Monday, January 30, 2017

WRESTLING: Floyd repeats as sectional champions; Jeff second

By KEVIN HARRIS
JEFFERSONVILLE – Floyd Central captured its second consecutive sectional championship and its fourth title in five seasons Saturday in the Jeffersonville Sectional at Johnson Arena, scoring 283 1/2 points. It was the Highlanders’ 28th overall sectional crown.
The host Red Devils finished second with 267 points. New Albany was third with 249 points. Rounding out the team standings were Eastern (Pekin) in fourth (139), Charlestown in fifth (80), Providence in sixth (79), Corydon Central in seventh (75) and New Washington in eighth (41 ½).
Floyd Central had five individual sectional champions – Johnathan Kervin (126 pounds), Tristan Sellmer (138), Devin Stikes (160), Bradley Philpot (195) and Ty Sorg (285). Three Jeff wrestlers earned sectional titles. They were Camren Beasley (113), Jack Ferraro (145) and Josh Cooper (152).
The Bulldogs matched the archrival Highlanders with the most individual sectional champions with five. Those New Albany champs were Dayton Hunter (106), Trenton Cunningham (120), Aaron Mosley (170), Jaden Sonner (182) and Chad McClanahan (220).
New Washington’s Noah Franklin was the sectional champion at 132 pounds.
The top four finishers in each weight class qualified for next Saturday’s Jeffersonville Regional. The regional will start at 9:30 a.m.

JEFFERSONVILLE SECTIONAL
(Top four finishers advance to next Saturday’s Jeffersonville Regional.)
Team scores: Floyd Central 283 ½, Jeffersonville 267, New Albany 249, Eastern (Pekin) 139, Charlestown 80, Providence 79, Corydon Central 75, New Washington 41 ½.
106: 1. Dayton Hunter (NA), 2. Adonis Boyd (J), 3. Wyatt Romines (FC), 4. Austin Cooper (Ch).
113: 1. Camren Beasley (J), 2. Max Meyer (FC), 3. Chase Aldridge (P), 4. Zachary Terry (E).
120: 1. Trenton Cunningham (NA), 2. Elijah Combs (FC), 3. Jacob Laughlin (J), 4. Tristen Callaway (Ch).
126: 1. Johnathan Kervin (FC), 2. Aaron Gohl (NA), 3. Carlos Santos (J), 4. Robbie Stein (E).
132: 1. Noah Franklin (NW), 2. Noah Morrison (J), 3. Tristen Dowell (NA), 4. Isaac Smith (FC).
138: 1. Tristan Sellmer (FC), 2. Ronald Johnson (NA), 3. Carson Somerville (J), 4. Brant Stewart (E).
145: 1. Jack Ferraro (J), 2. Corbin Hale (FC), 3. ShaQuan LaRue (NA), 4. Jay Judson (E).
152: 1. Josh Cooper (J), 2. Josh Foster (FC), 3. Tyson Trumpower (CC), 4. Dawson Dupin (E).
160: 1. Devin Stikes (FC), 2. Josiah Freeman (J), 3. Nathan Grantz (P), 4. Seth Simmerman (CC).
170: 1. Aaron Mosley (NA), 2. Kameron Fuller (J), 3. Chris Spiller (FC), 4. Brenden Ayres (CC).
182: 1. Jaden Sonner (NA), 2. Karl Hauser (FC), 3. Ashton Smith (J), 4. Michael Hayes (P).
195: 1. Bradley Philpot (FC), 2. Luke Smith (J), 3. Deion Cooper (NA), 4. Jacob VanMeter (Ch).
220: 1. Chad McClanahan (NA), 2. Dalton Pinaire (E), 3. Josh McCorkle (J), 4. Zach Wiley (CC).

285: 1. Ty Sorg (FC), 2. Nathan Long (J), 3. Jack Tull (NA), 4. Sean Baker (Ch).

Sunday, January 29, 2017

BOYS’ HOOPS BREAKDOWN: Red Devils get much-needed victory over Tech

By KEVIN HARRIS
JEFFERSONVILLE – If there was a team in Southern Indiana that desperately needed a victory at this point in the season, it was the Jeffersonville Red Devils.
On Saturday night at Johnson Arena, Jeff got that important “W” by cruising past Indianapolis Tech 79-43 to snap a four-game losing streak. Red Devils’ head coach Joe Luce hopes enduring that losing skid taught his players how to deal with adversity.
“We all needed it,” Luce said about Saturday’s victory.
During the skid, Luce felt the Red Devils played solid basketball at times, but they had trouble performing consistently well throughout the contest. Against Tech, Jeff finally put a sound 32 minutes together.
“We played well in spurts (during the losing streak) and played against some decent teams and did not finish,” the second-year Red Devil boss said. “We just were able tonight to play a complete game and we needed that and it was good for us. I think our guys have a lot of confidence in them.”
Jeff (9-8) broke out of a huge offensive slump versus the Titans (4-9). The Red Devils scored more than 70 points for the third time in 2016-17, shooting 29-of-54 from the field (53.7 percent). They committed just seven turnovers.
Jeff’s defense also got the job done by allowing a season-low point total. Tech shot 18-of-49 from the floor (36.7 percent) and 2-of-14 from 3-point range (14.3) against the Devils, who primarily used a zone during the contest.
“Offensively, I thought a lot of it was off our defense,” Luce said. “We did a great job defensively of rebounding the basketball and keeping them out of the paint. We finished things off at the offensive end with some runouts and some easy shots.”
Junior forward Bailey Falkenstein led Jeff in scoring again with a game-high 26 points. Red Devil sophomore Joe LaGrange ended up with 12 points, while teammates Gabe Gallahar and Mike Minton each scored nine.
Also for Jeff, Gerrin Moore recorded eight points and six rebounds and Tre Coleman grabbed a game-high seven boards.
No Tech player reached double figures. Jacarr Boone and Ernest Myles topped the Titans’ scoring column with seven points.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Falkenstein – The Red Devils’ leading scorer registered 22 of his 26 points in the first half. In the opening 16 minutes, Falkenstein nailed seven of his nine field-goal attempts and was perfect from 3-point range (3-of-3) and the free-throw line (5-of-5).
For the game, Falkenstein shot 9-of-13 from the floor, 3-of-3 from behind the arc and 5-of-5 from the stripe. But Luce liked the way Falkenstein defended and hit the boards.
“I thought he was obviously good at the offensive end,” Luce said. “But more importantly, he rebounded and I thought he defended better tonight than he has been. He just played really well.”
KEY SEQUENCE: The Red Devils had a fantastic second quarter, where they turned the game into a blowout.
Leading 16-11 after the first period, Jeff outscored the Titans 31-11 in the second to go up 47-22 at halftime. During the stanza, the Red Devils made 9-of-15 field goals, 6-of-10 3-pointers and 7-of-8 free throws.
In the second, Falkenstein scored 10 points and Minton registered all nine of his points by hitting 3-of-5 from 3-point land.
As for the Titans, Jeff held them in the second to 5-of-12 field-goal shooting and 1-of-5 from beyond the arc.
UNSUNG HERO: LaGrange – For the second game in a row, LaGrange reached double digits as he scored eight of his 12 points in the second half. He had 14 points Friday night in the Devils’ 55-47 setback at Bedford North Lawrence.
The son of former Jeff head coach Tim LaGrange also did a good job of helping run Jeff’s offense and passing the ball to the open man.
“Joe continues to grow each and every game,” Luce said. “He has to handle the ball and has to make big shots. He’s just growing into a very good player. He’s taking it to the rack. He’s knocking down free throws and his mid-range game is good. He’s just becoming more of a complete player each week.”
WHAT JEFF DID WELL: The Red Devils shot the ball incredibly well, especially from 3-point range.
For the game, Jeff connected on 55 percent of its 3’s (11-of-20), including 8-of-12 in the first half. Along with Falkenstein and Minton hitting three 3-pointers apiece, Red Devil junior guard Gabe Gallahar also knocked down three trifectas.
Luce credited his team’s ball movement and firing shots in a familiar setting for the hot shooting.
“We moved the ball well and it was nice to be at home,” Luce said. “We just had guys confidently knock down a couple of shots. When one goes down, you’re usually going to get two or three on top of it. I thought (Friday) night we got great shots. We just didn’t make them. Tonight, we got the same shots and we were able to capitalize.”
AREA OF CONCERN FOR JEFF: Now that the Red Devils have broken their four-game skid, can they build off Saturday’s win and get on a roll before the Class 4A Seymour Sectional?
It will not be easy.
Six of Jeff’s next seven opponents each have winning records. Those foes include perennial powerhouse Louisville Ballard (17-5) and Class 4A No. 8 Castle (16-2).
JEFF’S NEXT GAME: Home vs. Evansville Harrison (11-5), Thursday, 8 p.m.

