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

By KEVIN HARRIS

kevinharris1972@gmail.com

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).