-point shot and was fouled. He calmly sank all three free throws for a 41-41 score.
See "Braves make it 5 in a row" for pictures...
He then stole the ball on the long inbounds pass, and then the Panthers swiped it back, but their last-second shot attempt was short.
“Coach told them to give me the ball and try to make a play,” McCory said. “(Corydon) fouled on the possession before, so I figured they were going to foul again. As soon as they got close, I shot it, and I was fortunate they called the foul. After I hit the first (free throw),
I knew I was going to hit the next two. All it is is confidence, and I had the confidence tonight just to knock them down.”
In overtime, Chase Burton’s putback at 1:33 gave Corydon a 50-49 lead, but McCory made the go-ahead basket 23 seconds later. On Brayden Lander’s drive to the basket at 27 seconds, he ran into Brownstown’s Chaz Schneider, who managed to steal the ball and pass it to McCory. He found Skylar Thompson wide open under the basket for a 53-50 lead.
Corydon then missed a layup, and Thompson grabbed the rebound, was fouled and made both free throws for the win.
“(Lander) came off of a screen and shoved me over, and I got back up and grabbed the ball because he had it right out in front of me,” said Schneider, who scored 10 points. “I threw it to Brett because he was on fire, and the rest is history. I guess they forgot about Skylar, and he was wide open, and that sealed the deal right there.”
McCory agreed that was a big play.
“They were coming up to try to get the ball out of my hands and try to foul real quick. I saw Skylar wide open, and I threw him the ball, and he hit the layup,” McCory said. “Throughout the whole game, we knew we were going to come into it and win the game. We just refuse to lose, and I think our experience played a big factor whether we won or lost this game.”
What nearly got lost in all of the excitement was McCory eclipsed the 1,000-point mark in his career. Entering the game, he only needed six points to reach 1,000. He had five points in the first half, and with six minutes remaining in regulation, he reached the milestone on a putback. McCory and Kessinger each tallied 23 points and 11 rebounds.
“I can’t say enough about Brett,” Braves coach Dave Benter said. “He was just unbelievable the last eight minutes of the game, counting overtime. He just really put us on his back, and he got his 1,000th point tonight, and that’s great. When you look at the history of Brownstown basketball, he’s won four sectionals, he’s won four conference titles, he’s won over 90 games and he’s lettered every year.”
Both teams struggled shooting the ball in the first half, combining for 11 of 42 from the field and 10 of 16 from the free-throw line.
Brownstown led 13-9 after one quarter, and then scored the first four points of the second quarter. Corydon lost starting point guard Timothy Wiseman to an injury at 2:52, but the Panthers were within 19-15 at halftime.
The Braves only scored two points on 1-of-7 shooting and had four turnovers in the third quarter, and the Panthers took a 24-21 lead into the fourth quarter. In the final 35 seconds of regulation, Corydon led by four once and three twice before McCory’s heroics.
In the second half and overtime, Brownstown was 9 of 21 from the field and a sharp 17 of 19 from the foul line, compared to Corydon’s 10 of 23 and 15 of 23.
“We hadn’t shot that poorly in a long time, and a lot of that had to do with (Corydon),” Benter said. “We missed some layups and 3s that we’ve been making all year. Credit them. They are so big and physical and athletic, and their length caused us some problems.”
But the team pulled together, and that made Benter a happy coach.
“This team all year has been so unselfish and has been so great and easy to coach. They’ve gotten along so well, and they play hard,” he said. “Even though we have shot the ball well, our bread and butter has really been our defense, and really, that’s what ended up winning the game ... This team showed that they have been tournament tested. When their backs were against the wall, they didn’t get rattled, and they made huge plays.”
At noon Saturday, the fourth-ranked Braves (23-1) will face Vincennes Lincoln (18-6) in the Washington Regional. The 10:30 a.m. game features No. 2 Greensburg (22-1) playing No. 5 Evansville Bosse (19-5).
______________
Braves win Fifth Straight Sectional Title
McCory tops 1,000 points for his career
(Zach Spicer - The Tribune)
Brownstown Central senior Brett McCory was fouled on a long 3-point attempt at the end of regulation and made all three free throws to send Saturday's Class 3A Sectional 30 championship game into overtime.
Corydon Central led 50-49 with 1:33 remaining in overtime, but Brownstown scored the final six points for a 55-50 victory, claiming its fifth straight sectional title, including this year and last year at the 3A level.
McCory scored the go-ahead basket at 1:10, and then Chaz Schneider stole the ball and passed it to McCory at mid-court, and he found Skylar Thompson wide open under the basket. Corydon then missed a layup, and Thompson got the rebound and made two free throws to seal the win.
McCory and Corydon's Bronson Kessinger shared game-scoring honors with 23 points apiece. Entering the game, McCory only needed six points to eclipse 1,000 career points, so he became Brownstown's newest member of the 1,000-point club.
The fourth-ranked Braves (23-1) move on to play Vincennes Lincoln (18-6) at noon March 9 in the Washington Regional. The 10:30 a.m. game will feature No. 2 Greensburg (22-1) taking on No. 5 Evansville Bosse (19-5).
Class 3-Aat Charlestown
Final
| Brownstown | 13 | 6 | 2 | 20 | 14 | 55 |
| Corydon | 9 | 6 | 9 | 17 | 9 | 50 |
Brownstown (23-1) - DeHart 8, Schneider 10, McCory 23, Snodgrass 6, Thompson 8.
Corydon (18-6) - Ross 4, Kessinger 23, Lander 13, Ti. Wiseman 1, To. Wiseman 2, Jensen 5, Burton 2.
3-point goals - Schneider 1, McCory 1, Snodgress 1.
___________________
Braves trounced Lions to advance to Final
(Zach Spicer - The Tribune)
Brownstown Central handed Salem losses No. 1 and 21 of the season.
The latter came on Friday night in the first semifinal game of the Class 3A Charlestown Sectional when the fourth-ranked Braves forced 26 turnovers and held the Lions (0-21) scoreless in the first quarter in winning 67-12.
That puts Brownstown (22-1) in tonight’s championship against Corydon Central (18-5), which clipped North Harrison 48-47 in the other semifinal.
“We didn’t want to gamble. We wanted to play good, fundamental defense,” Braves coach Dave Benter said. “We gambled a couple times, but for the most part, we played pretty well fundamentally on the defensive end.”
Chaz Schneider had four of the Braves’ nine steals in the first quarter along with a couple of baskets, and Brownstown led 17-0 through eight minutes of play.
The Braves then scored the first six points of the second quarter before Christian Lamb hit a baseline jumper for the Lions’ first score of the game. Brownstown then reeled off 12 straight, and the Braves took a 43-6 lead into the break.
For most of the second half, Brownstown played its bench. Hayden Stuckwisch buried two 3-pointers to lift the Braves to a 58-10 lead going into the fourth quarter.
Stuckwisch hit another 3 in the fourth quarter, while Kory Kovert made a pair of baskets and a free throw, and Drew Shoemaker added a free throw.
Benter was happy with his bench contribution.
“They played great,” he said. “They played with a lot of energy. They defended well. They didn’t give Salem a lot of open looks, and I thought our guys were really unselfish.”
Stuckwisch, a senior, said he was glad to see the ball drop through the net.
“It was good getting out of the slump I’ve been in lately,” he said. “I’m hoping it provided me a boost into this next game and however far we go.”
Stuckwisch said his team did a good job on defense all night.
“We just wanted to contain the ball and stay in front of them,” he said.
“We really got after them and pressured the ball and created some turnovers. We just mainly focused on taking care of the ball and not turning the ball over and just running the clock and keeping the lead.”
Brownstown’s Brett McCory scored a game-high 19 points, while Schneider and Skylar Thompson had 10 apiece. Ten of the 12 Braves scored.
Tonight’s championship will be a different ballgame.
“We’re going to have to guard really well,” Benter said. “Corydon has got a big, physical team that really gets after it on the defensive end. We’ve got to be ready and prepared to play.”
Stopping 6-foot-7 sophomore Bronson Kessinger in the post will be key, Stuckwisch said. On Jan. 26, the Braves beat the Panthers 55-39 at home, and Kessinger only had six points.
“They are just mainly an in-and-out team. So if they get in, they’ll kick it out,” he said. “We need to maintain our physicality on defense and keep pressuring the ball.”
____________________
Braves top Dragons, advance in sectional
sports@thebanner.com
The Brownstown Central boy’s basketball team needed a strong finish to defeat Silver Creek on Tuesday night, Feb. 26 in the Charlestown Class 3A Sectional.
The Braves trailed 35-34 following two Charlestown free throws with 4:36 remaining.
? Braves coach Dave Benter called a time out and issued a challenge to his team to work the ball for good shots, and to play hard on defense and come up with some stops.
The Braves did both as they outscored the Dragons 15-2 over the final 4:20 to open defense of their sectional title with a 49-37 win.
? Benter said. “Our backs were against the wall with four and a half minutes to go when they took the lead and we made some huge plays in the last four and a half minutes. We called time out when we were down one, and (Chaz) Schneider came out of that time out and hit a 3 and I think Brett (McCory) threw one to Skylar (Thompson) for a lay-up and we took a (39-35) lead, and we finally got some stops.
“That was the big thing. We got stops late in the game and we rebounded the basketball.”
Silver Creek had 10 turnovers for the night and half of those were committed in the fourth quarter.
McCory converted a 3-point play with 2:30 remaining to stretch the lead to 42-35. After Jake Steele scored off an offensive rebound with 1:23 remaining, the Braves closed the game on a 7-0 run to improve to 21-1 for the season.
McCory scored eight points in the fourth quarter and topped all players with 24. He also had a team-high eight rebounds.
“It was an ugly game,” Benter said. “They make you play ugly because of their length and their quickness. They’re a little bit like us; they’ve got so many shooters that you have to get out and guard, and they’ve got length and size, so they’re not easy to match up with.
“We knew going into the game that they were not going to be an easy team to come out and just get separation from because of the way they play.”
Skylar Thompson, who scored 10 of his 14 points in the second half, said the Braves did a better job of working the ball inside during the final 16 minutes. “We just came out in the second half and changed things up and tried to go more inside,” he said.
“We tried to get our guards more active. The first half wasn’t as good as we wanted it to be. We knew in the locker room we had to come out in the second half and play how we’re capable of playing.”
Thompson said the Braves did a better job of moving the ball against Silver Creek’s zone in the second half. “They were in a 1-2-2 zone there. They did go match-up in a man so, but they like to play zone the best. When our guards drove in it created shots for us. They got the ball to us (Thompson and McCory) and we were able to score. They did good getting the ball to us. They’re physical and they’re going to have a nice ball club next year.”
Benter said, “I thought (McCory and Thompson) were real effective once we got the ball inside to them. With (Silver Creek’s) length it wasn’t always easy to get it inside to them. When we were able to get the ball inside we had some success.
“I thought those two played really good basketball and I thought a lot of different guys made a lot of different plays at different times.”
Thompson scored a pair of baskets inside, while Austin Snodgrass and McCory hit 3-pointers to help the Braves take an 11-9 lead at the end of the first period. McCory had a basket and a pair of free throws, and Schneider made a 3 in the second quarter to help the Braves hold a 20-19 lead at the half.
Shea Durham topped the Dragons (9-12) with 13 points.
The Braves shot 16-for-39 for the night, while the Dragons were 11-for-39. The Braves held a 23-21 advantage in rebounds.
The Braves will face Salem at 6 p.m. on Friday, March 1.
Tuesday, Feb. 26, at Charlestown
Class 3A Sectional 30
BCHS 11 9 12 17 ??“ 49
SC 9 10 9 9 ??“ 37
BCHS (21-1): Brett McCory 6 10-13 24, Skylar Thompson 7 0-1 14, Chaz Schneider 2 0-0 6, Austin Snodgrass 1 2-2 5. Totals 16 12-16 49.
Silver Creek (9-12): Shae Durham 4 3-5 13, Zach Davidson 1 3-3 5, Lucas Barnett 1 0-0 2, Jake Steele 2 3-5 7, Brooks Howell 2 1-2 6, Christian Reed 1 0-0 2, Sam Garr 0 2-2 2. Totals 11 12-017 37.
3-point goals: BCHS 5 (B. McCory 2, Schneider 2, Snodgrass),? Silver Creek (Durham 2, Howell); Rebounds: BCHS 23 (B. McCory 8, Thompson 6), Silver Creek 21 (Steele 8, Davidson 4); Fouls: BCHS 19, Silver Creek 17; Turnovers: BCHS 6, Silver Creek 10.
_______________________
Braves slip past Dragons to Advance in Sectional
(Arv Koontz - The Tribune)
The Brownstown Central boys basketball team found itself in an unfamiliar position with 4:36 left in Tuesday’s Class 3A Sectional 30 game against Silver Creek.
The Braves trailed 35-34, and coach Dave Benter called a timeout and issued a challenge to his team — to work the ball for good shots, play hard on defense and come up with some stops.
The Braves outscored the Dragons 15-2 over the final 4:20 to open defense of their sectional title with a 49-37 win.
“Credit our guys,” Benter said. “Our backs were against the wall with four and a half minutes to go when they took the lead, and we made some huge plays in the last four and a half minutes. We called timeout when we were down one, and (Chaz) Schneider came out of that timeout and hit a 3, and I think Brett (McCory) threw one to Skylar (Thompson) for a layup, and we took a (39-35) lead.
“We finally got some stops. That was the big thing. We got stops late in the game, and we rebounded the basketball.”
Silver Creek had 10 turnovers for the night, and half of those were committed in the fourth quarter.
McCory converted a three-point play with 2:30 remaining to stretch the lead to 42-35. After Jake Steele scored off of an offensive rebound with 1:23 remaining, the Braves closed on a 7-0 run to improve to 21-1 for the season.
McCory scored eight points in the fourth quarter and topped all players with 24. He also had a team-high eight redounds.
“It was an ugly game,” Benter said. “They make you play ugly because of their length and their quickness. They’re a little bit like us. They’ve got so many shooters that you have to get out and guard, and they’ve got length and size, so they’re not easy to match up with. We knew going into the game that they were not going to be an easy team to come out and just get separation from because of the way they play.”