JEFFERSONVILLE 79, INDIANAPOLIS TECH 43
Indpls. Tech        11 11 11 10-43
Jeff                      16 31 10 22-79
Tech (4-9): Jacarr Boone 7, Ernest Myles 7, Jalen Bush 6, Dashaun Watkins 6, Damion Wilburn 5, Isaac Halvorson 4, Samirj Hayes 4, Jalen Fountain 2, Willie Patterson 2, Reggie Bell 0, Jaylen Turner 0.
Jeff (9-8): Bailey Falkenstein 26, Joe LaGrange 12, Gabe Gallahar 9, Mike Minton 9, Gerrin Moore 8, Tre Coleman 6, Antonio Thompson 4, Jacob Jones 3, Drew Taylor 2, Jailen Ernest 0, Cam Northern 0.
3-point field goals: Tech 2 (Bush 1, Wilburn 1); Jeff 11 (Falkenstein 3, Gallahar 3, Minton 3, LaGrange 1, Moore 1).
Rebounds: Tech 35 (Myles 7); Jeff 29 (Coleman 7).
Turnovers: Tech 15, Jeff 7.
Total fouls: Tech 17, Jeff 7.
Fouled out: none.
Junior varsity score: Jeff 64, Tech 57.

BOYS’ HOOPS: Bulldogs down Jasper; NA’s Hibbard breaks 1,000-point barrier

By KEVIN HARRIS
JASPER – Class 4A No. 1 New Albany bolted out to a 35-18 halftime lead and rolled to a 72-31 victory Saturday night at Jasper. The Bulldogs (15-2) extended their winning streak to 12 games and won by 25-plus points for the seventh time in nine contests.
Junior Romeo Langford paced New Albany with a game-high 26 points. The 6-foot-5 standout shot 11-of-21 from the field and missed a double-double by one rebound with nine boards. Langford also had four assists and three steals.
Fellow Bulldog junior Sean East ended up with 13 points and eight assists. He connected on five of his 10 field-goal tries and three of his six 3-point attempts.
It was a milestone night for New Albany senior Isaac Hibbard. The 6-foot guard had 10 points to become the 12th Bulldog to score 1,000 points in his high school career. 
Hibbard also had six rebounds and four steals. New Albany freshman Julien Hunter joined Hibbard with 10 points.
The Bulldogs shot a sizzling 31-of-54 from the field (57.4 percent) and held the Wildcats (10-5) to 34.2 percent shooting (13-of-38). Jasper’s 31 points were the fewest New Albany has surrendered this season. Tyler Nottingham was the Wildcats’ top scorer with eight points.
The Bulldogs will host Hoosier Hills Conference rival Jennings County (12-5, 2-2 HHC) at approximately 7:30 p.m. on Thursday. New Albany currently leads the HHC with a 4-0 conference record as it is vying for a fourth consecutive outright Hoosier Hills championship. The Bulldogs have prevailed in their last 19 HHC contests.

NEW ALBANY 72, JASPER 31
New Albany      21 14 26 11-72
Jasper                  9   9 10   3-31
New Albany (15-2): Romeo Langford 26, Sean East 13, Isaac Hibbard 10, Julien Hunter 10, Blake Murphy 4, Seth Short 4, Peyton Martin 3, Derrick Stevenson 2, Kameron Guess 0, Marcus McGee 0.
Jasper (10-5): Tyler Nottingham 8, Reece Milligan 6, Justin Persohn 5, Eric Nordhoff 4, Elliot Prange 4, Austin Simmers 4, Johnny Bounds 0, Ben Elliott 0, Jared Englert 0, Jackson Kabrick 0, Andrew Schmitt 0.
3-point field goals: New Albany 8 (East 3, Hibbard 2, Langford 2, Martin 1); Jasper 1 (Nottingham 1).

Saturday, January 28, 2017

FINAL HORN: Jeff snaps four-game skid, crushes Tech 79-43

By KEVIN HARRIS
JEFFERSONVILLE – Jeffersonville got its offense out of a major rut Saturday night at Johnson Arena, as it beat Indianapolis Tech 79-43. The Red Devils (9-8) snapped a four-game losing streak, where they averaged 48.3 points per game.
The 79 points Jeff scored were the most since it posted 83 in a 20-point home victory over Louisville Manual on Jan. 7. Against Tech (4-9), the Red Devils shot 29-of-54 from the field (53.7 percent) and 11-of-20 from 3-point range (55 percent).
Bailey Falkenstein led Jeff with a game-high 26 points, scoring 22 in the first half. The junior connected on nine of his 13 field-goal attempts, including 3-of-3 from behind the arc.
Sophomore guard Joe LaGrange had 12 points, while teammates Mike Minton and Gabe Gallahar each tallied nine. Jeff junior Gerrin Moore had eight points and six rebounds, while Red Devil freshman Tre Coleman grabbed a game-high seven boards.
The key quarter for the Devils was third when Jeff outscored the Titans 31-11 to take a 47-22 halftime lead.
Tech had no one score in double figures. Ernest Myles and Jacarr Boone each paced the Titans with seven points.
The Red Devils will host Evansville Harrison at 8 p.m. EDT Thursday.

JEFFERSONVILLE 79, INDIANAPOLIS TECH 43
Indpls. Tech        11 11 11 10-43
Jeff                      16 31 10 22-79
Indpls. Tech (4-9): Jacarr Boone 7, Ernest Myles 7, Jalen Bush 6, Dashaun Watkins 6, Damion Wilburn 5, Isaac Halvorson 4, Samirj Hayes 4, Jalen Fountain 2, Willie Patterson 2, Reggie Bell 0, Jaylen Turner 0.
Jeff (9-8): Bailey Falkenstein 26, Joe LaGrange 12, Gabe Gallahar 9, Mike Minton 9, Gerrin Moore 8, Tre Coleman 6, Antonio Thompson 4, Jacob Jones 3, Drew Taylor 2, Jailen Ernest 0, Cam Northern 0.

3-point field goals: Indpls. Tech 2 (Bush 1, Wilburn 1); Jeff 11 (Falkenstein 3, Gallahar 3, Minton 3, LaGrange 1, Moore 1).

GIRLS’ HOOPS: Red Devils conclude regular season on high note 49-36

By KEVIN HARRIS
JEFFERSONVILLE – Jeffersonville ended the regular season in victorious fashion Friday night at Johnson Arena with a 49-36 victory over Castle. The Red Devils (16-7) have won five games in a row and eight of their last nine contests.
In her final game at Johnson Arena, Jeff senior guard Jhala Henry scored a game-high 11 points. Freshman forward Nan Garcia was the only other Red Devil to score in double figures with 10. Jeff junior Jaylynn Brown had eight and teammate Chelsea Gibson tallied seven.
The Devils took full control of the contest in the third quarter. Holding a 22-15 halftime lead, Jeff scored the first six points of the stanza to extend its advantage to 28-15 at the 6:08 mark. The 6-0 spurt propelled the Red Devils to outscore the Knights (15-7) 19-9 in the quarter and increase their lead to 41-24. Jessica Nunge led Castle by matching Henry for game-high scoring honors with 11 points.
Jeff will play either Bedford North Lawrence (16-4) or Seymour (15-7) in the second semifinal of the Class 4A Floyd Central Sectional at about 7:30 p.m. next Friday. The Red Devils defeated both teams during the regular season. They downed the Stars on Nov. 19 at home 43-34. Jeff won in overtime Jan. 17 at Seymour 65-61.

JEFFERSONVILLE 49, CASTLE 36
Castle          11 4   9 12-36
Jeff              14 8 19   8-49
Castle (15-7): Jessica Nunge 11, Julia Pate 10, Jalaya Dowell 6, Chloe Mills 5, Sara Hofmann 2, McKenna Tutt 2.
Jeff (16-7): Jhala Henry 11, Nan Garcia 10, Jaylynn Brown 8, Chelsea Gibson 7, Tori Handley 6, Kelsie James 3, Britney Epperson 2, Jasmine Lilly 2.
3-point field goals: Castle 3 (Pate 2, Mills 1); Jeff 5 (Henry 2, Garcia 1, Handley 1, James 1).

Friday, January 27, 2017

BOYS’ HOOPS: New Albany thumps Evansville North 93-41

By KEVIN HARRIS
EVANSVILLE – Class 4A No. 1 New Albany took care of business on the road Friday night with a 93-41 victory at Evansville North.
The Bulldogs (14-2) lengthened their winning streak to 11 games. Also, it was the sixth time in the last eight contests that New Albany has prevailed by at least 25 points.
Junior swingman Romeo Langford was the Bulldogs’ top scorer with a game-high 38 points. The All-State player was 10-of-19 from the field, 2-of-6 from 3-point range and 16-of-19 from the free-throw line. Langford completed a double-double with 18 rebounds. He also made three steals, two assists and two blocked shots.
New Albany guard Sean East chipped in 20 points, five assists and three steals. East shot 8-of-12 from the floor and 4-of-7 from behind the 3-point arc.
Bulldog senior guard Isaac Hibbard had a solid floor game with nine points, nine assists, eight rebounds and six steals. New Albany shot 32-of-65 from the field (49.2 percent) and 20-of-24 from the stripe (83.3 percent). Defensively, the Bulldogs limited the Huskies (3-13) to 15-of-47 shooting from the field (31.9 percent).
Cameron Seaton paced Evansville North with 10 points. New Albany will visit Jasper (10-4) at 7:30 p.m. Saturday.