Thompson, who scored 10 of his 14 points in the second half, said the Braves did a better job of working the ball inside during the final 16 minutes.
“We just came out in the second half and changed things up and tried to go more inside,” he said. “We tried to get our guards more active. The first half wasn’t as good as we wanted it to be. We knew in the locker room we had to come out in the second half and play how we’re capable of playing.
“They were in a 1-2-2 zone there. They did go matchup in a man, but they like to play zone the best. When our guards drove in, it created shots for us. They got the ball to us (Thompson and McCory), and we were able to score. They did good getting the ball to us. They’re physical, and they’re going to have a nice ballclub next year.”
Thompson scored a pair of baskets inside, while Austin Snodgrass and McCory hit 3-pointers to help the Braves take an 11-9 lead at the end of the first quarter.
McCory had a basket and a pair of free throws, and Schneider made a 3 in the second quarter to help the Braves hold a 20-19 lead at the half.
Shea Durham topped the Dragons (9-12) with 13 points.
At 6 p.m. Friday, the Braves will face Salem (0-20).
______________________
Braves beat Orleans for Senior Night Win
(Zach Spicer - The Tribune)
In a game full of scoring spurts, a pair of runs in the second half of Friday’s Senior Night game is what Brownstown Central needed to pull away from Orleans and win 57-44.
With Orleans on top 28-27 at 5:28 of the third quarter, Brownstown’s defense led to offense for a 7-0 run. Orleans answered with six straight points to pull within 35-34 going into the final eight minutes.
Orleans’ Cale Hall made two free throws at 5:18 of the fourth quarter to pull within 40-38, but Brownstown went on a 13-0 run, including two 3-pointers by Chaz Schneider and a three-point play by one of the team’s seniors, Bretty McCory.
“It was getting to a point where every possession was absolutely crucial, and then our guys made a couple a shots, made some defensive stops,” Braves coach Dave Benter said. “It seemed like we were having trouble rebounding, and finally, we rebounded the basketball, defended a little bit better and were able to generate some offense out of that.”
Senior Dylan Patman said he likes when the Braves’ defense is effective.
“We’re a pretty good defensive team, and if we get our defense going, it leads to a lot of baskets in transition,” Patman said. “It got (the Bulldogs) a little nervous or shook up, and they started making a few more turnovers. That led us to a good run, and we pulled away with it.”
The five Brownstown seniors, Patman, McCory, Kory Kovert, Skylar Thompson and Hayden Stuckwisch, were in the starting lineup and played for the first four minutes. Orleans pulled ahead 7-4, but Brownstown made some substitutions and took an 11-9 lead through one quarter.
A three-point play by Thompson at 3:39 of the second quarter gave the Braves a 22-13 lead, but the Bulldogs finished the half on an 8-2 run.
“Orleans had a great game plan,” Benter said. “They have really good guard play. I thought their 6-9 kid (Jacob Barkley) played really well. They are not a team you are just going to pull away from right away. It was good to see us make that run in the fourth quarter. It was getting close to where it was going to be a one-possession game at the end otherwise.”
McCory led all scorers with 20 points, while Thompson had 13, and Schneider chipped in 10.
The five seniors were back on the court together late in the game. Patman, who returned to basketball this winter for the first time since his freshman year, said that was a special moment.
“It was good that we all got to go out there together as a team and know that it’s our last time (playing at home) and enjoy it,” Patman said. “I kind of missed (basketball), and I probably should have played all four years, and I would have been better. But I’m glad I came back, and I’m glad I’m in such a great program here.”
McCory, Thompson and Kovert have played all four years, while Stuckwisch transferred from Greencastle this school year.
“The biggest thing that I can say about this group of seniors is that they have led us to be a very unselfish and hard-working basketball team, and I think that starts with these seniors,” Benter said. “Hopefully, our freshmen through juniors that have been around them understand how unselfish this group’s been and how they compete every day. They are great teammates.”
The Braves finished the regular season at 20-1, and on Tuesday, they will play Silver Creek (9-11) in the opening game of the Charlestown Sectional.
_______________
Brownstown Clinches Conference Title
(Arv Koontz - The Tribune)
Brownstown Central boys basketball coach Dave Benter said winning a conference championship never gets old.
The Braves used a string of 14 straight points in the last four minutes of the first quarter to open up a 23-8 lead in Friday’s Mid-Southern Conference game, and they cruised to a 76-47 win against Eastern (Pekin). They won the MSC title outright with a 9-0 mark.
“That was our No. 1 goal coming into tonight, to wrap up the Mid-Southern Conference,” Benter said. “That is something our guys can be proud of. I think we’ve won seven out of 10 years. That’s kind of tradition. That’s one of our goals at the start of the season.”
The Braves were on top 9-8 when Brett McCory made a 3-pointer, and Austin Snodgrass converted a three-point play to boost the score to 24-8 at 3:40 of the first quarter. McCory scored seven points during the string, and Skylar Thompson closed the quarter with a layup for a 23-8 lead.
“Our guys got off to a great start,” Benter said. “I thought we played really well the first quarter (shooting 9 for 15). We gave up a couple layups in the second quarter.”
Collin DeHart drained two 3-point baskets to help the Braves outscore the Musketeers 12-10 in the second quarter and lead 35-18 at the break.
Benter said he was concerned with his team’s defense in the third quarter when Eastern scored 17 points.
“In the third quarter, I thought we really started to break down defensively,” he said. “Eastern had a lot to do with that. (R.J.) Jackson and (Tevin) Wolf came out real aggressive off the dribble and were getting to the rim. To Eastern’s credit, they continued to play hard even after we got up, and it wasn’t until the fourth quarter when Chaz (Schneider) came in and hit some shots that we were able to get some separation.”
McCory had eight points and Schneider five in the third period to help the Braves increase their lead to 54-35 going into the fourth.
Schneider shot 5 for 5 from the field in the final quarter with four 2-pointers and a 3 for 11 points, and he finished with 19.
McCory, who topped the Braves in points (23) and rebounds (nine), said, “(The MSC title) feels good. Last week, we beat Clarksville to clinch it, but we didn’t want to share it. We wanted to come in here and win the game and clinch it outright.”
The Braves made 12 3-point baskets among their 29 field goals, and McCory said, “If we work on the inside-out, when we get that ball inside, we can score, and they’re going to have to start double-teaming me and Skylar down low. We have enough shooters on the outside that we can make them pay, and they knocked down shots tonight for us.”
The Braves had 16 assists, and McCory and Snodgrass led with four each.
“We had really good ball movement,” McCory said. “Most of the baskets we scored, we had an assist on every one.”
The Braves shot 29 for 57 from the floor for the game.
“Our ball movement was great,” Benter said. “This team has been so unselfish this year, and they’re always making that extra pass. It’s not guys are in the locker room complaining because they’re not getting enough shots or points, and it’s really easy for me to coach when guys are that way.
“The thing that’s really helped our team the last month, we’ve had a couple other guys step up and consistently score. We’ve been playing three, four or five guys in double figures. That’s really helped us.”
Snodgrass added 10 points for the Braves, while Jackson had 21 to top Eastern (9-10, 3-6).
The Braves have won 13 in a row to bring their record to 19-1, and on Friday they will play host to Orleans for Senior Night.
_________________
Floyd Central no problem for Braves
Brownstown rolls behind balanced attack
Six long-range shots in the second quarter of Tuesday’s game boosted Class 3A No. 4 Brownstown Central to a double-figure lead against Class 4A Floyd Central.
Four different Braves combined for the 3-pointers in the second quarter, and they added two from 2-point range and a pair of free throws to outscore the Highlanders 24-12 and take a 40-21 lead at halftime.
Brownstown then outscored Floyd Central in the final two quarters for a 71-46 win, their second straight against a 4A team.
“First quarter, we started off pretty well,” Braves sophomore Collin DeHart said of his team’s 16 points on 8-for-17 shooting. “Second quarter, we played pretty well, started hitting shots and we got separation. Everything was clicking. We made sure we got separation before halftime so (the Highlanders) didn’t have a chance of coming back, and if they made a run, we had enough of a lead where we had a cushion.”
For the first half, the Braves shot 16 of 32 from the field.
“Floyd Central is a very physical team, and we wanted to hopefully get some separation, and we were able to do that in the second quarter by opening up and spacing out and hitting several 3s,” Braves coach Dave Benter said. “We weren’t able to extend that anymore until late in the game, but I thought we played really well in the second quarter.”
Benter also was happy with the first quarter, when the Braves forced eight Highlander turnovers.
“I thought we did some things defensively,” he said. “We made some mistakes in breakdowns, but I thought the first half, we played extremely well.”
Benter saw a couple of lulls in the third quarter, but the Braves took a 55-34 lead going into the fourth quarter.
The Highlanders scored the first four points of the fourth. The Braves, though, were able to stay in front with 3s by DeHart and Brett McCory and a 10-of-14 showing from the free-throw line.
McCory had game highs with 18 points and nine rebounds. Austin Snodgrass had 17 points, Skylar Thompson chipped in 16 and Chaz Schneider added 13.
“We had very balanced scoring,” Benter said. “We offensive rebounded the basketball so well in the second half, and I thought our guys were really unselfish and passed the ball really well.”
In Friday’s final Mid-Southern Conference game of the season at home against Eastern (Pekin), however, Benter wants his team to get a little selfish. The Braves (18-1) are the only undefeated MSC team with an 8-0 mark.
“It’s a big game,” Benter said. “I told our guys we need to be selfish, and we don’t want to tie anybody. We’ve got a chance to win it outright, so we need to have a few good nights of practice to get ready for Friday.”
_______________
Braves get by East
Win moves team to 17-1 on season
In doubt throughout, Columbus East’s matchup with highly ranked Brownstown was not decided until the final buzzer had sounded Thursday night.
At the very end, East’s attempt to force overtime failed, and the Class 3A fifth-ranked Braves hung on to defeat the host Olympians 57-54.
“We beat a very good team here tonight,” Brownstown coach Dave Benter said. “We have a lot of respect for them.”
The Braves (17-1), whose only loss came in late December to Class A third-ranked Barr-Reeve, grabbed the lead for good at the 50-second mark of the final quarter on a field goal by Brett McCory. Trailing 55-54, East called a timeout with 33 seconds left and then turned the ball over 17 seconds later.
Forced to foul, the Olympians (11-4) did so three times before forcing Brownstown to the foul line. Then, Skylar Thompson’s two free throws with 10 seconds remaining settled the final score.
“Brownstown is a very good team,” East coach Brent Chitty said. “They are one of three or four teams in 3A that have a good chance of winning a state title.”
Out of the gate quickly, Brownstown broke to a quick 11-3 lead. A pair of early 3s by McCory, a trey by Austin Snodgrass and a 2-point field goal by Thompson were eventually answered by East’s Ridge Harris and Bryce Lienhoop, who combined to score 11 in the opening quarter, after which Brownstown led 17-16.
Harris continued his hot shooting in the second period and propelled East to a 27-21 advantage. The Braves then outscored the Olympians 5-2 in the closing seconds and only trailed 29-26 at intermission.
“I was concerned at halftime,” Benter said. “I wasn’t sure what the expression on our kids’ faces meant. I didn’t know if it was a focused look or something else.”
Benter was pleased with the result.
“I’m proud of our guys,” Benter said. “We got down 10 in the third quarter and then hit some very big shots. Our guys battled and played very hard.”
The Brave doing the most damage was Chaz Schneider. The junior guard hit a pair of 3s midway through the third quarter and another pair early in the fourth that rendered East’s perimeter defense temporarily ineffective. Not until Connor Jensen was inserted in the final quarter did Schneider slow down.
Harris finished with 20 points to lead the Olympians. Lienhoop added 15 and led East in rebounding with nine.
Schneider and Thompson each scored 20 for the winners. McCory had 11 points and 10 rebounds.
The Braves will return to action Tuesday at home against Floyd Central (4-14).
_______________
Braves down Clarksville; gain tie for MSC title
Brownstown Central junior Austin Snodgrass, left, looks to pass the ball as Clarksville's D.J. Coleman defends during Monday's Mid-Southern Conference game at Brownstown. PHOTO BY ZACH SPICER
BROWNSTOWN
Brownstown Central senior Brett McCory had the hot hand in the first quarter of Monday’s Mid-Southern Conference game with Clarksville.
He scored 13 points and lifted the Braves to a 22-9 lead, and he finished with a game-high 23 points as the Braves moved to 8-0 in the MSC with a 67-59 win. The Generals fell to 6-1.
Both teams entered the game undefeated in the MSC, and the winner would get the upper hand in the conference.
“We knew coming in this was going to be a big game for the conference championship,” McCory said. “We knew Clarksville is a good team, (has) a lot of good shooters and we have to come ready to play offensively and defensively.”
McCory drained a 3-pointer, Chaz Schneider had a basket, and McCory made a layup off of a turnover for a 7-0 run in the first quarter and a 9-5 lead. After the Generals scored, the Braves scored the next 13 points to take a double-digit lead.
“I think it gave us an early edge for us to get off to a fast start,” McCory said. “We hit some good shots early to get the crowd into it.”
With the Braves up 31-18 in the second quarter, the Generals closed the half with a 6-0 run. Clarksville outscored Brownstown 15-9 in the second quarter.
“It was real important for us to get off to a good start because they have such good guard play, and they can dictate the tempo of the game and spread you out,” Braves coach Dave Benter said of the Generals. “Our guys came out and played a good first quarter, and we able to hold on throughout the game.”
Every time the Braves scored in the third quarter, the Generals countered. Skylar Thompson converted an old-fashioned three-point play with 13.3 seconds left in the quarter to give the Braves a 48-36 lead. Thompson drew his second foul early in the game, but he returned in the third quarter and scored 11 of the Braves’ 17 points.
On two different occasions in the fourth quarter, the Generals pulled within four points, with the last one at 54-50. But the Braves then went on a 5-0 run, and the Generals weren’t able to get any closer than six the rest of the way.
“Clarksville has a very nice team,” Benter said. “They never quit, and they made some tough shots late. We got lost a couple of times, and we really tried everything in the fourth quarter, and they are hard to guard when they are shooting the basketball like they did in the fourth quarter.
“(The Braves) showed some poise in the fourth quarter. Barr-Reeve was a very similar game as we got off to a good start and they made a run and we folded. We knew (the Generals) would make a run since they are a good basketball team, but we withheld their run and finished it off.”
Besides McCory scoring in double figures for the Braves, Schneider had 18 points, and Thompson had 15.
Calvin McEwen led the Generals with 17 points, Austin Johnson had 12, and Aidan McEwen had 11.
On Thursday, Brownstown (16-1) plays at Columbus East.
_________________________
Braves hold off late-game charge by tough Rams
The Class 3A No. 5 Brownstown Central boys basketball team faced a physical Paoli team Saturday, and the Braves held off a late Rams charge and won 72-53.
Paoli added some pressure and pulled within 10 points on a 3-pointer off of a steal with 4:56 to go in the game. Brownstown, however, scored the next seven points and maintained a double-figure lead.
“Paoli never quit,” Braves coach Dave Benter said. “They pressed us and played hard until the very end, and they are as big a team as we play all year. They are big and physical, and rebounding was a big concern of mine going into the game. I think they outrebounded us by a couple (25-20), but we still, for the most part, at least in the second half, did a pretty good job on the backboard.”
When Tanner Wroblewski made the 3 in the fourth quarter, Paoli had outscored Brownstown 16-12 to that point. He had one point through three quarters before scoring 15 in the fourth to lead his team.
“We quit containing the ball, and we started playing too fast on offense,” Benter said. “We’ve got to understand when we’ve got that kind of lead against a good team, the clock is our friend, and we’ve got to take care of the ball, defend and rebound. Those three things we didn’t do a very good job of for about a two-minute stretch.”
Four of the Brownstown starters scored in the first quarter to lift the Braves to a 17-12 advantage. In the second quarter, though, the teams combined for 4 of 18 from the field, and Brownstown led 25-20 at the half.
Brett McCory drew two fouls in the first quarter and scored three points, but he returned in the third quarter and scored Brownstown’s first four points. The Braves opened on a 9-2 run and forced five Paoli turnovers, and they led 42-28 going into the final quarter.
“We just got in some foul trouble in the first half, and then I thought in the third quarter, our starters, and even when I subbed, did a nice job of getting a little more separation,” Benter said. “Then I thought we got really comfortable again at the start of the fourth and quit containing the ball and put (the Rams) at the foul line some. But we made some plays to push it back up from 10 or 12 to 17 or 19 late in the game.”
Brownstown’s Chaz Schneider scored a game-high 19 points, followed by Skylar Thompson with 18, Austin Snodgrass 12 and McCory 11.
The teams combined for 50 fouls in the game, including a technical on Paoli’s Garrett Strange in the fourth quarter. The Braves were 24 of 28 from the free-throw line, including 16 of 19 in the fourth quarter.
“There were a lot of fouls called, but we just had to let them go and keep playing or else that would really affect our play,” said Schneider, who was 4 of 5 from the line in the fourth. “At the end, I thought we hit a lot of free throws, and that really sealed it. Hitting free throws was big.”
Tonight, the Braves (15-1) will make up a Mid-Southern Conference game at home against Clarksville (12-3) that was called off Friday because of the weather. Both teams are undefeated in the MSC.
__________________
Braves close out tough week with third MSC win
Brownstown Central High School boys' basketball game with Corydon Central on Saturday night, Jan. 26 was a tale of two halves. However, as it turned out it was the Braves who was the better team in the second half to pull away for the 55-39 win.
“That seems to be our story the last couple of weeks,” Braves coach Dave Benter said. “We just have a lot of trouble of putting four quarters together. We got to start playing 32 minutes and stop having lulls throughout the game.
“A lot of that credit goes to Corydon, as they really guarded us throughout the game and made it difficult. The second quarter we didn’t get a lot of good looks and they have athleticism. We changed a few things offensively in the second half as far as how we wanted to attack.”
The Panthers came out of the locker rooms in the third quarter and led by two and increased their lead when Timothy Wiseman hit two free throws. Chaz Schneider hit a jump shot, while Collin DeHart drained a 3-pointer at the 6:34 mark to give the Braves a 25-24 lead. DeHart then hit another 3-pointer to increase the lead to four.
The Braves never looked back once they took the lead. The Braves increased their lead to double digits in the quarter as Dylan Patman closed out the quarter with a lay-up for the 42-28 lead.
The Panthers got the lead down to nine in the fourth quarter, but that was the closest they would get.
With the win over the Panthers, it closed out a three-game MSC schedule this week by going 3-0.
“Barr-Reeve was the only team that has challenged us this early in the year,” Benter said. “It was good to see us respond well with teams who challenged us this week. Hopefully, it is a step in the right direction, so now we have to put four quarters together and next Friday is going to be a huge one as we play a good Clarksville team.”
The Braves led 10-6 after the first quarter, but the Panthers outscored the Braves 16-10 in the second quarter.
Snodgrass led the Braves with 16 points and Schneider added 15.
Tyler Ross led the Panthers with 16 points.
The Braves outscored the Panthers 30-3 from the 3-point line.
The Braves claimed a 64-45 win over Charlestown on Friday night, Jan. 25. Thompson had 26 points and Snodgrass poured in 16 to lead the Braves.
The Braves junior varsity team moved to 12-0 with a 43-19 win over the Panthers. Jacoby Shade led the Braves with 11 points.
The Braves, 14-1 overall and 7-0 in the MSC, will battle the Generals on Friday night, Feb. 1 as the Generals come into the game also unbeaten in the MSC.
Saturday, Jan. 26, at Brownstown
CCHS 6 16 6 11 ??“ 39
BCHS 10 10 22 13 ??“ 55
BCHS (14-1, 7-0): Chaz Schneider 4 4-4 15, Brett McCory 3 1-2 7, Austin Snodgrass 6 0-0 16, Skylar Thompson 3 0-1 6, Collin DeHart 3 0-0 9, Dylan Patman 1 0-0 2. Totals 20 5-7 31
Corydon Central (10-4, 2-2): Tyler Ross 4 8-8 16, Chase Burton 1 1-5 3, Brayden Lander 3 3-3 10, Timothy Wiseman 1 2-2 4, Branson Kessinger 2 2-3 6. Totals 11 16-21 39
3-point goals: BCHD 10 (Snodgrass 4, Schneider 3, DeHart 3), CCHS 1 (Lander); Rebounds: BCHS 37 (Thompson 7, McCory 6), CCHS 36 (Dylan Jensen 9, Ross 6); Turnovers: BCHS 11, CCHS 13; Fouls: BCHS 17, CCHS 11 (technical: Kessinger)
Junior varsity
CCHS 6 3 4 6 ??“ 19
BCHS 5 13 18 7 ??“ 43
BCHS (12-0): Jacoby Shade 11, Zach McCory 8, Cole Borden 6, Kyle Benter 6, Drew Shoemaker 4, Darrell Branaman 3, DeHart 3, Cam Shoemaker 2
_____________________________
Braves gain important MSC win over Corydon
The first half of Saturday night’s Brownstown Central-Corydon Central Mid-Southern Conference game at Brownstown belonged to the visiting Panthers.
They shot 8 of 24 from the floor and 5 of 7 from the free-throw line and led 22-20 at halftime, while the Braves were 8 of 27 and didn’t attempt a free throw.
The second half, however, belonged to the Braves as they were 12 of 26 from the floor and 5 of 7 from the free-throw line to the Panthers’ 3 of 5 and 11 of 14. That resulted in a 55-39 win for the Braves, moving them to 7-0 in the MSC.
“That seems to be our story the last couple of weeks,” Braves coach Dave Benter said. “We just have a lot of trouble of putting four quarters together. We’ve got to start playing 32 minutes and stop having lulls throughout the game.
“A lot of that credit goes to Corydon, as they really guarded us throughout the game and made it difficult. The second quarter, we didn’t get a lot of good looks, and they have athleticism. We changed a few things offensively in the second half as far as how we wanted to attack.”
To start the second half, the Panthers increased their lead with two free throws by Timothy Wiseman. But then Chaz Schneider hit a jump shot, and Collin DeHart drained a pair of 3-pointers, and the Braves never looked back. Dylan Patman closed out the quarter with a layup for a 42-28 lead.
The MSC win was Brownstown’s third of the week. They have two conference games remaining, including Friday at home against Clarksville, which is 6-0 in the MSC.
“Barr-Reeve was the only team that challenged us this early in the year,” Benter said. “It was good to see us respond well with teams who challenged us this week. Hopefully, it is a step in the right direction. So now we have to put four quarters together, and Friday is going to be a huge one as we play a good Clarksville team.”
Austin Snodgrass led the Braves (14-1) with 16 points, and Schneider added 15. Brownstown outscored Corydon 30-3 from the 3-point line.
Tyler Ross led the Panthers (10-4, 3-2 MSC) with 16 points.
_____________________
Braves Excel on Career Best Performances
BROWNSTOWN
Brownstown Central’s Skylar Thompson and Austin Snodgrass picked a good night to have varsity career-high performances.
In Friday’s Mid-Southern Conference home game against Charlestown, Thompson had 26 points on 11-of-14 shooting, including four 3-pointers, and Snodgrass recorded 16 points, including a game-high five 3s, in the Class 3A No. 5 Braves’ 64-45 win. That boosts them to 6-0 in the MSC and 13-1 overall.
The teams combined for nine 3s in the first quarter, and Brownstown led 22-16. Snodgrass and Thompson each hit all three of their shots beyond the arc, and Thompson had another basket off of a Pirate turnover.
“Whenever you hit your first shot, you just get a lot of confidence, and you just step up and knock down the next one,” said Snodgrass, a junior. “I haven’t been shooting very well the last few games, and (the Pirate coaches) probably told (their players) to stay off me and help on Brett (McCory) and Skylar.”
In the second quarter, though, Brownstown shot 2 of 13 from the field, including 0 of 5 from 3-point land, and trailed 28-27 at the break.
“In the first half again, I thought we gave up a little bit too much dribble penetration and got lost on a couple shooters,” Braves coach Dave Benter said. “I didn’t think we got back in our press very well at times. In the first quarter, I thought we moved the ball. But in the second quarter, we got the ball inside and didn’t capitalize on it a couple times, and then we were 0 of 5 from the 3.”
Chris Braun’s free throws at 5:46 of the third quarter tied the game at 31, but Snodgrass buried his second 3 of the quarter and Thompson had a putback, forcing a Charlestown timeout. The Braves then got a second-chance basket by McCory, and the Braves never trailed again.
Thompson scored the Braves’ first 11 points of the fourth quarter, while the Pirates only scored six during that time.
“Skylar and Austin really showed up to play,” Benter said. “I told the guys at halftime, if it wasn’t for those two, we might be down 15 at the half. Those two had fantastic games. I thought we came out in the second half and did a lot of nice things.
“Charlestown is a difficult matchup, and they’ve got two all-conference players (Braun and Aaron Daniel), and they’ve got other guys around them that can really shoot and are athletic ... We knew it was going to be a battle, and I didn’t think we played with quite the sense of urgency in the first half that we needed to. The second half was a different story. I thought our guys played hard. We started to get some transition baskets, and I thought we were more efficient in the half-court in the second half.”
Joining Thompson and Snodgrass in double figures for the Braves was McCory with 11 points. Seniors McCory and Thompson had double-doubles with 12 and 10 rebounds, respectively.
Braun led Charlestown (8-5, 3-2 MSC) with 16 points and six rebounds, while Daniel scored 14 points.
“Coach Benter just told us we needed to play really good defense and get back in transition, and limit Braun and Daniel, and that’s what we did,” Snodgrass said of the second half. “Whenever we started getting a few stops, we got some momentum and got a few good looks on offense, and everybody just got going.”
The Braves (13-1, 6-0) don’t have much time to celebrate because they play host to Corydon Central tonight (10-3, 3-1) for another MSC game.
_______________________________________
Braves stay unbeaten in the MSC with win over Austin
This week’s schedule for the Brownstown Central Braves boy’s basketball team is not an easy one as they have three straight Mid-Southern Conference games and on Tuesday night, Jan. 22, they got off to a good start with a 65-56 road win over Austin.
“The fourth quarter, I didn’t think we guarded very well at all,” Braves coach Dave Benter said. “We’ve got to have some consistency for 32 minutes. We can’t have guys playing really well for two minutes here, and then breaking down the next (few) minutes. I thought Skylar (Thompson) and Brett (McCory) guarded inside well, but we’ve got to have better ball containment on the perimeter.”
The Braves jumped out to an early lead in the first quarter and held a 10-point lead, 22-12 after the first quarter and then outscored the Eagles 12-9 in the second quarter to lead 34-21 at the break.
“We’re playing a stretch of really good basketball teams coming up, so we need to be playing our best basketball right now,” Benter said. “There’s a lot of different types of teams that we’re getting ready to play. We’ve got to hopefully shoot the ball better (19 of 51) ... But I think we’ve just got to have leadership where we’re talking and consistently being focused for 32 minutes and not having lulls during games where we’re letting teams go on big runs against us.”
The Braves won the third quarter 13-11, but the home team bounced back in the fourth quarter and outscored the Braves 24-18.
Brett McCory led the Braves with 21 points, Chaz Schneider had 16 and Skylar Thompson scored 14.
The Eagles outrebounded the Braves 31-29, while Thompson and McCory both had nine.
The Braves junior varsity team stayed unbeaten with a 52-38 win. Cole Borden had 23 points and Cam Shoemaker added 16.
The Braves (12-1, 5-0) will host Charlestown on Friday night, Jan. 25.