NEW ALBANY 93, EVANSVILLE NORTH 41
New Albany        16 27 22 28-93
Ev. North               6 11 15   9-41
New Albany (14-2): Romeo Langford 38, Sean East 20, Isaac Hibbard 9, Julien Hunter 8, Savion Southers 7, Blake Murphy 6, Seth Short 3, Derrick Stevenson 2, Kameron Guess 0, Peyton Martin 0, Marcus McGee 0.
Evansville North (3-13): Cameron Seaton 10, Kolten Sanford 9, Tanner Turpin 8, Jadan Manion 5, David Roach 4, Connor Montgomery 3, Nate Toone 2.
3-point field goals: New Albany 9 (East 4, Langford 2, Hibbard 1, Short 1, Southers 1); Evansville North 7 (Seaton 2, Turpin 2, Sanford 2, Montgomery 1).

BOYS’ HOOPS: Red Devils lose fourth straight in 55-47 setback at BNL

By KEVIN HARRIS
BEDFORD – Jeffersonville’s offense remained out of gear Friday night at BNL Fieldhouse, as its losing streak grew to four games in a 55-47 loss to Hoosier Hills Conference rival Bedford North Lawrence.
The Red Devils (8-8, 2-4 HHC) have scored 50 points or less in the last four contests. The last time they have scored more than 60 points was in an 83-63 home victory over Louisville Manual on Jan. 7.
The Stars (8-10, 4-1) held Jeff to 20-of-49 field-goal shooting (40.8 percent) and 6-of-23 3-point shooting (26.1 percent). In addition, Bedford had a huge advantage at the free-throw line. Despite firing a porous percentage (16-of-33 for 48.5 percent), the Stars made 15 more foul shots than the Red Devils. Jeff only went to the line three times and made one of them.
The Red Devils had three players score 14 points apiece in junior Bailey Falkenstein, freshman Jacob Jones and sophomore Joe LaGrange. Jeff junior Gerrin Moore grabbed a team-high six rebounds.
Three Bedford players each recorded 13 points in Brayton Bailey, McCall Ray and Isaiah Stockman. Teammate Gaven Moore had nine points and a game-high 13 boards. Bailey, the son of Bedford and Indiana University great Damon Bailey, snagged 11 rebounds.
Jeff will host Indianapolis Tech (4-8) at about 7:30 p.m. Saturday.

BEDFORD NORTH LAWRENCE 55, JEFFERSONVILLE 47
Jeff                  11 10   9 17-47
Bedford NL    14 11 14 16-55
Jeff (8-8, 2-4 Hoosier Hills Conference): Bailey Falkenstein 14, Jacob Jones 14, Joe LaGrange 14, Gerrin Moore 3, Cam Northern 2, Tre Coleman 0, Gabe Gallahar 0, Mike Minton 0.
Bedford NL (8-10, 4-1): Brayton Bailey 13, McCall Ray 13, Isaiah Stockman 13, Gaven Moore 9, Jathan Ritter 5, Koby Byers 2, Ryan Bailey 0, Cale Bunch 0, Shawn Ritter 0.
3-point field goals: Jeff 6 (Jones 2, LaGrange 2, Falkenstein 1, Moore 1); Bedford NL 1 (J. Ritter 1).

GIRLS’ HOOPS: Bulldogs finish regular season with 57-53 triumph at Seymour

By KEVIN HARRIS
SEYMOUR – New Albany concluded its regular season Thursday night at Scott Gym, defeating Hoosier Hills Conference rival Seymour 57-53.
Northern Kentucky University signee Chyna Anthony was one of four Bulldogs (15-6, 5-2 HHC) who finished in double figures. The 6-foot-1 senior scored a team-high 14 points.
Senior guard Earlean Davis and sophomore guard Alayasia Douglas each tallied 13 points for New Albany. Also for the Bulldogs, junior guard Julyen Condra wound up with 11 points and senior guard Marissa Jones continued her efficient job of distributing the ball with nine assists.
New Albany pulled out to a 14-8 lead after the first quarter and was up 30-26 at halftime. The Bulldogs lost the lead to the Owls (15-7, 3-3) for a segment of the fourth, but bounced back to earn their fifth victory in the last six contests.
“I thought we came out with great purpose on both ends of the floor. Then we lost ourselves a little bit and started going back to bad habits,” New Albany head coach Tammy Geron said. “However, I thought we played more with a purpose throughout the game tonight and handled situations better. We played with the lead most of the game and then lost the lead in the fourth quarter. We never lost our heads, though, and continued to battle. 
“Earlean Davis and Julyen Condra did a great job on both ends of the floor tonight. Marissa Jones finished with nine assists and Chyna connected on huge baskets at critical times during the game. We also got great play from sophomore Alayasia Douglas. Alayasia did a nice job penetrating the zone and getting the ball into the paint. It is always good to get a win on the road in conference play and to finish the season with 15 wins collectively is a goal we had at the beginning of the season.”
It is the third time in Geron’s six seasons as New Albany’s head coach that she has guided the Bulldogs to at least 15 victories. New Albany will face either Jennings County (9-14) or Floyd Central (13-10) in the Class 4A Floyd Central Sectional semifinals at 6 p.m. next Friday.
Seymour seniors Lauren James and Kayla Griffin scored 16 and 15 points, respectively.

NEW ALBANY 57, SEYMOUR 53
New Albany      14 16 12 15-57
Seymour              8 18 10 17-53
New Albany (15-6, 5-2 Hoosier Hills Conference): Chyna Anthony 14, Earlean Davis 13, Alayasia Douglas 13, Julyen Condra 11, Kelsy Taylor 4, Marissa Jones 2.
Seymour (15-7, 3-3): Lauren James 16, Kayla Griffin 15, Makenna Fee 7, Megan Ritz 6, Katie Suits 6, Ashton Chase 3.
3-point field goals: New Albany 2 (Condra 1, Davis 1); Seymour 4 (Chase 1, Griffin 1, James 1, Ritz 1).

Wednesday, January 25, 2017

GIRLS’ HOOPS: Red Devils stay hot with 68-51 win at Scottsburg

By KEVIN HARRIS
SCOTTSBURG – Jeffersonville extended its winning streak to four games Tuesday night at Meyer Gym thanks to 11 players getting into the scoring column in a 68-51 win over Scottsburg. The Red Devils (15-7) have prevailed in seven of their last eight contests.
Sophomore forward Chelsea Gibson and freshman forward Nan Garcia each led Jeff with 12 points. Red Devil senior guard Jhala Henry scored all nine of her points in the third quarter, hitting three 3-pointers. Teammates Tori Handley and Britney Epperson came off the bench to score eight points apiece.
Jeff’s 68 points were the second-most they have scored in a game this season.
“We were pleased to get a road win and to give time on the court to every varsity player who suited up. We had very balanced scoring, and all players minus Makiyah Owens scored in the game,” Red Devil assistant coach Craig Harris said. “Chelsea Gibson started hot for us early in the game, while Nan Garcia finished strong in the second half to help us seal the victory.
“Tori Handley continued to contribute big minutes for us defensively with multiple deflections and steals. Tori really helps disrupt the opponent’s offensive sets, and causes our defense to turn to good offense. Senior Jhala Henry scored all nine of her points on three (3-pointers) early in the third to extend our lead. But more importantly, (the 3-pointers) stretched their defense out allowing our bigs (Garcia, Epperson and senior Jalynn Lee) to have a big third quarter, pushing our lead over 20 (points). Sophomore Jasmine Lilly did a good job of feeding the post in the second half.
Paige Barrett and Katie Horstman each led the Warriorettes (13-10) with 15 points. Emma Waskom chipped in 12.
Jeff will host Castle (15-6) in its regular-season finale at 8 p.m. Friday.

JEFFERSONVILLE 68, SCOTTSBURG 51
Jeff                  15 20 23 10-68
Scottsburg       8 19 12 12-51
Jeff (15-7): Nan Garcia 12, Chelsea Gibson 12, Jhala Henry 9, Britney Epperson 8, Tori Handley 8, Jaylynn Brown 5, Jaelyn Lee 4, Kelsie James 3, Jasmine Lilly 3, Jacinta Gibson 2, Kiersten Poor 2, Makiyah Owens 0.
Scottsburg (13-10): Paige Barrett 15, Katie Horstman 15, Emma Waskom 12, Jaylah Mays 5, Alyssa Hall 2, Riley Pool 2, Emilee Davidson 0, Kourtney Eldridge 0, McKenzie Isley 0, Kaitlynn Jennings 0, Jamie Jones 0, Alyssa Stagnolia 0, Kynleigh Watson 0.
3-point field goals: Jeff 6 (Henry 3, Handley 2, James 1); Scottsburg 2 (Waskom 2).