Tuesday, Jan. 22, at Austin
BCHS 22 12 13 18 ??“ 65
AHS 12 9 11 24 ??“ 56
BCHS (12-1, 5-0): Chaz Schneider 5 4-5 16, Brett McCory 8 3-6 21, Austin Snodgrass 1 0-0 3, Chase Klinge 0 1-2 1, Skylar Thompson 3 7-8 14, Collin DeHart 0 5-7 5, Hayden Stuckwisch 1 0-0 3, Drew Shoemaker 1 0-0 2. Totals 19 20-28 65.
Austin (5-8, 1-4): Chris Mayfield 3 1-2 9, Markus Fleenor 4 2-3 10, Ben Baker 0 0-3 0, Devin Richey 5 6-6 17, Jeremiah White 1 0-0 2, Josh Turner 1 1-2 3, Josh Vires 1 0-0 2, Jake DeWitt 0 3-4 3, Cody Hendrix 4 1-1 10. Totals 19 14-21 56.
3-point goals: BCHS 7 (McCory 2, Schneider 2, Snodgrass, Thompson, Stuckwisch), Austin 4 (Mayfield 2, Richey, Hendrix); Rebounds: BCHS 29 (Thompson 9, McCory 9), Austin 31 (White 7, Turner 5); Turnovers: BCHS 12, Austin 19; Fouls: BCHS 18, Austin 18 (fouled out: White)
Junior varsity
BCHS 13 14 15 10 ??“ 52
Austin 13 5 9 11 ??“ 38
BCHS (10-0): Cole Borden 23, Cam Shoemaker 16, Kyle Benter 5, Jacoby Shade 5, DeHart 3
_______________
Braves hold off Eagles for MSC win
(Zach Spicer - the Tribune)
One Mid-Southern Conference game down, two more to go this week.
And none of them are going to be easy for the Class 3A No. 5 Brownstown Central boys basketball team.
The Braves maintained a double-digit lead for most of Tuesday’s MSC game at Austin, but the host Eagles hit some big shots late and outscored the Braves 24-18 in the fourth quarter to make the final score 65-56, favoring Brownstown.
“The fourth quarter, I didn’t think we guarded very well at all,” Braves coach Dave Benter said. “We’ve got to have some consistency for 32 minutes. We can’t have guys playing really well for two minutes here, and then breaking down the next (few) minutes. I thought Skylar (Thompson) and Brett (McCory) guarded inside well, but we’ve got to have better ball containment on the perimeter.”
Brownstown led 22-12 after one quarter and 34-21 at halftime. The Braves pushed their lead to 17 a few times in the third quarter and took a 47-32 lead into the final eight minutes.
Austin only made four 3-pointers in the game, but three of them came in the final 2:15 of the game, which made the final score close. Brownstown, though, made a few free throws down the stretch.
One nice play with 20 seconds to go was when Collin DeHart tied up an Austin player driving to the basket and forced a jump ball. Possession favored the Braves, and they were able to hold on for the win.
McCory led all players with 21 points, and he had nine rebounds. Chaz Schneider tallied 16 points, and Thompson added 14 points and nine rebounds.
For Austin (5-8, 1-4 MSC), Devin Richey led the way with 17 points, and Markus Fleenor and Cody Hendrix had 10 points apiece.
“We’re playing a stretch of really good basketball teams coming up, so we need to be playing our best basketball right now,” Benter said. “There’s a lot of different types of teams that we’re getting ready to play. We’ve got to hopefully shoot the ball better (19 of 51) ... But I think we’ve just got to have leadership where we’re talking and consistently being focused for 32 minutes and not having lulls during games where we’re letting teams go on big runs against us.”
On Friday, the Braves (12-1, 5-0 MSC) will play host to Charlestown for an MSC battle, and then on Saturday, Corydon Central comes to town for another MSC matchup.
___________________________
Brownstown Boys easily outpace Eagles at Brown County
Defense Keys win, Braves improve to 11-1
(Kevin Lilly - The Tribune)
To nearly every two-point shot hit by Brown County Friday night, Brownstown Central drained a 3-pointer in the 62-31 victory against the Eagles.
The Class 3A No. 8 Braves poured in 10 from beyond the arc compared to 13 shots total for the Eagles. The final score showed the lopsided nature of the game played inside Larry C. Banks Memorial Gymnasium at Brown County High School.
Junior Chaz Schneider led the Braves with 17 points, followed by Skylar Thompson with 12 and Brett McCory with 11.
Brownstown coach Dave Benter really liked the defensive performance of his players, but the “lulls and stretches” without putting points on the board concerned him. That can allow teams back into games.
“To be a championship-caliber team, you’ve got to be able to get it done on both ends of the floor,” Benter said.
The coach felt that during the past couple of weeks, the Braves have not had a good combination of inside and outside scoring. Like on Friday, their defense saved them, he said.
“I just didn’t think we were really attacking with a purpose. Our spacing wasn’t always good; our screening wasn’t always good; and if we didn’t score in transition, we weren’t scoring,” Benter said.
Eagles coach Roger Fleetwood spoke highly of his players’ efforts as well as the skill level of their opponent.
“They’re a really good team,” he said. “You have to guard everybody on the team.”
Fleetwood added that his players missing eight or nine layups did not help their cause. Add those 18 or so points to the scoreboard, and that changes the nature of the fourth quarter, he said.
Forward Steven Norman led Brown County with 17 points.
With the win, Brownstown improved to 11-1 on the season, while Brown County dropped to 2-10.
_______________________
Lady Braves fall in close one to Mustangs
Fouls prove difference in tough loss
Class A No. 12 New Washington doubled up on Brownstown Central in the first quarter and led by 12 at halftime of Tuesday’s girls basketball game.
The visiting Braves had a 34-29 scoring edge in the second half, but it wasn’t enough to claim the win. The Mustangs won 56-51.
“We just didn’t really start the way we needed to. We need to make sure that we play aggressive,” Braves coach Karla Rieckers said.
“I thought in the second half, we came out and outplayed them. We certainly outscored them, which was good on our part. We talked about getting ourselves back in the game, and we had it where we wanted to, but we just couldn’t overcome all the free throws they shot.”
New Washington finished the game 24 of 39 from the free-throw line, while Brownstown was only 12 of 15. Brownstown was called for 29 fouls in the game, and three girls fouled out.
The Braves’ Trinity Booher led all scorers with 19 points, including two 3-pointers and 7 of 8 from the line, and Kaylee Bennett had 12 points and a team-high nine rebounds.
Brownstown is 6-7 going into Saturday’s game at Brown County.
Tuesday, Jan. 15, at New Washington
BCHS 8 9 12 22 ??“ 51
NW 16 13 5 22 ??“ 56
BCHS (6-7): Presley Dmitriev 2 0-0 4, Kasandra Rieckers 2 0-0 4, Trinity Booher 5 7-8 19, Brooke Ebbing 2 2-2 6, Kaylee Bennett 5 1-2 12, Jaelyn Reynolds 1 0-0 2, Riley Wischmeier 1 2-3 4. Totals 18 12-15 51.
New Washington (13-2): Amick 2 3-7 9, Sarver 2 2-2 8, Johnson 3 10-14 16, Ricks 4 6-9 14, Abbott 1 2-2 4, Robertson 2 1-5 5. Totals 14 24-39 56.
3-point goals: BCHS 3 (Booher 2, Bennett), New Washington 4 (Sarver 2, Amick 2); Rebounds: BCHS 31 (Bennett 9, Reynolds 7, Ebbing 5); Turnovers: BCHS 19; Fouls: BCHS 29 (fouled out: Warren, Bennett, Ebbing), New Washington 16
Junior varsity
BCHS def. New Washington, 47-17
BCHS (13-0): Morgan Wehmiller 9, Wischmeier 8, Lorenzo 7, Ally Barnette 7, Danielle Meyer 6, Reynolds 4, Olivia Goecker 2, Bailey Bonebright 2, Madison Persinger 2.
_____________________
Lady Braves win second straight, reach .500
(Arv Koontz - The Banner)
The Brownstown Central girl’s basketball team reached the .500 mark on Saturday afternoon, and Braves coach Karla Rieckers said she felt her team came up with one of its best performances of the season.
“I thought today, for the most part, we put together a complete game,” Rieckers said after the Braves outscored Jennings County 13-4 in the third period and went on to a 46-37 win. “You could maybe take out a minute or two, here or there, but we really put together a complete game.”
The Braves presented a different look to the Panthers at the defensive end.
“We played zone all day today and that is something we typically don’t play, but we really felt with the size they had on the inside, to combat that we needed to play some zone, and I thought overall we did a nice job on that,” Rieckers said.
“We did get beat on the offensive boards. We did give up quite a few offensive boards to them, especially in the first half, and we talked about adjusting to that in the second half. Typically we have not been a strong third-quarter team. We’ve struggled in the games past and I was really pleased with our effort today.”
Jennings County jumped on top 9-2 halfway through the opening period. The Panthers were on top 12-8 going into the second period before the Braves grabbed their first lead on a jump shot from the top of the key by Trinity Booher at 17-16 with 2:40 left in the half.
The Panthers held a 23-19 lead at the half. The Panthers were on top 25-19 when the Braves went on a 7-0 run and led 28-25 on a 3-point play by Ebbing at the 2:32-mark.
The Braves made 22 of 29 free throws, including 10 of 15 in the fourth period. Jennings County was 6-for-13 for the afternoon.
Rieckers said the Braves have shot their free throws well in recent games. “You take away the first three games of the season and we’ve been a pretty good free-throw shooting team. I’m glad we could knock them down today when they counted,” she said.
The Braves held a 32-27 lead going into the final period, and led throughout. The Panthers closed the gap to 39-37 on a 3-pointer by Emma Campbell with 2:25 remaining.
Brooke Ebbing made a layup with 1:10 remaining that brought a loud cheer from the Braves fans and gave the home team a 42-37 lead, and she added two free throws with 12 seconds remaining.
Ebbing said she felt that the Braves’ mixing up their zone defense was one of the reasons the Braves outscored the Panthers 27-14 in the second half. “I don’t remember which quarter, but we went to a 3-2 and we had been playing a 2-3 and that worked out for us because we normally play man. We talked to each other and worked things out.
“The win feels good. Jennings is tough. Rieckers said we need to build on this and I totally agree with her. We need to play as a team, and have good chemistry and I think we’ll keep building and do better.”
All nine Braves that played scored at least two points with Ebbing leading the team with 13 points.
Campbell topped the Panthers with 15 points and 10 rebounds.
Rieckers said, “We’ve talked about how young we are with varsity experience returning. I said we grew up today and this was a team I knew that we had. I’d seen spurts of it. We just need to put it together consistently for four quarters.”
The Braves junior varsity team remained unbeaten on the year with a 41-30 win. Riley Wischmeier scored 12 points.
The Braves will travel to New Washington on Tuesday, Jan. 15.
Saturday, Jan. 12, at Brownstown
JC 12 11 4 10 ??“ 37
BCHS 8 11 13 14 ??“ 46
BCHS (6-6): Allie Warren 1 6-8 8, Brooke Ebbing 3 7-9 13, Kaylee Bennett 1 2-2 4, Kasandra Rieckers 1 2-4 4, Trinity Booher 2 3-4 7, Presley Dmitriev 1 0-0 2, Jaelyn Reynolds 0 2-2 2, Kaley Wilkerson 2 0-0 4, Riley Wischmeier 2 0-0 2. Totals 12 22-29 46.
Jennings County (5-8): Kirsten Biggs 2 2-5 7, Emily Ertel 0 2-2 2, Emma Campbell 7 0-1 15, Sydney Kirchner 2 0-2 4, Halea Petro 0 0-0 0, Baylee Krueger 3 2-3 9. Totals 14 6-13 37.
3-point goals: Jennings County 2 (Biggs, Campbell); Rebounds: BCHS 26 (Bennett 7, Rieckers 6), Jennings County34 (Campbell 10, Biggs 7); Turnovers: BCHS 22, Jennings County 19; Fouls: BCHS 15, Jennings County 23 (fouled out: Krueger).
Junior varsity
JC 5 6 12 7 ??“ 30
BCHS 11 10 5 15 ??“ 41
BCHS (12-0): Wischmeier 12, Morgan Wehmiller 6, Reynolds 6, Ally Lorenzo 6, Olivia Goecker 5, Elizabeth Lee 4, Bailey Bonebright 2.
_______________
Braves break away in half to burn the Dragons
Team overcomes sluggish first half offense to gain MSC Win
Fifteen points in the first half certainly wasn’t what Brownstown Central boys basketball fans were used to seeing.
In Friday’s Mid-Southern Conference game, though, Silver Creek’s zone frustrated the Braves, and they settled for 3-pointers and didn’t pound the ball inside.
The score was 15-all at halftime. But in the third quarter, Brownstown finally broke through and outscored Silver Creek 15-1 on its way to a 39-23 victory.
“It was frustrating offensively,” Braves coach Dave Benter said of the first half. “(The Dragons) had a lot to do with that. They cover spots. They are long and athletic ... We just got really impatient and settled for all 3s in the first half. When we did get the ball inside, I didn’t think our big guys were very effective with it.”
Following a halftime talk, the Braves got the ball going in transition and in the post.
“We really talked about at halftime getting the ball inside and doing something with it, and we did,” Benter said. “We got the ball inside, and our post guys were much more effective when they got the ball inside.”
Skylar Thompson’s third basket of the third quarter at 1:44 gave Brownstown a 30-16 lead, and that scored held until the start of the final quarter.
“The third quarter, we played awfully well,” Benter said. “What we were able to do is get the ball inside, and then we were able to kick it out some, and (the Dragons) had to scramble a little bit to cover our shooters. That opened things back inside a little bit.”
Brownstown forced Silver Creek into 12 second-half turnovers, and the Dragons only shot 3 of 16 from the field.
“Our defense really saved us tonight,” Benter said. “I thought we guarded really well for 32 minutes, and I thought Silver Creek defended us well. It wasn’t a pretty game for fans, but I thought both teams played really hard. I have no problem with our effort. Effort-wise, I’m happy as can be. We’ve just got to get better attacking zones and doing things like that.”
Thompson had a double-double of 10 points and 13 rebounds, and the Braves’ Brett McCory also scored 10 points.
Brooks Howell led Silver Creek (3-9, 0-5) with eight points.
The Braves improved to 4-0 in the MSC and 10-1 overall, and on Friday, they will travel to play Brown County.
| Silver Creek | 4 | 11 | 1 | 7 | -- | 23 |
| Brownstown | 8 | 7 | 15 | 9 | -- | 39 |
Silver Creek (3-9) - Howell 8, Durham 4, Barnett 5, Bauer 4, Garr 2.
Brownstown (10-1) - B. McCory 10, Thompson 10, Schneider 8, Snodgrass 5, Klinge 4, Patman 2.
3-point goals - Howell 2, Barnett, Schneider 2, McCory, Snodgrass.
________________________
Braves tie School Record with 17 three-pointers
Offensive explosion lead to rout of Rebels
(Arv Koontz - The Tribune)
The Brownstown Central boys basketball team dominated Southwestern from the start Saturday and rolled to a 104-39 nonconference win on the road.
The Braves tied a school record along the way with 17 3-point baskets. The 2004-05 team hit that mark against Crothersville.
Brownstown shot 8 for 15 from 3-point land in the first half and 9 for 16 in the second half.
Chaz Schneider and Hayden Stuckwisch led the long-range shooting with five 3s apiece, while Brett McCory made four and Austin Snodgrass, Skylar Thompson and Zach McCory each had one.
Schnedier made his third 3-pointer at 6:48 of the opening period to make the score 9-1, and the Braves’ lead reached 20-1 before the Rebels made their first field goal.
Thompson got hot inside with five baskets to help the Braves open up a 36-7 lead at the end of the opening quarter. The Braves went on an 11-0 run in the second period and held a 54-14 lead at the half.
“We came out and tried to pull away like we did (Friday) night,” Thompson said. “We had a lot of focus and were ready to play, and we got on them early.
“Everybody got the ball to everybody tonight. We all found everybody and passed the ball off real nice. We were unselfish, and all in all, we did a really good thing tonight. We’ve started off the second half of the year right, and hopefully, we can keep it that way.”
The Braves continued their domination in the third quarter with a 17-1 run that made it a 71-15 game.
“I thought, obviously, our starters played well,” Braves coach Dave Benter said. “Two years ago, we came here and (Southwestern) came out with a ton of energy and really baffled us in the first half. I told our guys we needed to come out right from the start and play with energy, and the first three minutes, I thought we did that.”
Jacoby Shade made two free throws with 3:12 remaining in the game to bring the Braves’ point total to 100. They reached the century mark in back-to-back games last season with 101 against Scottsburg and 100 against North Harrison.
Thompson led the way with 23 points; Schneider added 21; Brett McCory had 18, and Stuckwisch finished with 17. Seven other Braves scored in the game.
“Our bench has played well the last three games,” Benter said. “We had 27 assists (on 39 baskets). I thought our guys were very unselfish and moved the ball well. Obviously, we shot the ball exceptionally well (39 for 65).
“They started off in a zone and we hit a bunch of 3s, then they went man and we hit a bunch of 3s. They did a lot of different things, and that was good for us. I thought for the second-straight night, we played with a lot of energy.”
Mackenzy Witherd topped the Rebels with 10 points.
On Friday, the Braves (9-1) will play host to Silver Creek for a Mid-Southern Conference game
__________________________
Braves Roll to Non-Conference wins
Brownstown Central High School boys’ basketball team showed Southwestern (Hanover) and West Washington during the weekend why it is one of the top Class 3A teams in the state.
On Saturday night, Jan. 5, the Braves tied a school record with 17 three-point baskets in rolling to a 104-39 win on the Rebels’ floor.
On Friday night, Jan. 4, the Braves overcame a slow start before pulling ahead 19-7 at the end of the first period and coasted to a 68-24 win over West Washington at home.
At Hanover the Braves tied? the school record? for three-point baskets set by the 2004-05 team against Crothersville.
Brownstown shot 8-for-15 in 3-pointers in the first half and 9-for-16 in the second half.
Chaz Schneider and Hayden Stuckwisch led the long-range shooting with five 3-pointers apiece, Brett McCory made four, and Austin Snodgrass, Skylar Thompson and Zach McCory had one apiece.
Schneider made his third 3-pointer at 6:48 of the opening period to make the score 9-1, and the score reached 20-1 before the Rebels made their first field goal.
Thompson got hot inside with five baskets to help the Braves open up a 36-7 lead at the end of the opening period. The Braves went on an 11-0 run in the second period and held a 54-14 lead at the half.
Thompson said he was pleased to see the Braves jump into the early lead. “We had a lot of focus and were ready to play and we got on them early.
Everybody got the ball to everybody tonight. We were unselfish and all-in-all we did a really good thing tonight. We’ve started off the second half of the year right and hopefully we can keep it that way.”
The Braves continued their domination in the third quarter with a 17-1 run that made it a 71-15 game.
“I thought, obviously, our starters played well,” Braves coach Dave Benter said. “Two years ago we came here and they came out with a ton of energy and really baffled us in the first half. I told our guys we needed to come out right from the start and play with energy and the first three minutes I thought we did that.
“We had great balance,” Benter said as Thompson topped the team with 23 points, Schneider added 21, Brett McCory 18, and Stuckwisch 17, and 11 players scored. “Our bench has played well the last three games. We had 27 assists (on 39 baskets). I thought our guys were very unselfish and moved the ball well. Obviously, we shot the ball exceptionally well (39 for 65).
“They started off in a zone and we hit a bunch of threes, then they went man and we hit a bunch of threes. They did a lot of different things and that was good for us. I thought for the second straight night we played with a lot of energy.”
Jacoby Shade made two free throws with 3:12 remaining to bring the Braves’ point total to 100. They reached the century mark in back-to-back games last season with 101 against Scottsburg and 100 against North Harrison.
Mackenzy Witherd topped the Rebels with 10 points.
The Braves junior varsity team also got in the scoring act as they defeated the Rebels 73-21. Jacoby Shade scored 14 points, while Zach McCory, Cole Borden and Kyle Benter all had 10.
Braves pound Senators
Benter said the Braves put forth one of its best all-around performances of the season on Friday night against West Washington. “I thought our effort was great for 32 minutes. That might be the best effort we’ve had all year defensively.
“I knew this team was capable of defending at the level we did, and I thought we defended exceptionally well tonight the whole game.” The Braves held the Senators to single digits in each quarter, held the visitors to 8-for-32 shooting from the floor, and Brownstown had 17 steals.
The Braves were on top 8-4 before Schneider hit two 3-point shots from the left wing, and another from the right side that sparked the Braves to a 11-3 run and a 19-7 lead after the first quarter.
“I told our guys if we keep playing with the energy we were playing with early in the game, and quit turning the ball over, that good things would happen and they did happen,” Benter said. “We made a nice run late in the first and we made another one in the second quarter and we continued in the second half.”
Austin Snodgrass drove for a pair of layups and Stuckwisch drilled a pair of 3-point baskets to help the Braves outscore the Senators 15-5 in the second period for a 34-12 lead at the half.
Benter said he was pleased to see his team continue to play with a high level of intensity in the second half.
“Sometimes its difficult to play with the lead that we had,” he said. “I thought our guys still played really hard in the second half.”
The Braves, who did not have any turnovers in the second period and only three in the second half, made 28 of 51 shots from the floor, including 10 of 20 3-pointers.
Brett McCory had the hot hand in the third period with a layup, a rebound basket and a 3-pointer to help the Braves shoot 9-for-13 in the quarter to outscore the Senators 19-3 to extend its lead to 53-15 going into the fourth period.?
“Coming out of the tournament coach didn’t think we were playing to our full potential and effort,” McCory said. “Tonight we really focused on coming out and playing hard and getting a lot of stops on defense and that led to a lot of fast breaks for us. Coach said if we take care of the ball we’re going to be really hard to stop in our half-court, and we’ll get our shots if we just be patient. That really worked out for us in the last three quarters.”
Ten Braves scored with Schneider leading with 13 points.
The Braves junior varsity team remained unbeaten with a 61-16 win over the Senators. Shade led with 15 points.
Brownstown is 9-1 and will face Silver Creek on Friday, Jan. 11 for a Mid-Southern Conference game.
Saturday, Jan. 5, at Hanover
BCHS 36 18 30 20 ??“ 104
SW 7 7 7 18 ??“ 39
BCHS (9-1): Chaz Schneider 8 0-0 21, Brett McCory 7 0-0 18, Skylar Thompson 10 2-3 23, Craig Klinge 2 0-0 4, Austin Snodgrass 1 0-0 3, Collin DeHart 2 0-0 4, Hayden Stuckwisch 5 2-2 17, Kory Kovert 2 0-2 4, Zach McCory 1 1-1 4, Drew Shoemaker 1 0-1 2, Jacoby Shade 0 4-4 4. Totals 39 9-13 104.
Southwestern (Hanover) (3-8): Gunnar Henry 2 0-0 5, Nick Wyne 1 0-0 2, Stephen Howell 2 0-1 4, Darius Whitson 3 2-2 8, Michael Perry 1 3-6 5, Mackenzy Witherd 3 4-8 10, Tristan Embs 1 2-2 4, Zach Brooks 0 1-2 1. Totals 13 12-21 39.
3-point goals: BCHS 17 (Schneider 5, Stuckwisch 5, B. McCory 4, Snodgrass, Z. McCory, Thompson), Southwestern Hanover 1 (Henry); Rebounds: BCHS 43 (B. McCory 8, Schneider 7), Southwestern (Hanover) 16 (Howell 3, Brooks 3); Turnovers: BCHS 12, Southwestern (Hanover) 17; Fouls: BCHS 22 (fouled out: Patman), Southwestern (Hanover) 17 (fouled out: Howell).
Junior varsity
BCHS 16 14 22 21 ??“ 73
SW 7 2 2 10 ??“ 21
Brownstown Central (10-0): Shade 14, Z. McCory 12, Cole Borden 12, Kyle Benter 10, C. Shoemaker 9, D. Shoemaker 6, Darrell Branaman 5, DeHart 3, Clay Brown 2.
? Friday, Jan. 4, at Brownstown
WW 7 5 3 9 ??“ 24
BCHS 19 15 19 15 ??“ 68
West Washington: Ty Bolton 2 2-2 8, Evan Woods 2 0-0 4, Chad Thompson 2 3-6 8, Lane Hoover 2 0-3 4. Totals 8 5-11 24.
BCHS: Schneider 5 0-0 13, B. McCory 4 0-0 9, Thompson 3 0-0 6, Klinge 1 1-2 4, Snodgrass 3 0-0 6, DeHart 1 1-1 4, Stuckwisch 4 0-0 10, Patman 3 0-0 7, Kovert 2 0-0 4, Z. McCory 2 0-0 4. Totals 28 2-3 68.
3-point goals: BCHS 10 (Schneider 3, Stuckwisch 2, Patman, B. McCory, DeHart, Z. McCory, Klinge), West Washington 3 (Bolton 2, Thompson); Rebounds: BCHS 27 (Thompson 10, B. McCory 4), West Washington 21 (Hoover 7, Thompson 4); Turnovers: BCHS 8, West Washington 19; Fouls: BCHS 15, West Washington 4.
Junior varsity
WW 2 6 3 5 ??“ 16
BCHS 17 17 17 10 ??“ 61
BCHS: Shade 15, C. Shoemaker 10, Z. McCory 9, D. Shoemaker 7, DeHart 7, Borden 5, Benter 5, Clay Brown 3.
_________________________
Barreling through: Brownstown wallops West Washington
Defensive effort moves Braves to 8-1 on the year
(Arv Koontz - The Tribune)
Coach Dave Benter thought his Brownstown Central boys basketball team put forth one of its best all-around performances of the season Friday night against West Washington.
“I thought our effort was great for 32 minutes,” he said following a 68-24 win. “That might be the best effort we’ve had all year defensively. I knew this team was capable of defending at the level we did, and I thought we defended exceptionally well tonight the whole game.”
The Braves held the Senators to single digits in each quarter and 8-for-32 shooting from the floor. Brownstown had 17 steals, and West Washington had 19 turnovers.
The one drawback, Benter said, was getting off to a slow start because of committing five turnovers early in the game. The Braves were on top 8-4 before Chaz Schneider hit two 3-point shots from the left wing and another from the right side that sparked the Braves to a 11-3 run and a 19-7 lead at the end of the first quarter.
“I told our guys if we keep playing with the energy we were playing with early in the game and quit turning the ball over, that good things would happen, and they did happen,” Benter said. “We made a nice run late in the first, and we made another one in the second quarter, and we continued in the second half.”
Austin Snodgrass drove for a pair of layups, and Hayden Stuckwisch drilled a pair of 3-point baskets to help the Braves outscore the Senators 15-5 in the second period for a 34-12 lead at the half.
Benter said he was pleased to see his team continue to play with a high level of intensity in the second half.
“Sometimes it’s difficult to play with the lead that we had,” he said. “I thought our guys still played really hard in the second half.”
The Braves, who did not have any turnovers in the second period and only three in the second half, made 28 of 51 shots from the floor, including 10 of 20 3-pointers.
Brett McCory had the hot hand in the third period with a layup, a rebound basket and a 3-pointer to help the Braves shoot 9 for 13 in the quarter and outscore the Senators 19-3. They took a 53-15 lead into the fourth period. The Senators shot 0 for 7 from the floor in the third quarter.
“Coming out of the (holiday) tournament, coach didn’t think we were playing to our full potential and effort,” McCory said. “Tonight, we really focused on coming out and playing hard and getting a lot of stops on defense, and that led to a lot of fast breaks for us.”
“Coach said if we take care of the ball, we’re going to be really hard to stop in our half-court, and we’ll get our shots if we just be patient. That really worked out for us in the last three quarters.”
Ten Braves scored, with Schneider leading with 13; Stuckwisch had 10,and McCory added nine.
“I thought our bench played well,” Benter said. “That’s two games in a row our bench has come in and played well. On nights when it’s a fast-paced game and our starters need rest or we’re in foul trouble or have injuries, it’s nice to see our bench play as well as they have the last couple games.