Monday, January 23, 2017

BOYS’ HOOPS: Red Devils keep struggling versus Olympians 54-47

By KEVIN HARRIS
COLUMBUS – Jeffersonville’s struggles continued Saturday night at the Orange Pit.
The Red Devils lost for the fourth time in five games, falling at Hoosier Hills Conference rival Columbus East 54-47. Jeff (8-7, 2-3 HHC) has scored 56 points or less in each of those four setbacks.
Junior Bailey Falkenstein was the only Red Devil to score in double figures with a game-high 17 points. Jeff senior Mike Minton tallied seven points, and freshman Tre Coleman chipped in six.
The Red Devils got off to a bad start as they trailed 9-2 during the first quarter. But they bounced back by outscoring the Olympians (5-8, 1-2) 11-5 for the remainder of the period to pull within one point at 14-13.
East responded by getting its lead back to seven at 26-19 late in the second. But with the Olympians still up seven at 42-35 early in the fourth, Jeff went on a 12-5 run to tie the game at 47 late in the stanza.
East’s Jonathan Foster and Thomas Myers responded by combining to score the final seven points of the contest to seal the win. Foster paced the Olympians with 15 points. Teammate Chaz Painter had 10.
The Devils will try to get back on the winning track next Friday at Bedford North Lawrence (6-10, 2-1). Tip off will be at about 7:30 p.m.

COLUMBUS EAST 54, JEFFERSONVILLE 47
Jeff                           13   8 12 14-47
Columbus East       14 12 12 16-54
Jeff (8-7, 2-3 Hoosier Hills Conference): Bailey Falkenstein 17, Mike Minton 7, Tre Coleman 6, Joe LaGrange 4, Gerrin Moore 4, Cam Northern 4, Gabe Gallahar 3, Jacob Jones 2.
Columbus East (5-8, 1-2): Jonathan Foster 15, Chaz Painter 10, Max Nolting 9, Tanner McFall 8, Matthew Frost 7, Thomas Myers 3, Drew Hasson 2, Drew Johnson 0, Wyatt Koopman 0.

3-point field goals: Jeff 2 (Gallahar 1, Minton 1); Columbus East 4 (Foster 2, Frost 1, Nolting 1).

Sunday, January 22, 2017

BOYS’ HOOPS BREAKDOWN: Bulldogs keep rolling as they thump Reitz 79-48

By KEVIN HARRIS
EVANSVILLE – At this time last season, New Albany was in the midst of a season-ending 24-game winning streak that concluded with the Bulldogs winning their first state championship since 1973.
Right now, New Albany is on a similar win streak and it hopes this string of victories will eventually help the Class 4A No. 2 Bulldogs cut down the nets again at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in late March.
New Albany won its 10th game in a row Saturday night at Reitz Gym, beating Evansville Reitz 79-48. Prior to the current win streak, the Bulldogs lost two consecutive games. On Dec. 10 at Southport Fieldhouse, New Albany dropped an 84-60 decision to Class 4A No. 1 North Central. That was followed by an 85-63 loss to LaPorte La Lumiere, which was ranked No. 1 in the nation in the USA Today Super 25 expert rankings at the time, on Dec. 15 at New Castle Fieldhouse in front of a national television audience.
“We really played well tonight. Since the North Central game, we’ve been on a pretty good run,” Bulldogs’ head coach Jim Shannon said. “We’ve got a lot of kids playing well. Derrick Stevenson, a sophomore, has really stepped up for us and Savion Southers, a junior, has come in and given us a lift off the bench. He’s played really well and (junior forward) Blake Murphy has given us some good minutes.”
This past weekend was the third straight double weekend where New Albany ended up with two victories.
On Friday night at The Doghouse, Silver Creek took its best shot at the defending Class 4A state champions by pulling out to a nine-point lead in the second quarter. But New Albany came back to beat the Dragons 76-61.
“It was a great weekend. We beat Silver Creek, another rivalry team that came in and gave us their best effort. We played great, but we just needed to play a little bit better,” Shannon said. “(Saturday night), we went on the road to one of the toughest places to play and played really well.”
Junior swingman Romeo Langford had another solid performance with game-highs in points (25) and rebounds (10).
“Ro is amazing – I say it every game. He keeps putting on a show,” Shannon said.
Senior center Jyrus Freels led the Panthers (8-6) with 14 points.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Langford – The 6-foot-5 star made 10 of his 18 field-goal attempts and half of his 10 3-point tries.
But Langford showed he can distribute the ball to his fellow Bulldogs as well as he recorded five assists. Langford could have had more assists if some of his teammates connected on some shots.
“He’s very unselfish - probably one of the most unselfish players I’ve ever coached,” Shannon said. “We want him to make plays. He’s kind of taken the team under his wing at times, and we’re going to need him to do that in certain games. It’s what we’re asking him to do every game. He’s so unselfish that he wants to get everybody else involved.”
In fact, Shannon felt his top player was a little too unselfish Saturday.
“I told him in one of the timeouts, ‘I know you’re trying to get everybody involved and I appreciate it. But, man, if you’re open, I want you shooting the basketball,’” Shannon said.
KEY SEQUENCE: The Bulldogs turned the game into a blowout in the second quarter thanks to their defense.
Leading 21-10 at the end of the first quarter, New Albany allowed just six Reitz points in the second to go up 37-16 at halftime. The Panthers misfired on eight of their 10 shots in the quarter, and did not hit a field goal until around the 1:30 mark of the period. For the game, Reitz was 19-of-51 from the floor (37.3 percent).
The Panthers entered the game ranked seventh in the state in scoring at 76.2 points per game. Reitz’s 48 points were a season-low.
“Our defense is our bread and butter. That’s how you win championships. You win it with defense,” Shannon said. “We’re not where we want to be, but we’re getting closer. We’re just going to keep plugging away. It was very good tonight.”
UNSUNG HERO: Julien Hunter, New Albany – The talented freshman showed his potential Saturday with 10 points and seven rebounds. Hunter made all five of field-goal attempts. He also drew praise from Shannon for his defense on Freels.
“What about Julien Hunter?” Shannon said. “He had 10 points and seven rebounds and really did a consistently good job on Freels. Freels is a really good player.”
WHAT NEW ALBANY DID WELL: The Bulldogs did a great job of sharing the ball in their offense as they passed effectively inside and out and around the perimeter.
As a result, they had five players score in double figures. Joining Langford and Hunter in double digits were Stevenson with 12 points and guards Isaac Hibbard and Sean East with 10 apiece. Stevenson grabbed seven rebounds and East dished out three assists.
“I thought Sean East played a great floor game tonight,” Shannon said.
Plus, the Bulldogs’ defense shut down one of the best offensive teams in the state.
AREA OF CONCERN FOR NEW ALBANY: Shannon was not thrilled with his team’s 3-point shooting percentage. But he also mentioned that his players have struggled shooting at Reitz Gym in the past.
The Bulldogs shot 8-of-23 from behind the arc (34.8 percent). Hibbard and East, who are two of New Albany’s best long-range shooters, were a combined 2-of-8 from 3-point range.
“We didn’t shoot the 3 as well as I’d like, but we generally don’t shoot here very well,” Shannon said.
NEW ALBANY’S NEXT GAME: At Evansville North (3-12), next Friday, 8 p.m. EDT.

NEW ALBANY 79, EVANSVILLE REITZ 48
New Albany         21 16 25 17-79
Ev. Reitz               10   6 19 13-48
New Albany (13-2): Romeo Langford 25, Derrick Stevenson 12, Sean East 10, Isaac Hibbard 10, Julien Hunter 10, Savion Southers 8, Blake Murphy 2, Seth Short 2, Kameron Guess 0, Peyton Martin 0, Marcus McGee 0.
Evansville Reitz (8-6): Jyrus Freels 14, Brennen Whitlock 10, Tamaje’ Blackwell 8, Elijah Dunham 6, Isaiah Dunham 5, Jonathan Springer 5, Noah Jones 0, Reid Mahan 0, Travis Nolan 0, Da’Ziaun Sargent 0, Noah Smith 0.
3-point field goals: New Albany 8 (Langford 5, East 2, Stevenson 1); Reitz 6 (Blackwell 2, Whitlock 2, E. Dunham 1, Springer 1).
Rebounds: New Albany 34 (Langford 10); Reitz 26 (I. Dunham 8).
Turnovers: New Albany 7, Reitz 11.
Total fouls: New Albany 9, Reitz 13.
Fouled out: none.