“Hopefully, it’s a good sign of things to come for the second half of the year. I was wasn’t so pleased with our effort at the tournament at times, but I thought our effort tonight was exceptional.”
Chad Thompson and Ty Bolton topped the Senators with eight points each.
The Braves take a record of 8-1 into tonight’s game at Southwestern (Hanover).
______________________
Braves tame Bulldogs for Third-Place Finish
Win moves Braves to 7-1 on season
(Dennis Dunn - The Tribune)
After suffering its first loss of the season Saturday, the Class 3A No. 6 Brownstown Central boys basketball team bounced back Monday, beating Class A No. 6 Orleans 74-66 in the third-place game of the Graber Post Buildings Classic.
Orleans was leading 10-6 in the first quarter when Brownstown’s Skylar Thompson hit two free throws and Hayden Stuckwisch came off the bench and scored four-straight points to give the Braves a 12-10 lead. The teams were knotted at 14 at the end of the quarter.
Trey Bradley gave the Bulldogs their final lead of the game, 15-14. The Braves broke a 17-all tie with Kory Kovert getting open on a backdoor cut for a layup and Chaz Schneider draining a shot, and they never trailed again.
Bradley made a basket to cut the Braves’ lead to 25-22, but Stuckwisch nailed a 3-pointer, Schneider scored a basket, Brett McCory hit a runner in the lane and Collin DeHart closed out the quarter with a 3-pointer to give the Braves a 35-22 halftime lead.
“At times, we played better,” Braves coach Dave Benter said. “I thought we did some good things, but we sure didn’t play consistent. We had some stretches where I thought we did some good things, but we also had some stretches where we really broke down on defense. That is something we have to get corrected, and I think the ceiling for this team on defense is high. The last five quarters, we have not done that.”
The second half was an offensive outburst by both teams, and the Bulldogs outscored the Braves 44-39.
With 2:20 left in the third quarter, Stuckwisch hit two free throws for a 51-33 lead, their biggest of the game.
The Bulldogs then scored the final seven points of the third quarter and the first three points of the fourth to trim the Braves’ lead to 51-44. But McCory responded with six-straight points to put the Braves back on top by double digits.
“We played well in the second and the start of the third quarter,” Benter said. “We hit a spurt late in the third and early in the fourth where we were breaking down on defense and started to get unsure of the basketball on offense. When we take care of the basketball, good things happen.
“In the first half, we have two turnovers and up 13, but in the second half, we started to turn the ball over and started to give up some layups on the other end, and all of a sudden, they have the momentum again. Tonight, we regrouped and took care of the ball the final two minutes of the game.”
Thompson led the Braves with a double-double of 17 points and 13 rebounds. Stuckwisch had 16 points, Schneider scored 13, and McCory tallied 10.
“Hayden gave us a huge spark tonight,” Benter said. “He came in, scored the basketball, but he also took care of it and guarded people pretty well. Hayden and Skylar (Thompson) were huge for us in the first half, as they both came out ready to play. I also thought Brett settled down in the second half and played well.”
Bradley led all scorers with 24 points.
On Friday, the Braves (7-1) will play host to West Washington.
Third Place Game
Saturday, DeOHS 14 8 19 25 ??“ 66
BCHS 14 21 16 23 ??“ 74
BCHS (7-1): Chaz Schneider 4 5-6 13, Brett McCory 5 0-1 10, Austin Snodgrass 2 1-2 6, Chase Klinge 1 3-3 5, Skylar Thompson 3 11-12 17, Collin DeHart 2 0-0 5, Hayden Stuckwisch 6 2-2 16, Kory Kovert 1 0-0 2. Totals 24 22-26 74
Orleans (7-3): Trey Bradley 10 3-4 24, Jacob Barkley 2 1-2 5, Jarrett Jones 5 4-4 14, Tommy Mitchell 4 1-2 9, Cale Hall 3 4-6 10, Taylor Tritle 1 0-0 2, Burton Gerkin 1 0-0 2. Totals 26 13-18 66
3-point goals: BCHS 4 (Stuckwisch 2, DeHart, Snodgrass), Orleans 1 (Bradley); Rebounds: BCHS 32 (Thompson 13, McCory 7), Orleans 21 (Barkley 7, Jones 4); Turnovers: BCHS 8, Orleans 10; Fouls: BCHS 13, Orleans 18
_______________________________________
Butlerville Squirrel Stunt made History
BUTLERVILLE, Ind-- One of the most storied tales of Hoosier Hysteria folklore, and one of my personal favorites, took place during sectional week way back during the 1922-23 season. Think today's controversies make news? If the Internet would've been around back then, you can best bet your last Hoosier nickel that the Butlerville Squirrel Stunt would've been burning up the message boards...
Butlerville High School's Raymond "Fats" Rees was as big as Butlerville was small. Standing 6-4 and weighing 240 pounds, this center was truly a big man for that day and age. After reading an account of a similar story in a Michigan paper and speaking to his coach, Herb Whitcomb, the team began practicing the 'play.'
These Bulldogs also sported a 5 foot 11" point forward named Merlin Swarthout. This rather odd couple made up the components for what turned out to be a game winning and very controversial strategy.
Fats Rees would station himself near the front of the rim as the rest of the squad worked the ball around the outside. Little man Swarthout would then make a bee line for a crouching Rees and scramble up his back, ending up on his shoulders. Another Butlerville Bulldog would then throw the lob pass to the towering duo. Swarthout would catch the pas and score easily from his lofty position.
Of note was the fact that the goal was always scored on a bank shot as Coach Whitcomb thought a dunk 'unfair.'
The first time the play was used was in a regular season tilt against Jennings County rival, Scipio. The played worked to perfection and the Scipio contingent, certain that the play was legal, never argued the point.
However, the real news came when the Bulldogs used it a second time - in the Seymour Sectional vs. the Hayden Haymakers. They wasted little time as they unveiled their secret in the first half. The Haymakers were so upset and argued so fervently that they let the rest of the game slip away, losing 36-16.
The very next day Butlerville found themselves down 14-15 in the waning moments of their game against heavily favored Vernon. Rees and Swarthout unleashed the play in the closing seconds. The squirrel stunt ended Vernon's season 16-15.
Sectional officials were aware of the play since the Hayden win. They had hurriedly called IHSAA commissioner Arthur Trester in Indianapolis to inquire about the play's legality. However, since nothing in the rule book addressed such things specifically, the play was allowed to stand.
Butlerville was pretty much outgunned in the sectional final against mighty Seymour. The Bulldogs never even attempted to use their trick play. ..And that was the last of the Squirrel Stunt. During the off season, the IHSAA changed the rules to disallow "player assisted" field goals.
Word at that time was that the Squirrel Stunt brought newspaper accounts from as far away as San Francisco. Both Rees and Coach Whitcomb retired to farms in Jennings County. Swarthout would move out to Oklahoma. And the rest, as they say, is history.
___________________________________
Vikings Capitalize on Braves Late Mistakes
Barr-Reeve hands Braves first loss of season
It was the one that got away.
After bolting out to a 23-11 lead through one quarter and leading by seven at halftime of Saturday’s Graber Post Buildings Classic semifinal game, the Class 3A No. 6 Brownstown Central boys basketball team made some uncharacteristic mistakes down the stretch.
The Braves were outscored 19-5 in the fourth quarter, allowing Class A No. 2 Barr-Reeve to rally for a 60-55 win. Both teams entered the game unbeaten.
“I don’t think it’s that we didn’t play with energy like (Friday) night. We just didn’t play very smart in the last four or five minutes,” Braves coach Dave Benter said. “I told our guys after the game, ‘You don’t lose games when you’ve got the lead that we had’ ... We just made some really silly decisions late in the game offensively and defensively.
“A couple of silly turnovers, a couple bad shots, and all of a sudden, it seems like every turnover or bad shot we took led to a basket for them. So really, it was turning from one mistake into two. I told our guys (Friday) night I was really disappointed in our effort. Tonight, I’m more disappointed in our decision-making.”
The Braves took a 50-41 lead into the fourth quarter. But four of the five Vikings starters scored in the final period, and Addison Wagler converted the team’s sixth three-point play of the game at 2:57 to pull within 53-51.
The teams traded baskets before the Braves committed turnovers at 1:35 and 50 seconds, and those led to the Vikings getting to the free-throw line and taking a 56-55 lead. Brownstown then missed shots on its end of the court and was forced to foul. Barr-Reeve was 20 of 22 from the line in the game, including 10 of 11 in the fourth quarter.
The loss was difficult to accept because the Braves got off to a solid start, forcing two Viking timeouts during an 11-0 run in the first quarter and shooting 60 percent from the field in the first half. They made six 3-pointers in the first half, but only had two in the final 16 minutes.
“We came out with a lot of energy tonight, but we knew the way we shot the ball early, you can’t shoot that way for 32 minutes,” Benter said. “We knew (the Vikings) would come back, but we still had the game won at the end if we just play intelligent basketball and make our free throws and rebound the ball, and we didn’t do that.”
Four of the Braves’ starters scored in double figures, with Skylar Thompson leading the way with 16 points.
The Vikings had three double-digit scorers, led by Micah Bullock’s 18 points.
At 3 p.m. today, the Braves (6-1) will play Class A No. 6 Orleans (7-2), which lost to host North Daviess 47-38 in Saturday’s other semifinal, for third place. Following that game, the No. 7 Cougars (8-1) will battle the Vikings (9-0) for the tournament title.
“It’s early in the season, and that’s a positive. But if we get in this situation again and make the same mistakes, then we don’t gain anything from tonight,” Benter said. “I told them the last time we played in the consolation game here, we came out and laid an egg and didn’t play well. So I kind of challenged them and said I expect them to come out and put this behind us and be ready to play (today).”
Semifinal
BR 11 18 12 19 ??“ 60
BCHS 23 13 14 5 ??“ 55
BCHS (6-1): Chaz Schneider 5 0-0 11, Brett McCory 5 2-4 12, Austin Snodgrass 4 0-0 10, Skylar Thompson 5 3-4 16, Collin DeHart 2 0-0 6. Totals: 21 5-8 55.
Barr-Reeve (9-0): Brandon Wagler 2 1-1 6, Micah Bullock 5 6-8 18, Logan James 2 6-6 11, Addison Wagler 6 5-5 17, Jacob Bledsoe 3 0-0 6, Heath Graber 0 2-2 2. Totals 18 20-22 60.
3-point goals: BCHS 8 (Thompson 3, Snodgrass 2, DeHart 2, Schneider), Barr-Reeve 4 (Bullock 2, B. Wagler, James); Rebounds: BCHS 24 (McCory 7, Thompson 6), Barr-Reeve 26 (A. Wagler 9, Bullock 5); Turnovers: BCHS 14, Barr-Reeve 9; Fouls: BCHS 19 (fouled out: Klinge), Barr-Reeve 10
_____________________________
Braves pick up pace late, Thump Rangers
Braves advance to semi-final round against unbeaten Barr-Reeve
(Zach Spicer - The Tribune)
Brett McCory took matters into his own hands, and his teammates followed suit.
In Friday’s first-round matchup against Forest Park in the Graber Post Buildings Classic, the Brownstown Central boys basketball team fought to pull even at 20 with 1:20 left in the first half. But in the final 10 seconds, the Braves gave up a pair of 3-pointers to trail by six at the break.
McCory bullied his way inside for half of his team’s first-half points, and a halftime pep talk got his team in gear. The Braves outscored the Rangers 38-14 in the second half for a 58-40 victory.
“We just weren’t ready to play, and that starts with us leaders — me, Skylar (Thompson), Chase (Klinge) and Chaz (Schneider),” McCory said. “We’ve just got to have the team ready to play from the get-go. We didn’t do a very good job of that tonight.”
But at halftime, McCory said, “We just said we had to start playing better, or (the Rangers) are going to beat us, and we came out with a lot more energy than the first half, and it worked to our advantage late in the third and early in the fourth.”
The Braves were limited to six points in the first quarter, and they had a 14-10 scoring advantage in the second quarter before the Rangers hit those two late 3s.
With 1:33 remaining in the third quarter, McCory drove to the basket, faked a shot and converted a three-point play for a 32-31 lead. The Braves took a 34-32 lead into the fourth quarter, and then they went on an 11-1 run and maintained a double-digit lead.
“We just played with a lot more effort on the defensive end and got into them, and it led to fast-break points,” McCory said of the second half. “That’s what we needed to do.”
Braves coach Dave Benter said his team was simply outplayed in the first half.
“They played with so much more energy than us in the first half,” Benter said. “I’m not sure that we either matched their energy in the second half or they got tired, one or the other. But they really deserved to win this game, probably.
“The other big thing was we had 11 turnovers at the half and only two in the second half,” he added. “That’s what we talked about at halftime, just how much harder they played than us and us not being able to take care of the ball. But credit them. I really thought they played much harder than what we did, and I kind of expected it.”
That’s because of what Benter recently saw at practice.
“We haven’t practiced well for a week, week and a half, and we’ve got to get better. We’ve got to become a better practice team,” he said. “I had no complaints with this team early in the season. We practiced really hard. But we haven’t the last week. So we’ve got to get back to square one no matter what happens the rest of the tournament.”
McCory finished with a game-high 21 points, and Schneider scored all 14 of his points in the fourth quarter.
Joel Weyer was the only Rangers player scoring in double figures, leading the way with 20 points.
At 7:30 p.m. today, the Braves (6-0) will play Barr-Reeve (8-0), a 69-25 winner against South Knox in Friday’s first round.
Scoring: McCory 21, Schneider 14, Thompson 6, Stuckwisch 6, DeHart 5, Klinge 2, Patman 2, Shade 2
________________________
The Night Before Christmas
An oldie but goodie, courtesy of "Hickory Husker"
INDIANA -- A heatfelt Merry Christmas to all those fine folks that hold Hoosier Hysteria so dear. How great it is that so many people across so many communities find this wonderful common denominator in high school basketball. While there are many, many regulars on the message board that I have yet to meet in person, I feel like we're old friends. Please enjoy our annual holiday offering...