Saturday, January 21, 2017

FINAL HORN: No. 2 Bulldogs roll past Reitz 79-48

By KEVIN HARRIS
EVANSVILLE – Class 4A No. 2 New Albany extended its winning streak to 10 games Saturday night at Reitz Gym, as it thumped Evansville Reitz 79-48.
Junior star Romeo Langford led the Bulldogs (13-2) with a game-high 25 points, shooting 10-of-18 from the field and 5-of-10 from 3-point range. The 6-foot-5 swingman also had a game-high 10 rebounds and dished out five assists.
Four other New Albany players scored in double figures. Derrick Stevenson wound up with 12 points and Sean East, Isaac Hibbard and Julien Hunter each tallied 10. Bulldog junior guard Savion Southers came off the bench to score eight. Stevenson and Hunter each grabbed seven boards.
New Albany turned the contest into a blowout in the second quarter, outscoring the Panthers 16-6 to take a 37-16 halftime lead. Reitz (8-6) did not make a field goal until about 1:30 left in the first half.
Senior center Jyrus Freels paced the Panthers with 14 points. New Albany will return to Evansville at 8 p.m. EDT next Friday when it faces Evansville North (3-12).
Check Southern Indiana Preps (southernindianapreps.southernindianapreps.com) later this weekend for a complete breakdown of the Bulldogs’ win Saturday night.

NEW ALBANY 79, EVANSVILLE REITZ 48
New Albany         21 16 25 17-79
Ev. Reitz               10   6 19 13-48
New Albany (13-2): Romeo Langford 25, Derrick Stevenson 12, Sean East 10, Isaac Hibbard 10, Julien Hunter 10, Savion Southers 8, Blake Murphy 2, Seth Short 2, Kameron Guess 0, Peyton Martin 0, Marcus McGee 0.
Evansville Reitz (8-6): Jyrus Freels 14, Brennen Whitlock 10, Tamaje’ Blackwell 8, Elijah Dunham 6, Isaiah Dunham 5, Jonathan Springer 5, Noah Jones 0, Reid Mahan 0, Travis Nolan 0, Da’Ziaun Sargent 0, Noah Smith 0.
3-point field goals: New Albany 8 (Langford 5, East 2, Stevenson 1); Reitz 6 (Blackwell 2, Whitlock 2, E. Dunham 1, Springer 1).
Rebounds: New Albany 34 (Langford 10); Reitz 26 (I. Dunham 8).
Turnovers: New Albany 7, Reitz 11.
Total fouls: New Albany 9, Reitz 13.
Fouled out: none.
Junior varsity score: New Albany 46, Reitz 41.

GIRLS’ HOOPS: Jeff edges rival New Albany to win outright HHC title 41-39

By KEVIN HARRIS
JEFFERSONVILLE – Jeffersonville captured its first outright Hoosier Hills Conference championship since the Red Devils’ 2011 state championship season Friday night at Johnson Arena, defeating archrival New Albany 41-39.
It was the first time Jeff (14-7, 7-0 HHC) has finished with an undefeated conference record since its outright HHC crown in 2009. The Red Devils clinched a share of the HHC championship in last Tuesday’s 65-61 overtime victory at Seymour.
“We didn’t have any intentions of sharing it,” said fourth-year Jeff head coach Mike Warren, who won his first league crown at the Red Devils’ helm. “We were just going to find a way to win it outright.”
As for the Bulldogs (14-6, 4-2), their hopes of winning a piece of the conference title came to an end. New Albany has not won at least a share of the HHC title since 2005.
“I didn’t think anybody would go undefeated this year in the conference and they did. They made it happen. Congratulations to them for that,” Bulldogs’ head coach Tammy Geron said.
Jeff persevered to the conference title by surviving a wild fourth quarter. With the Bulldogs up 36-35 with 4:17 left in regulation, they extended their lead to four thanks to a short bank shot by junior Kelsy Taylor and a free throw by senior Marissa Jones.
But the Red Devils held New Albany scoreless in the final 2 minutes and 50 seconds of the game, and scored the contest’s final six points, all on free throws.
Freshman Nan Garcia made a pair of foul shots at the 2:24 mark to pull Jeff within two at 39-37. With 1:31 left, Red Devil junior Jacinta Gibson cut the deficit to one by making the front end of a two-shot situation.
With 31.8 seconds remaining, Bulldog senior forward Chyna Anthony fouled Jeff senior guard Jhala Henry during a 3-point attempt. Henry made the first two free throws of a three-shot situation to put the Red Devils up one at 40-39.
Henry misfired on the third foul shot, but teammate Jaylynn Brown got the rebound and was fouled by New Albany guard Alayasia Douglas. Brown made 1-of-2 free throws to give Jeff a two-point advantage with 26.6 ticks left. The game ended with Jones missing a desperation 3-point try from half-court.
“We did a much better job of attacking the basket in the fourth quarter,” Warren said. “Everybody still had a sense that we were going to figure this thing out one way or another. It’s just a different confidence that these kids have. They just don’t quit.”
Gibson scored a game-high 17 points, while Garcia had nine. Anthony led the Bulldogs with 13 points, followed by fellow senior Earlean Davis with nine.
“The difference is they go 10 (players) deep and we go seven,” Geron said. “It was a good ballgame. I thought both teams just played hard. They’re just really good at packing in (their defense). I thought they did a nice job tonight. They’re just a better basketball team.”
The rivals could play each other again in a couple of weeks at the Class 4A Floyd Central Sectional. For that happen, they would each have to advance to the championship game on Saturday, Feb. 4.
Jeff will visit Scottsburg (13-8) at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday. New Albany will travel to Seymour (14-6, 3-2) at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday.

JEFFERSONVILLE 41, NEW ALBANY 39
New Albany        12 5 12 10-39
Jeff                       13 8   8 12-41
New Albany (14-6, 4-2 Hoosier Hills Conference): Chyna Anthony 13, Earlean Davis 9, Kelsy Taylor 7, Julyen Condra 5, Marissa Jones 4, Alayasia Douglas 1, Savanna Pinkston 0.
Jeff (14-7, 7-0): Jacinta Gibson 17, Nan Garcia 9, Jhala Henry 6, Jaylynn Brown 5, Jaelyn Lee 3, Britney Epperson 1, Chelsea Gibson 0, Tori Handley 0, Kelsie James 0.
3-point field goals: New Albany 2 (Condra 1, Davis 1); Jeff 3 (Garcia 1, J. Gibson 1, Henry 1).

BOYS’ HOOPS: Bulldogs bounce back to beat Silver Creek 76-61

By KEVIN HARRIS
NEW ALBANY – Class 4A No. 2 New Albany rallied from a nine-point deficit in the second quarter to down Silver Creek on Friday night at The Doghouse 76-61.
With under 6 minutes remaining in the second, sophomore Jack Hawkins nailed a 3-pointer to give the Dragons (9-5) a 28-19 lead. But the Bulldogs (12-2) responded with a 17-7 run to grab the lead at 36-35. Junior sensation Romeo Langford capped off the New Albany spurt with his own 3 to give his team the one-point advantage with 1:17 left in the first half. The squads ended up tied at halftime at 38.
In the second half, the Bulldogs outscored Silver Creek 38-23, including 14-5 in the fourth period.
Langford wound up with a game-high 33 points, including 12 in the second quarter. Langford nailed five 3-pointers. Teammate Isaac Hibbard scored 21 points, New Albany sophomore Derrick Stevenson had nine and junior Sean East scored eight.
Four Dragons recorded double-figure scoring efforts. Sophomore guard Zane Gross paced Silver Creek with 16 points. Junior Hunter Popp had 14, while Hawkins and senior Cameron Stephens each scored 10.
New Albany, which has won nine games in a row, will visit Evansville Reitz (8-5) at 8 p.m. EDT on Saturday. The Dragons will host Class 2A No. 2 Providence (13-1) at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday.

NEW ALBANY 76, SILVER CREEK 61
Silver Creek      16 22 18   5-61
New Albany      17 21 24 14-76
Silver Creek (9-5): Zane Gross 16, Hunter Popp 14, Jack Hawkins 10, Cameron Stephens 10, Josh Landers 6, Bennett Beyl 3, Jacob Garrett 2.
New Albany (12-2): Romeo Langford 33, Isaac Hibbard 21, Derrick Stevenson 9, Sean East 8, Julien Hunter 5.
3-point field goals: Silver Creek 9 (Gross 5, Stephens 2, Hawkins 2); New Albany 9 (Langford 5, East 1, Hibbard 1, Hunter 1, Stevenson 1).

Friday, January 20, 2017

GIRLS’ HOOPS: Bulldogs stay in HHC title hunt by beating East 69-48

By KEVIN HARRIS
NEW ALBANY – Chyna Anthony put together another stellar performance Wednesday night at The Doghouse to keep New Albany’s Hoosier Hills Conference championship hopes alive.
The senior center recorded a double-double with 26 points and 10 rebounds, leading the Bulldogs to a 69-48 victory over conference foe Columbus East.
For New Albany (14-5, 4-1 HHC) to win a share of the HHC title, it must win its final two conference games. The Bulldogs will travel to archrival Jeffersonville (13-7, 6-0), which clinched a piece of the HHC crown Tuesday night at Seymour in a 65-61 overtime win, on Friday night. New Albany then will visit Seymour (14-6, 3-2) next Thursday. The Bulldogs have not won at least a share of the HHC championship since 2005.
New Albany sophomore Alayasia Douglas scored 16 points. Bulldog senior Marissa Jones had another double-figure assist total with 12 to go along with nine points. Senior guard Earlean Davis added eight points.
Juniors Britney Ballard and Kristen Lyons each led the Olympians (11-9, 1-4) with nine points.
New Albany’s matchup with Jeff will tip off Friday at about 7:30 p.m. The Red Devils lead the all-time series 42-34.

NEW ALBANY 69, COLUMBUS EAST 48
Columbus East         12   7 15 14-48
New Albany              16 14 22 17-69
Columbus East (11-9, 1-4 Hoosier Hills Conference): Britney Ballard 9, Kristen Lyons 9, Abby Galarno 7, Lauren Meade 6, Whitley Rankin 5, Kary Horner 3, Sarah Park 3, Kaitlyn Dougherty 2, Korin Humes 2, Claire Cunningham 1, Riley Meade 1.
New Albany (14-5, 4-1): Chyna Anthony 26, Alayasia Douglas 16, Marissa Jones 9, Earlean Davis 8, Julyen Condra 4, Devon Hunter 3, Sadie Meyer 3.
3-point field goals: Columbus East 2 (Ballard 1, Rankin 1); New Albany 5 (Jones 3, Douglas 2).

Thursday, January 19, 2017

GIRLS’ HOOPS: New Albany’s Anthony has career night versus C’town in 69-52 win

By KEVIN HARRIS
NEW ALBANY – Senior center Chyna Anthony scored a career-high 32 points Tuesday night at The Doghouse to lead New Albany past Charlestown 69-52.
Anthony completed a double-double with 11 rebounds along with four blocked shots. Teammate Savanna Pinkston recorded her own double-double with 13 points and 10 boards. Also for New Albany (13-5), guard Earlean Davis had 10 points, fellow senior Marissa Jones distributed 17 assists and junior Kelsy Taylor grabbed seven boards.
Sophomore Samantha Matthews paced Charlestown with 17 points, while freshman teammate Jackie Biscardi had 15.
Charlestown will host Salem on Thursday.

NEW ALBANY 69, CHARLESTOWN 52
Charlestown       10 12 15 15-52
New Albany        12 15 18 24-69
Charlestown (10-10): Samantha Matthews 17, Jackie Biscardi 15, Peyton Crace 8, Bri Harvey 6, Karston Watson 4.
New Albany (13-5): Chyna Anthony 32, Savanna Pinkston 13, Earlean Davis 10, Kelsy Taylor 5, Alayasia Douglas 4, Julyen Condra 3, Marissa Jones 2.

Wednesday, January 18, 2017

GIRLS’ HOOPS: Jeff clinches share of HHC title with OT win at Seymour 65-61

By KEVIN HARRIS
SEYMOUR – Jeffersonville clinched a share of the Hoosier Hills Conference championship Tuesday night by defeating host Seymour at Scott Gym in overtime, 65-61.
It was the Red Devils’ first conference title since they won it outright in 2011, which was the year they won their only state championship. Jeff (13-7, 6-0 HHC) can secure the outright HHC crown Friday night if it defeats archrival New Albany (13-5, 3-1) at Johnson Arena. The game will tip off at approximately 7:30 p.m.
Trailing 12-9 at the end of the first quarter, the Red Devils outscored the Owls (14-6, 3-2) in the second 24-8 to take a 33-20 lead at halftime. But Seymour came back by claiming the third quarter 21-10 to pull within 43-41. The Owls outscored Jeff 14-12 in the fourth to tie the contest at 55 and force overtime.
The Red Devils outscored Seymour 10-6 in overtime to pull out the four-point win. Jeff assistant coach Craig Harris lauded Red Devil sophomores Chelsea Gibson and Tori Handley for their efforts in overtime. Gibson scored six of her eight points in the extra session, while Handley made some key defensive plays and hit a big free throw with a handful of seconds left to put Jeff up 65-61.
“Tori Handley stepped up big for us in overtime. She had a couple steals and blocked a 3-point attempt that would've tied the game,” Harris said. “This was a very nice road win and a good test overcoming adversity as we head toward sectionals.”
Freshman forward Nan Garcia and senior guard Jhala Henry each led the Red Devils with 15 points. Both players hit three 3-pointers apiece. Two other Jeff players scored in double figures as Jacinta Gibson tallied 12 points and Jaylynn Brown came off the bench with 11.
Seymour’s Ashton Chase and Lauren James shared team-high scoring honors with 14 points apiece.

JEFFERSONVILLE 65, SEYMOUR 61, OT
Jeff                     9 24 10 12 10-65
Seymour          12  8 21 14   6-61
Jeff (13-7, 6-0 Hoosier Hills Conference): Nan Garcia 15, Jhala Henry 15, Jacinta Gibson 12, Jaylynn Brown 11, Chelsea Gibson 8, Tori Handley 3, Britney Epperson 1, Kelsie James 0, Jaelyn Lee 0.
Seymour (14-6, 3-2): Ashton Chase 14, Lauren James 14, Sarah Benefiel 12, Makenna Fee 12, Kayla Griffin 9, Megan Ritz 0.
3-point field goals: Jeff 7 (Garcia 3, Henry 3, Brown 1); Seymour 10 (Benefiel 3, Chase 2, Fee 2, James 2, Griffin 1).

Tuesday, January 17, 2017

BOYS’ HOOPS: Langford earns IBCA District 3 weekly honor

By KEVIN HARRIS
NEW ALBANY – New Albany junior Romeo Langford was named the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association District 3 Player of the Week on Monday.
The 6-foot-5 guard averaged 39 points per game in leading the Bulldogs to two victories this past weekend against Madison and Scottsburg. Langford registered 43 points, five rebounds and four assists in New Albany’s 103-50 home win over the Cubs last Friday. Last Saturday in the Dogs’ 97-40 triumph at Scottsburg, Langford had 35 points, eight boards, five assists and five steals.
It was the second time Langford has earned the award this season.
North Harrison sophomore Lilly Hatton captured the IBCA Girls’ District 3 Player of the Week honor Monday.

GIRLS’ HOOPS: Geron, Warren happy with first-round sectional byes

By KEVIN HARRIS
JEFFERSONVILLE – Both Jeffersonville head coach Mike Warren and New Albany head coach Tammy Geron agreed on one thing during the IHSAA sectional draw on Sunday night in Indianapolis. They both are glad their respective teams got first-round byes.
The Bulldogs (12-5) will play the first semifinal of the Class 4A Floyd Central Sectional on Friday, Feb. 3. Their opponent will be the winner of the sectional opener on Tuesday, Jan. 31 between the host Highlanders (11-9) and Jennings County (5-13).
Geron says the bye should help her players get some rest after playing four games from Tuesday to Thursday, Jan. 26. Three of those four contests will be Hoosier Hills Conference games, as the Bulldogs are trying to win at least a share of their first conference title since 2005.
“I’m pleased with a bye,” Geron said. “It will give us a chance to refresh our batteries a little bit. It will be good to get a break.”
Jeff (12-7) will compete in the second semifinal Feb. 3 against either five-time defending sectional champion Bedford North Lawrence (14-4) or Seymour (14-5). The Stars and the Owls will square off in the second first-round contest on the 31st at Highlander Gymnasium. The championship will take place Saturday, Feb. 4.
Warren thinks receiving the bye will help his coaching staff and himself come up with a solid scouting report for the semifinal.
“Getting the bye is a benefit for us. Bedford and Seymour will be a good game, and we’ll be able to watch that game and come up with a good game plan,” Warren said. “It’s notoriously a strong sectional each year. Each game is going to be competitive. Obviously, we got a tough draw.”
With five sectional teams currently sporting an above-.500 record, it appears the sectional field is more balanced this season. Both Geron and Warren also think Jennings County is a lot better than their 5-13 mark.
“Bedford is still the team to beat, but I feel it’s a very good sectional,” Geron said. “I really feel that anybody can beat anybody on any given night.”