*** The Night Before Christmas ***
Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the county,
Not a creature was stirring, not even a Southmont Mountie.
AD's printed programs and popped corn with care,
In the hopes that basketballs would soon fill the air.
The fans nestled all snug in their familiar seats,
A hot Barn Burner could not be beat.
The reporters on hand with camera and pen,
Had just arrived, Let the action begin!
The lights on the ceiling were on and aglow,
Giving off a luster to the hardwood below.
When, what to my wondering eyes should arrive,
But a pair of officials and two starting fives.
More rapid than Kouts Mustangs these cagers they came,
And the coach whistled, and hollered instructions he sang.
"Press! Box out! Cut him off! Shoot the three!"
Hit the jumper, get fouled. How bad can these refs be?
Red Devils, Falcons, Hatchets, Eagles, and Saints,
Too many classes could make any fan faint.
So up to the rim these Alices they flew,
With the ball in hand between an Northview Knight or two.
As I drew up my pen to jot down a note,
The officials' whistles sounded a note.
"Foul on 32!" the zebra did cry,
"Sir, you are horrible." the coach said with a sigh.
His eyes how they twinkled, his dimples how merry.
The cheerblock went crazy - a rowdy bunch of Logansport Berries.
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a pea,
The official responded by calling a T.
New Castle Trojan fans wailed and cried,
Boone Grove Wolves thought surely they'd died.
Slicer fans groaned and the Hauser faithful nearly threw up,
The floor was showered with programs and crumpled soda cups.
All evening his partner had made up for his portly condition,
Working twice as hard because he was always out of position.
Muncie fans were livid, their eyes full of rage,
Was it possible this ref could top their ex-coach's age?
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old dude,
The Kokomo crowd answered his T with a chorus of boos.
The reaction of the fans, the ref had affected.
The loudest Kat offender soon was ejected.
The ref spoke not but went back to his game,
And his next call was greeted with more of the same.
So laying the finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod to the very last rows.
He grabbed the microphone and addressed the rabid crowd.
The stands went silent, his voice rang out loud.
And I heard him exclaim in a voice filled with reason,
"Merry Christmas to all and to all a good season."
It happens nightly all over our great state,
Hoosier Hills, NCC, and even Big Eight.
Fans will get angry and scream to the ceiling,
About an official's call that sent their home team realing.
As bad as it can get in every corner of state,
Blood presures rise, and boy is it great.
You see we all come back night after night,
To watch our great game beneath the bright gym lights.
Jug Rox and Clovers battle from east to west,
Mohawks and Millers each one feels they're the best.
Many fans wonder what the State might pass,
But when it comes to Hoosier Hysteria all our teams have class.
Merry Christmas!
_______________________________________
Braves Senior excels in Tennis, Basketball
While playing tennis and basketball at Brownstown Central High School, Skylar Thompson said he uses whichever hand will give him the most success.
“I play tennis left-handed,” he said. “I’m dominant left-handed, but I can switch it up. It just depends on what I have to do.
“I shoot right-handed in basketball. In basketball, I like doing everything right-handed. My left hand just isn’t as strong as my right hand is.”
During his sophomore year in basketball, Thompson split his playing time between junior varsity and varsity. He moved into the starting varsity lineup early in his junior year, and he has started ever since.
Thompson said he prefers to play in the low post, but if he is playing high post and goes out to shoot a jump shot, he would rather shoot from the right side.
“That is probably my dominant spot, on the right side,” he said. “I don’t mind going outside. I like to shoot the outside shot when I need to. I’m just dominant in the post right now.”
He said he switches between high post and low post with fellow senior Brett McCory.
“It just depends on what kind of position we’re in,” he said. “We both play all positions. We play really well together. If he’s on the high post and I’m in the low post, we both know where each other’s going to be at, and we try to get each other the ball as much as we can.”
Thompson had a career-high 24 points Saturday night at Mitchell. He scored 20 points against Scottsburg his junior year.
“I try to move around a lot and keep myself in position to where I can go up and get a rebound when I need to and get in a scoring position,” he said. “I try to use my athleticism to get around and score on people. I would rather play against man-to-man because I can make better moves.”
On defense, he likes to play man-to-man and press.
“We do a lot of trapping at the midcourt line,” he said. “I like getting up and down the court. I’m trying to get up and down the court a lot better this year. You put yourself in position better if you run the court better.”
For the past two fall seasons of tennis, Thompson played varsity doubles with Skylar Luedeman. They were at No. 2 doubles as juniors and No. 1 doubles this past season, posting 19 and 16 wins, respectively.
“We knew each other really well,” Thompson said. “We knew how to play with each other and how to win.”
Going from No. 2 doubles to No. 1 doubles, Thompson said he could definitely tell a difference in the level of the competition.
“At No. 1 doubles, (opponents) just stacked their teams,” he said. “It seemed at No. 1 doubles, they put a lot more people that could play a lot better together.”
Thompson said he preferred playing doubles.
“I like being with a partner and having him help you,” he said. “I’m so big (6-foot-4), and I can play the net pretty good, and I need a partner that’s little, that can run around in back. I could pretty much get to any shot if it was within my reach.”
The Braves had 20-plus wins the past three seasons, and Thompson expects that to continue.
“The talent level just keeps building and building,” he said. “We’ve got younger kids coming in that are proving themselves and showing they can come right in and pick it up.”
Thompson said you have to be mentally prepared to play either sport.
“You have to be in the right state of mind, and you have to put it in your head that you can do it. You can’t get down on yourself,” he said.
As the basketball team is off to another good start, Thompson said he looks back on his career at Brownstown with pride.
“I’ll remember all the friends I’ve made, all my teammates and all the coaches, the teachers,” he said. “Everybody makes you feel like you’re wanted. It’s been great playing at Brownstown.”
_________________
McCory's triple-double leads Braves over Mitchell
MITCHELL
Four turnovers, three double-figure scorers, two career-highlight performances, one team.
In Saturday’s 85-42 win at Mitchell, the Class 3A No. 6 Brownstown Central boys basketball team didn’t commit a turnover until the second half. Senior Brett McCory finished with his first triple-double — 16 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds — and senior Skylar Thompson scored a career-high 24 points, while junior Chaz Schneider
added 20.
McCory has scored in double figures in all five games this season, while Schneider and Thompson have recorded double-digit scoring four times each.
“When we don’t turn the ball over and we rebound as well as we have, good things are going to happen for this team offensively,” Braves coach Dave Benter said. “This team, through five games, has been so unselfish. They’ve been a lot of fun to watch because of how they’ve made the extra pass.
“I think it all starts at the top with Brett. He’s the guy that can demand a double-team because of his ability to play inside and outside.”
The Braves scored the first 15 points of the game, and McCory’s only 3-pointer of the night at 2:23 made it 20-1. The Braves led 22-5 through eight minutes.
Brownstown forced Mitchell into eight turnovers in the second quarter, and the Braves stretched their lead to 45-18 at halftime.
“We came out with a lot more energy than what we came out with (Friday) night,” Benter said. “The first three or four minutes, I don’t think (Mitchell) got a defensive rebound. Every shot we attempted, we offensive rebounded. For the second night in a row, we rebounded the basketball really well (35-15 advantage), and we finally took care of (the ball).
“I told them at halftime, there are two great stats — we gave up no offensive rebounds to them, and we had no turnovers. Anytime you can do those two things, good things are going to happen.”
The Braves’ unselfishness was proven with 23 assists on 33 field goals.
“That really helps us play a lot better. It’s a lot smoother,” Schneider said. “There’s not problems or drama going on, so it’s good whenever we play unselfish. We played really good, moved the ball and put up a lot of points. And we played pretty good defense, too, only allowing 42 points.”
Playing turnover-free ball in the first half was a plus, as well, Schneider said.
“We didn’t force anything, so that really helped. We just changed the momentum of the game,” he said. “I felt like we could push it on this team. They are smaller, so we had a size advantage, too, and we tried to get it
down low.”
After scoring only two points in the first half, Luke Wykoff tallied 14 of Mitchell’s 24 points in the final 16 minutes to pace the Bluejackets (1-5).
Brownstown (5-0) is off until Dec. 27 when it takes on Forest Park in the first round of the North Daviess Classic.
_________________________________
Big 3rd Quarter lifts Braves over North Harrison
RAMSEY
Trailing 35-34 at halftime of Friday’s Mid-Southern Conference road game, the Brownstown Central boys basketball team outscored North Harrison 28-12 in the third quarter.
The Class 3A No. 6 Braves went on to win 77-58 to improve to 3-0 in the MSC and 4-0 overall.
Brownstown’s Brett McCory scored a game-high 27 points, including 15 of 21 from the free-throw line. He and Skylar Thompson each had eight rebounds to lead the Braves to a 27-9 advantage in that department.
Chaz Schneider chipped in 18 points, including four 3-pointers, and Thompson had 11.
Tonight, the Braves will travel to play Mitchell.
_____________________________
New Website dedicated to Mid-Southern Conference
There is a new website on the League Lineup menu. It has been created by Austin sportscaster and historian Mike Barrett and covers just the Mid-Southern Conference boys basketball history. A lot of time and research has gone into working on this project, and there are still things to be added.
__________________________
The End of an Era in Indiana
Chris Bergin for The New York Times
The Wigwam, a nearly 9,000-seat field house in Anderson, Ind., closed in 2011, making this the first season in 50 years that the Anderson High School Indians did not play their home games there.
By CRAIG FEHRMAN (The New York Times)
Published: March 24, 2012
Chris Bergin for The New York Times
Anderson’s population peaked in the 1970s when General Motors employed one in three adult residents, but today, abandoned factories are common.
Gradually, though, the enthusiasm diminished. Last season, about 450 season tickets were sold. Given the struggling economy of this city, which has lost many of its manufacturing jobs and residents, the Wigwam’s expense could not be justified, and it closed last summer.
“We’re getting better and better players,” said John Harrell, who worked for 40 years on the sports desk of The Herald-Times in Bloomington and now runs Web sites about boys’ and girls’ basketball in Indiana. “But the interest has really leveled off. And it’s not going to go back up.”
Indiana still boasts 12 of the nation’s 13 largest high school gyms. That is one reason people continue to romanticize the state’s relationship to basketball. Another is the season-ending state tournament. For decades, all Indiana schools competed in one bracket. The possibility of upsets like Milan’s against the much larger Muncie Central to win the 1954 state title — fictionalized in the movie “Hoosiers” — helped the tournament draw 1.5 million spectators in 1965. By the early ’90s, attendance was down to 750,000.
In 1997, the teams were divided into four classes based on enrollment. Old-timers, and at least one state legislator, still smart over the switch to “class basketball.”
Other cultural changes in Indiana, however, seem to have had a great effect, including the growing popularity of high school football, which has doubled its attendance over the past 20 years.
More subtle shifts have chipped away at basketball’s student cheering sections. Many boys and girls play other sports, some of them year round. And nonathletes often work after-school jobs.
Adults here have also turned elsewhere for entertainment. In the early 1980s, the Anderson High Indians could outdraw the Indiana Pacers, and the Colts were still based in Baltimore. Now fans keep up with the professional franchises in addition to Indiana’s college teams.
This season, for the first time in 50 years, the Indians did not play in the Wigwam. They moved into a refurbished gym that holds 2,800, the smallest capacity in their North Central Conference, and finished the season 9-13. But a recent visit here revealed that the heart of Indiana basketball still beats.
“If we could reopen the Wigwam, I’d lead the charge,” said Joe Nadaline, a longtime Anderson boys’ basketball assistant who just completed his first season as the head coach with a first-round loss in the state tournament. “But we also need to build a new tradition.”
Shrinking Schools
Anderson, 40 miles northeast of Indianapolis, got its start in manufacturing when natural gas was discovered there in the 1890s. The city grew rapidly, adding downtown businesses, a four-story brick high school and, in 1925, the first Wigwam, which held 4,800 fans. Anderson’s center also included tightly packed subdivisions and the First Baptist Church, which had one of the state’s most vibrant youth groups and needed to use the Wigwam’s parking lot on Sundays.
Anderson’s population peaked at 70,000 in the 1970s, when General Motors operated more than 20 factories and employed one of every three Anderson adults. The city’s three high schools — Anderson, Madison Heights and Highland — each topped 2,000 in enrollment, and all three of their boys’ basketball teams regularly ranked in the state’s top 10.
After graduation, students knew they could land a factory job, work for 30 years, then retire with a pension and benefits. During the 1970s energy crisis, Anderson made headlines for its 22 percent unemployment rate. The city that had once staggered its factory shifts now staggered registration times at its unemployment office.
Those jobs never came back, and G.M. left for good in 1999. Today, one cannot travel far in Anderson without spotting an abandoned factory or a shuttered school, and their closings are related.
“We have empty houses all over,” says Roger Hensley, a volunteer at the local historical society. “The young people, those who could afford to, have left.”
The First Baptist Church has moved to a smaller building on the edge of town. The area around the Wigwam is blighted by closed businesses and boarded-up homes.
As Anderson’s population fell, to 56,129 in the 2010 census, schools were consolidated. In 1997, the aging Anderson High was an obvious cut. Less obvious — to Madison Heights supporters, at least — was the decision to rename their school Anderson and to preserve the Indians’ identity.
Chris Bergin for The New York Times
Chris Lemon taking a moment to himself in the Anderson High School locker room before a game during the Indians’ first season of play in their new gym.
Chris Bergin for The New York Times
The move to the 2,800-seat gym upset fans partial to the Wigwam. Officials said it needed $2.65 million in repairs. It cost $2.1 million to build.
Madison Heights alumni erected a gravestone memorial on the school grounds. Still, their reaction was nothing like the anger over the 2010 decision to turn Highland into a middle school. Many Highland parents refused to send their children to Anderson, the only remaining high school, which had a 57 percent graduation rate.
In the last three years, the city has lost more than 2,000 students and laid off more than 160 teachers, in addition to closing five schools. Several basketball players who live in Anderson now drive to (and start for) neighboring high schools.