CLASS 4A FLOYD CENTRAL SECTIONAL
FIRST ROUND
Tuesday, Jan. 31
Jennings County (5-13) vs. Floyd Central (11-9)
Bedford North Lawrence (14-4) vs. Seymour (14-5)
SEMIFINALS
Friday, Feb. 3
New Albany (12-5) vs. Jennings County-Floyd Central winner
Jeffersonville (12-7) vs. Bedford-Seymour winner
CHAMPIONSHIP
Saturday, Feb. 4
Semifinal winners

OTHER NOTABLE SOUTHERN INDIANA SECTIONALS
CLASS 4A COLUMBUS NORTH SECTIONAL
FIRST ROUND
Tuesday, Jan. 31
Columbus East (11-7) vs. Bloomington South (8-9)
Columbus North (14-5) vs. Shelbyville (3-15)
SEMIFINALS
Friday, Feb. 3
Bloomington North (5-13) vs. Columbus East-Bloomington South winner
East Central (14-6) vs. Columbus North-Shelbyville winner
CHAMPIONSHIP
Saturday, Feb. 4
Semifinal winners

CLASS 3A RUSHVILLE SECTIONAL
FIRST ROUND
Tuesday, Jan. 31
Greensburg (17-2) vs. Madison (4-15)
Wednesday, Feb. 1
South Dearborn (3-16) vs. Lawrenceburg (12-6)
Batesville (10-9) vs. Franklin County (14-6)
SEMIFINALS
Friday, Feb. 3
Rushville (17-3) vs. Greensburg-Madison winner
South Dearborn-Lawrenceburg winner vs. Batesville-Franklin County winner
CHAMPIONSHIP
Saturday, Feb. 4
Semifinal winners

CLASS 3A CORYDON CENTRAL SECTIONAL
FIRST ROUND
Tuesday, Jan. 31
North Harrison (18-1) vs. Silver Creek (8-12)
Wednesday, Feb. 1
Brownstown Central (13-8) vs. Scottsburg (12-7)
Charlestown (10-9) vs. Salem (12-8)
SEMIFINALS
Friday, Feb. 3
Corydon Central (11-9) vs. North Harrison-Silver Creek winner
Brownstown Central-Scottsburg winner vs. Charlestown-Salem winner
CHAMPIONSHIP
Saturday, Feb. 4
Semifinal winners

CLASS 2A AUSTIN SECTIONAL
FIRST ROUND
Tuesday, Jan. 31
Austin (10-8) vs. Milan (8-8)
South Ripley (14-4) vs. Switzerland County (6-12)
SEMIFINALS
Friday, Feb. 3
North Decatur (8-11) vs. Austin-Milan winner
Southwestern (Hanover) (5-15) vs. South Ripley-Switzerland County winner
CHAMPIONSHIP
Saturday, Feb. 4
Semifinal winners

CLASS 2A PROVIDENCE SECTIONAL
FIRST ROUND
Tuesday, Jan. 31
Crawford County (14-4) vs. Eastern (Pekin) (12-7)
Providence (14-5) vs. Henryville (10-8)
SEMIFINALS
Friday, Feb. 3
Paoli (11-9) vs. Crawford County-Eastern (Pekin) winner
Clarksville (2-19) vs. Providence-Henryville winner
CHAMPIONSHIP
Saturday, Feb. 4
Semifinal winners

CLASS 2A NORTH KNOX SECTIONAL
FIRST ROUND
Tuesday, Jan. 31
South Knox (9-11) vs. Eastern Greene (7-13)
SEMIFINALS
Friday, Feb. 3
Mitchell (7-10) vs. Linton-Stockton (5-12)
North Knox (15-3) vs. South Knox-Eastern Greene winner
CHAMPIONSHIP
Saturday, Feb. 4
Semifinal winners

CLASS 2A FOREST PARK SECTIONAL
FIRST ROUND
Tuesday, Jan. 31
Perry Central (2-17) vs. North Posey (7-11)
Evansville Mater Dei (12-5) vs. Forest Park (12-9)
SEMIFINALS
Friday, Feb. 3
Tell City (7-12) vs. Perry Central-North Posey winner
South Spencer (4-13) vs. Evansville Mater Dei-Forest Park winner
CHAMPIONSHIP
Saturday, Feb. 4
Semifinal winners

CLASS A ORLEANS SECTIONAL
FIRST ROUND
Tuesday, Jan. 31
Crothersville (14-6) vs. Trinity Lutheran (8-13)
West Washington (12-9) vs. Borden (9-9)
SEMIFINALS
Friday, Feb. 3
Orleans (5-12) vs. Crothersville-Trinity Lutheran winner
Medora (2-12) vs. West Washington-Borden winner
CHAMPIONSHIP
Saturday, Feb. 4
Semifinal winners

CLASS A NEW WASHINGTON SECTIONAL
FIRST ROUND
Tuesday, Jan. 31
Christian Academy (6-10) vs. New Washington (9-11)
Shawe Memorial (11-9) vs. Rock Creek (4-14)
SEMIFINALS
Friday, Feb. 3
Lanesville (5-15) vs. Christian Academy-New Washington winner
South Central (12-6) vs. Shawe Memorial-Rock Creek winner
CHAMPIONSHIP
Saturday, Feb. 4
Semifinal winners

CLASS A TECUMSEH SECTIONAL
FIRST ROUND
Tuesday, Jan. 31
Cannelton (2-16) vs. Tecumseh (11-5)
SEMIFINALS
Friday, Feb. 3
Springs Valley (7-10) vs. Northeast Dubois (10-7)
Wood Memorial (17-1) vs. Cannelton-Tecumseh winner
CHAMPIONSHIP
Saturday, Feb. 4

Semifinal winners

Monday, January 16, 2017

BOYS’ HOOPS BREAKDOWN: Inconsistent offense dooms Jeff against Providence

By KEVIN HARRIS
CLARKSVILLE – If there was one word to describe Jeffersonville’s play this past weekend, it was inconsistency.
That was evident Saturday night in the Red Devils’ 53-50 loss to Class 2A No. 3 Providence at the Larkin Center.
The Pioneers (11-1) bolted out to a 13-2 lead at the 3:11 mark in the first quarter and led by as many as 13 points during the first three periods. Jeff made a rally in the fourth quarter, outscoring Providence 24-15 in the stanza. But Red Devil guard Gabe Gallahar missed a potential game-tying 3-pointer at the final buzzer as the Pioneers defeated Jeff for the first time since 2008.
On Friday night, Jeff (8-6) got off to a fast start against visiting Floyd Central, leading 13-2 near the midway point of the first quarter. But the Red Devils scored just 36 points after that and lost to the Highlanders 55-49.
“We faced the same thing that we faced (Friday) night. That was intensity-wise we didn’t play with that type of attacking effort on the defensive end, and we didn’t play that way offensively,” Jeff head coach Joe Luce said. “We’re not a full-court basketball team. We’re not built that way. Consequently, we just came out slow and put ourselves behind.”
Providence played a zone defense where it had its guards sagging back toward the basket. Jeff struggled to figure out what to do with the defense during the first three quarters.
“We had to keep them out of the paint and not let it become an inside-out game,” Pioneers’ head coach Andrew Grantz said. “Jeff is so good at penetrating and creating inside-out play. When their guards get into the lane and they can’t finish or they have to kick the ball out, then they’ve got shooters.”
As far as his team’s comeback effort in the final period Saturday, Luce felt that his players finally got energized and it showed offensively. The Devils made nine of their 12 field-goal attempts in the fourth.
“I think there was some energy that was finally found by our players,” Luce said. “They began to play with a lot different speed in the half-court offensively. They attacked the ball and they moved the ball. They made shots and that’s because they passed the ball and moved the ball. When that happens, good things are going to happen for your team.”
Grantz said the Pioneers’ 13-2 start was crucial in them establishing the tempo they wanted to play for most of the game.
“That was huge. That’s a credit to the kids for being locked in and executing the scouting report. They did a fantastic job,” Grantz said. “When you’re able to get off to a start like that, it puts you in such an advantage, especially at home. What it really did was allow us to control the tempo for the rest of the game.”
Providence senior guard Eli Coker tallied a game-high 15 points, while teammate Juston Betz had 13. Two Red Devils scored in double figures. Bailey Falkenstein had 14 points and Gerrin Moore poured in 11.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Coker - The senior was one of the main Pioneers in executing their half-court offense. Coker had 11 points in the first half.
“Eli is one of the best athletes in the program right now,” Grantz said. “He’s a great ballhandler and very skilled. We’ve been trying to utilize him getting to the rim and using his athleticism.”
KEY SEQUENCE: The Pioneers’ 13-2 start set the tone for the entire game as they made the contest a half-court affair for the most part. Providence led the whole way and the game was never tied.
There were a couple of honorable-mention sequences. After pulling within 38-32 with 5:08 left in the fourth, Providence scored six straight points to get its lead back up to six. That spurt included Coker making a bucket after he awkwardly hung on the rim during a shot attempt and somehow came up with the rebound. Luce argued for a traveling call and received a technical foul, which resulted in Betz hitting two free throws.
The other honorable-mention sequence was the Pioneers hitting 7-of-8 free throws in the final 56.6 seconds to hold off the Devils.
UNSUNG HERO: Alex Judd, Providence – The senior forward scored nine points and helped the Pioneers execute their game plan offensively and defensively.
WHAT BOTH TEAMS DID WELL: Simply put, the Pioneers just played their game throughout the contest. Their great start helped them establish their style. The fourth quarter was Jeff’s lone bright spot as it finally got its offense going.
AREAS OF CONCERN FOR BOTH TEAMS: The Pioneers did miss some free throws in the fourth that would have made the final seconds less stressful for them. Providence shot 13-of-20 at the stripe in the fourth. Jeff needs to be more consistent on offense.
NEXT GAMES FOR BOTH TEAMS: Jeff at Columbus East, next Saturday, 7:30 p.m.; Providence at Crawford County, Tuesday, 7:30 p.m.

PROVIDENCE 53, JEFFERSONVILLE 50
Jeff                      7   8 11 24-50
Providence        15 11 12 15-53
Jeff (8-6): Bailey Falkenstein 14, Gerrin Moore 11, Mike Minton 7, Joe LaGrange 6, Jacob Jones 5, Tre Coleman 4, Cam Northern 2, Gabe Gallahar 1.
Providence (11-1): Eli Coker 15, Juston Betz 13, Alex Judd 9, Cullen Ebert 6, Sam Conrad 4, Nick Boesing 2, Dawson Mitchell 2, Landon Sprigler 2, Sean Morris 0.
3-point field goals: Jeff 5 (Falkenstein 2, LaGrange 1, Minton 1, Moore 1); Providence 5 (Betz 3, Conrad 1, Ebert 1).
Rebounds: Jeff 22 (Falkenstein 5); Providence 18 (Mitchell 7).
Free throws: Jeff 4-10, Providence 18-26.
Turnovers: Jeff 10, Providence 8.
Total fouls: Jeff 20, Providence 12.
Fouled out: Jeff – Coleman, Minton.
Technical fouls: Jeff bench.

Sunday, January 15, 2017

BOYS’ HOOPS: Bulldogs cruise past Scottsburg 97-40

By KEVIN HARRIS
SCOTTSBURG – In front of a jam-packed crowd at historic Meyer Gymnasium on Saturday night, Class 4A No. 2 New Albany extended its winning streak to eight games with a convincing 97-40 win over host Scottsburg.
Junior guard Romeo Langford posted another 30-plus-point effort. Langford scored 35 points with 17 coming in the first quarter. He hit 4-of-5 from 3-point range in the opening stanza.
Senior guard Isaac Hibbard continued his solid play with 21 points. Also for the Bulldogs (11-2), sophomore Derrick Stevenson and junior Savion Southers each scored nine and junior Sean East tallied eight.
New Albany exploded right of the gate. The Dogs pulled out to a 31-10 lead at the end of the first quarter. In the second, New Albany outscored the Warriors (3-11) 18-7 to lead 49-17 at halftime.
Mitchell Meagher was Scottsburg’s leading scorer with 22 points. The Bulldogs will host Silver Creek at 7:30 p.m. next Friday.

NEW ALBANY 97, SCOTTSBURG 40
New Albany       31 18 27 21-97
Scottsburg          10   7 18   5-40
New Albany (11-2): Romeo Langford 35, Isaac Hibbard 21, Savion Southers 9, Derrick Stevenson 9, Sean East 8, Julien Hunter 4, Blake Murphy 4, Peyton Martin 3, Marcus McGee 2, Seth Short 2.
Scottsburg (3-11): Mitchell Meagher 22, Mitchell Prince 5, Casey Smith 2, Patrick Lincoln 3, Jimmy Neace 5, Nicholas Sebastio 3.
3-point field goals: New Albany 12 (Langford 4, Stevenson 2, Hibbard 2, East 2, Martin 1, Southers 1); Scottsburg 5 (Meagher 3, Lincoln 1, Prince 1).

GIRLS’ HOOPS BREAKDOWN: Jeff bounces back with 57-31 win over Jasper

JEFFERSONVILLE – When scheduling his team’s games for this particular weekend, Jeffersonville head coach Mike Warren wanted to set up a situation to see how his Red Devils would handle adversity.
The weekend started with a trip to the eastside of Indianapolis to face Warren Central on Friday night. The result did not turn out so good, as the Red Devils lost to the host Warriors 42-39.
After a two-hour bus trip back to Jeff late Friday night, Jeff had a 1:30 p.m. home matchup with Jasper on Saturday at Johnson Arena.
The result was much, much better than the night before.
The Red Devils jumped out to a 27-4 lead after one quarter and rolled to a 57-31 victory over the Wildcats (9-9). The key Jeff player in that period was senior guard Jhala Henry, who scored 14 of her game-high 18 points in the first.
“We did this for the purpose of creating some adversity and see how we reacted to some adversity. Would we have liked to have gone 2-0? Yes, but we were 1-1,” Warren said. “Obviously, we were disappointed in losing (Friday) night. I thought we were the better team. We just didn’t play like it (Friday) night. (The Red Devils) had a lot of reasons to let down today and let Jasper hang around.
“It started and ended with Jhala. Once (her teammates) saw what she was doing in that first quarter, those kids had no choice but to follow.”
Warren hopes Saturday’s victory gives Jeff some momentum heading into this week where it plays two crucial Hoosier Hills Conference games. The Red Devils (12-7, 5-0 HHC) can clinch a share of the conference title with a win at defending league champion Seymour (14-5, 3-1) on Tuesday night. If Jeff downs the Owls, it can capture the outright HHC championship Friday night at home versus archrival New Albany (12-5, 3-1). The Red Devils’ last conference title happened in 2011 when they won it outright and proceeded to claim the Class 4A state championship.
“We have a chance to win the conference with an undefeated record,” Warren said. “We’re not going to hide anything. We’re going to play to win.”
Jeff junior guard Jacinta Gibson scored 12 points. Freshman guard Brooke Nottingham led Jasper with seven points.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Henry – The Red Devils’ leader shot 7-of-10 from the field and 3-of-4 from 3-point range. In the opening quarter, Henry connected on five of her six field-goal attempts and made all three of her 3’s. Warren also lauded her defensive effort.
“She was phenomenal in the first quarter. She’s our heart and soul and she’s the leader of this team,” Warren said. “She just wreaked havoc on those girls and her defensive intensity got us some easy shots. It kind of got her in the flow and she was able to knock down some 3’s.”
KEY SEQUENCE: With Jeff holding an early 4-3 lead, it closed out the first stanza with a 23-1 run. Henry scored 12 points during that spurt, which included her three 3-pointers and a three-point play with 37.8 seconds left in the quarter.
UNSUNG HERO: Chelsea Gibson, Jeff – The 6-1 sophomore forward displayed her potential with 10 points, shooting 4-of-7 from the floor and 2-of-2 at the free-throw line. The younger Gibson came out ready to play like Henry in the first quarter, scoring eight points.
“She has the tools. We’re just asking for more consistency from her,” Warren said. “We need her to start well and finish well.”
WHAT JEFF DID WELL: Once again, the Red Devils showed they have one of the best defenses in Indiana.
It was the 11th time this season Jeff has held an opponent under 40 points. The Red Devils rank second in Class 4A and 32nd in Indiana in points allowed per game (37.4). The Wildcats shot 33.3 percent from the field (10-for-30) and committed 23 turnovers. For most of the game, Jeff used a full-court press and a half-court trapping defense to frustrate Jasper.
“Through three quarters, our defense was outstanding. I was real happy with our (help-side defense),” Warren said. “Our on-ball defense, our traps and our press have been as good as it’s been lately. But more so, we were helping each other.”
AREA OF CONCERN FOR JEFF: If there was one thing to worry about, it was the Red Devils’ shooting percentage dropping off after the first quarter.
In the opening stanza, Jeff nailed 10-of-14 field goals (71.4 percent). But after that, the Devils connected on only 12-of-36 shots (33.3 percent) as they ended up 22-of-50 for the game (44 percent).
JEFF’S NEXT GAME: At Seymour, Tuesday, 7:30 p.m.

JEFFERSONVILLE 57, JASPER 31
Jasper          4 10    2 15-31
Jeff             27   8  14   8-57
Jasper (9-9): Brooke Nottingham 7, Madisyn Hunt 6, Kathryn Wigand 6, Claire Knies 5, Riley Merder 5, Brooklynn Pierce 2, Anna Charron 0, Maria Gobert 0, Summer Herzog 0, Emily Kuhlman 0, Lindsey Leinenbach 0, Kortney Ruhe 0.
Jeff (12-7): Jhala Henry 18, Jacinta Gibson 12, Chelsea Gibson 10, Nan Garcia 6, Britney Epperson 3, Jaylynn Brown 2, Tori Handley 2, Kelsie James 2, Jaelyn Lee 2, Jasmine Lilly 0, Makiyah Owens 0, Kiersten Poor 0.
3-point field goals: Jasper 5 (Nottingham 2, Wigand 2, Hunt 1); Jeff 5 (Henry 3, J. Gibson 2).
Rebounds: Jasper 24 (Knies 6); Jeff 30 (Epperson 7).
Free throws: Jasper 6-10, Jeff 8-12.
Turnovers: Jasper 23, Jeff 13.
Total fouls: Jasper 14, Jeff 14.
Fouled out: none.