The school board, which rejected the idea of closing the Wigwam in 2009, reversed that decision last March. About 200 people attended an emotional three-hour meeting in which Felix Chow, the new schools superintendent, gave a PowerPoint presentation on the costs associated with the Wigwam, including $2.65 million in needed repairs.
“The closing of the Wigwam was a financial consideration caused by the loss of students and residents in Anderson,” said Chow, who would rather talk about Anderson’s graduation rate, which improved to 71 percent in 2011.
But a few in Anderson still want to talk about the Wigwam.
Ron Hecklinski, who won 274 games and 5 sectionals in 18 seasons as the boys’ head coach at Anderson, kept his promise to resign before coaching “in some dinky little gym.” He kept his word and became the team’s radio announcer this season.
“Superintendent Chow wasn’t from Anderson, and he didn’t understand athletics,” Hecklinski said. “He just saw the bottom line.”
The Anderson basketball program retained enough mystique into the early 1990s that it attracted more than 60 applicants for its head coaching vacancy, including 12 college assistants (Hecklinski was one) and a college head coach. It is hard to convey that desire to current players.
“We can tell them and show them tapes,” Nadaline, the current coach, said, “but they can’t understand it because they’ve never seen it. These kids have never been alive when the Wigwam was full.”
The Indians’ final game last winter drew the largest crowd in years. It was a few days before the board’s vote, and fans sensed that the end was near. Attendance for the victory against Bishop Chatard of Indianapolis was about 3,000.
Before the game, Hecklinski told the crowd, “The Wigwam is Anderson.”
Basketball Showplaces
Although it can take a while for someone at Anderson High to track down the keys, the Wigwam is in better shape than many gyms still in use. It is quite impressive, even with its hydraulic goals wheeled into a corner and its bleachers retracted. The amenities include a weight room, a trainer’s room and a video room. In the visitors’ locker room, a white board still bears Bishop Chatard’s game plan.
The Wigwam derived its power from its dimensions. After the first structure burned down in 1958, Anderson built a bigger and better Wigwam, with seven 250-foot roof beams and an 80,000-tile mosaic of an American Indian chief on the Gate 1 exterior. Opened in 1961 at a cost of $2.1 million, it included two tiers of bleachers. Anderson soon added more retractable bleachers on the Broadway-size stage.
Every seat mattered, because the biggest gyms host the sectionals and regionals during the state tournament, which began in 1911. Although some schools stayed in smaller gyms — Milan’s held only 1,000 fans — far more built lavish structures.
In the 1920s, Muncie’s city council approved $100,000 to build a high school gym — during the same meeting it denied a request for a $1,800-per-year librarian. The Muncie Central Bearcats still play in their field house, but at 6,000-plus seats it does not rank among Indiana’s 10 biggest high school gyms.
In 1959, New Castle, another member of the North Central Conference, opened a 9,325-seat gym — and stole Muncie’s role in hosting sectionals. The city had neglected a bigger gym in its plans for a new high school, so fans created a nonprofit and raised the money themselves.
Chris Bergin for The New York Times
Built in 1961, the Wigwam had an 80,000-tile mosaic of an American Indian chief.
The Herald Bulletin, from the book “The Wigwam: 50 Years of Memories”
Today, the Anderson High School Indians have far fewer fans, despite what a fan’s shirt proclaimed in 1976.
In the early ’80s, Nadaline, the Anderson coach, played for New Castle alongside Steve Alford, a future Indiana University star. The school would sell a total of 20,000 tickets for Friday and Saturday games.
“The whole conference was like that,” Nadaline said. “I didn’t appreciate it then, but I appreciate it now.”
But no atmosphere was better than that of Wigwam, which combined sellout crowds with elaborate traditions, including a pregame dance by a boy and a girl in Indian dress. Nadaline remembered one Anderson game from Alford’s senior season. With five seconds left and New Castle down by 1, Alford was fouled as he drove to the basket. A 94.4 percent free-throw shooter, he missed two from the line, and the next day’s newspaper proclaimed, “AHS Wins as Alford Chokes.”
The North Central Conference no longer harbors such intensity. This year, Muncie Central’s declining enrollment forced it to drop to 3A from 4A, the largest classification, and each school draws smaller crowds, from about 4,000 per game at Kokomo, which played in last year’s 4A title game, to about 500 at Huntington North. The other schools do not anticipate closing their big gyms, but their cities are struggling.
“Our conference was a manufacturing conference,” Nadaline said.
Football Fridays
The stretch of cornfields and farmhouses that separates Anderson and Indianapolis shrinks every year. About halfway between them sits Hamilton Southeastern High School. It serves the suburban city of Fishers, a destination for people who left Anderson. Fishers is growing so fast, Hamilton Southeastern and Fishers High Schools, which opened in 2006, are pushing their 2,500-student limits.
Hamilton Southeastern has Indiana’s top-ranked 4A basketball team and its best player, Gary Harris. It plays home games in a basic gym that holds 2,500 fans. Athletic Director Jim Self said the team’s success had increased average attendance to about 1,500. But he marveled at the North Central Conference.
“Muncie Central fans came in force,” he said of the schools’ January matchup. “We don’t have that tradition here.”
What the city does have is high school football. The annual Fishers-Hamilton Southeastern game draws as many as 10,000 fans, forcing the schools to erect temporary bleachers.
“It’s the place to be on Friday night,” Self said. “It’s the way the school year starts.”
Longing for the Past
This year Mike Delph, a state senator, proposed legislation that would require the Indiana High School Athletic Association to bring back the old state basketball tournament setup.
“We lost part of our state identity when we went away from the single-class tournament,” Delph said. “You could put five guys and one good coach out there and, through hard work and team work, shock the world.”
Such upsets rarely occurred. At the Wigwam, Anderson’s three high schools won sectionals for 22 consecutive years. But the association agreed to hold town hall meetings on the format after this year’s tournament.
Bobby Cox, the association’s president, said he was “kind of surprised it came up at this point.” He surveyed the members in 2000 and 2006, and each time more than 85 percent affirmed the current system.
At Hamilton Southeastern, Self said, not even the football team gets radio broadcasts or sells reserved season tickets. Still, the school’s athletics keep improving. On Feb. 9, the basketball team beat third-ranked Carmel in a thrilling game.
“We were happy to have 1,800 fans,” Self said. “But part of us was like, ‘Why isn’t this a sellout?’ ”
On the same night Hamilton Southeastern defeated Carmel, Anderson hosted Muncie Central. It was the first time the rivals had played at Anderson’s new gym, which looked markedly different from its days as the home of the Madison Heights Pirates.
Chris Bergin for The New York Times
Coach Joe Nadaline and his team during a game against Muncie Central, whose defeat by tiny Milan in the 1954 final inspired the film “Hoosiers.”
Anderson added new concession windows, a new scoreboard and new energy-efficient lights. A red-and-green stripe was painted on the white walls and the large tile Pirate logo was covered with an American flag.
In some ways, it was all a big step up from the Wigwam, where the entire row of news media worked off one power strip. (One short would bring down the radio broadcast.) The players no longer have to drive three miles to the gym, which means practices can start earlier. And the band no longer needs a trailer to transport its instruments.
During halftime, some longtime supporters discussed the Indians’ move. The oldest fans called the 1961 Wigwam “the new Wigwam,” and they expressed frustration. But others seemed more resigned.
“Believe me, I’d rather be at the Wigwam,” said Joe Bonisa, president of Anderson’s boosters club. “But I’m not there for the gym — I’m there for the kids.”
Anderson almost upset Muncie in a spirited game. But, as a new coach, Nadaline remains focused on the future. Nadaline, who spent 12 years as Hecklinski’s assistant, used the move from the Wigwam as an opportunity to rebrand his team.
“It’s P.R.,” he said. “I’ve got to sell my program.”
After the annual red-green scrimmage, he sent his players into the stands to shake hands. Anderson also held its first “select-a-seat night.” With the lights up and the new sound system humming, fans could assure themselves that their views of the court would not be so different.
The strategy seemed to work: the team averaged about 1,000 fans per game.
“For us, right now, it’s a great little atmosphere,” Nadaline said. “The Wigwam wasn’t a great place to play when there were 1,000 people.”
His players agree. Trey Boyd, a 6-foot-4 junior who is Anderson’s tallest starter, said the new gym “seems louder.”
“I’m a basketball player,” he added. “Anywhere I can play, I play.”
The Indians are losing only one senior, and they will be more comfortable with Nadaline’s system next season. He also plans to take advantage of Anderson’s status as a one-high-school town by installing his system with grade school teams and asking his players to coach some games. In other words, do more public relations.
“I’m 46,” Nadaline said, leaning back in his chair. “I’m not going to be setting any coaching records. This is going to take some time.”
_________________________
November 13, 2011
Gymnasiums were community centers, places for residents from throughout townships to gather. It was there the young and the old came to enjoy games played by boys from rural areas. The games were events, the highlights of the year. Attendance was as regular as it was at church.
 |
 |
| |
| 1951 Roll Red Rollers Sectional Champions |
Everyone knew each other. A stranger was a fan for a visiting team and often that was rare because farmers one area often knew those from another from meetings at barber shops, feed mills, general stores, farm auctions and county courthouses.
Some schools paid little attention to the day on the calendar. The date was what was important. If Nov. 1 fell on any day but Sunday, the first game would be played then, that being the official start of the season set by the Indiana High School Athletic Association.
Games were topics of conversation on Saturdays or any day where when men and boys met. Barbershops were courtrooms. Defendants, in absentia, were referees, coaches and players. Prosecutors, at least in our area, were farmers, timber cutters, stone workers and loafers. Only the towns were different.
The issue, always the same, revolved around the town's high school basketball team. Men guessed at who would be in the starting line-up almost as soon as the first practice. The sport was a subject on which everyone was an expert, or so he - or in some cases she - thought. A knowledge of basketball wasn't important or a criterion for an opinion.
The less one knew about the game, the more he could complain, unrestricted by any semblance to fact. Fans were ardent, referees without whistles.
There was a commonality of interest. The game was as much for the boys of adolescence as it was for the men in the winter of their lives. The teams belonged to all, not just the coach, the principal, the players. Those who didn't play considered themselves part of the team. It was "we," as in we won or "we" lost, not the team won or was defeated.
Township trustees were czars, often men who ran the schools, uncontrolled except for whatever integrity and fairness they might have. Coaches sometimes were told to "win the Sectional or you are outta here." Principals had little more tenure than the coaches.
All 12 grades - kindergarten was not yet a mandate - were in one building. First graders knew the names of seniors. Players were their heroes, people they wanted to emulated as soon as they were old enough to shoot a basketball against a backboard.
Almost every farm had a goal outside on the barn or corn crib. Lofts of barns became playing floors as soon as enough hay was cleared. Kids who lived in neighborhoods congregated there for Sunday afternoon shootouts. The game was their diversion. Each knew the odds were good they would make the team because enrollment was small at the schools they attended.
High school gyms, often cramped, the playing field often undersized, were far different from arenas today. If gyms had dressing rooms they were small, often showerless. Players dressed in classrooms or band rooms void of plumbing. That wasn't a problem because students often lived in homes without indoor toilets and attended schools which had no amenities.
Nothing is forever. Change is inevitable. The game has changed. So have small towns, sports and the interest of the people.
Schools consolidated, the rural towns lost their communal focus, the glue that gave residents a mutual interest.
A son, or a neighbor, no longer was on the team. The number of high school sports grew, the larger schools sometimes having 30 or so teams for boys and girls. Fans in seats were strangers, no longer neighbors. Television kept fans at home. Interest of residents became more diverse.
Basketball was no longer the king of sports, except in each of our memories.
Fans, students, community all were the losers.
* * *
Excerpted from Wendell Trogdon's book "Who Killed Hoosier Hysteria?"
____________________________________
Greatest Indiana High School Teams
ESPN's Top 10 Indiana teams
ESPN's Rise Magazine put together a list of the best Indiana prep teams to celebrate the 100 years of Hoosier Hysteria:
1. Crispus Attucks 1955-56 (31-0)
2. Lawrence North 2005-06 (29-0)
3. Crispus Attucks 1954-55 (30-1)
4. Indianapolis Washington 1968-69 (31-0)
5. East Chicago Washington 1970-71 (29-0) The Senators were ranked No. 1 nationally by the National Sports News Service, the producers of the first national rankings. Washington featured future NBA standout Junior Bridgeman, future UCLA guard Pete Trgovich and future major league pitcher Tim Stoddard.
6. Marion 1984-85 (29-0)
7. East Chicago Roosevelt 1969-70 (28-0) Sandwiched in between two legendary single-class state title clubs, the Rough Riders are arguably the most overlooked team of all-time in Indiana. The Rough Riders were led by arguably the state's most underappreciated individual talent, the late Jim Bradley.
8. Muncie Central 1959-60 (28-1)
9. Marion 1986-87 (29-1)
10. Milan 1953-54 (28-2)
SPECIAL MENTION (Listed by tournament year) 1911--Crawfordsville (16-0); 1920--Franklin (29-1); 1923--Vincennes Lincoln (34-1); 1930--Washington (30-1); 1936--Frankfort (29-1); 1942--Washington (30-1); 1943--Fort Wayne Central (27-1); 1950--Madison (27-1); 1957--South Bend Central (30-0); 1959--Indianapolis Crispus Attucks (26-5); 1961--Kokomo (28-1); 1963--Muncie Central (28-1); 1964--Lafayette Jefferson (28-1); 1974--Fort Wayne Northrop (28-1); 1975--Marion (28-1); 1986--Marion (26-3); 1988--Muncie Central (28-1); 1991--Gary Roosevelt (30-1); 1995--Indianapolis Ben Davis (32-1); 1997--Bloomington North (28-1); 1998--Indianapolis Pike (28-1/4A); 2000--Marion (28-1/4A); 2003--Indianapolis Pike (29-0/4A); 2004--Indianapolis Lawrence North (29-2/4A); 2005 --Indianapolis Lawrence North (24-2/4A); 2009--Bloomington South (26-0/4A).
_______________________________________
