FINAL HORN: Langford scores 22 to lead Bulldogs past Central 77-48

By KEVIN HARRIS

kevinharris1972@gmail.com

NEW ALBANY – Five New Albany players scored in double figures Saturday afternoon at The Doghouse in the Class 4A No. 4 Bulldogs’ 77-48 victory over Evansville Central.

In his second game back after missing two contests with a dislocated pinky finger, junior standout Romeo Langford led New Albany (18-3) with 22 points. Langford converted 9-of-19 field goals and 3-of-4 free throws.

Bulldog junior guard Sean East tallied 18 points on 7-of-11 shooting. East was 4-of-8 from 3-point range.

Senior guard Isaac Hibbard and freshman forward Julien Hunter each scored 11 points for New Albany. Also for the Bulldogs, sophomore guard Derrick Stevenson registered 10 points and junior forward Blake Murphy grabbed a team-high six rebounds.

Leading 23-16 early in the second quarter, New Albany went on an 11-5 run to go up 34-21. After a bucket by Bears junior Collin Wedding, the Bulldogs reeled off 12 unanswered points to extend their lead to 46-23 with more than a minute left in the first half.

Joe Space was the top scorer for Central (6-12) with 15 points, followed by Wedding with 13.

New Albany (5-1 Hoosier Hills Conference) will visit HHC foe Bedford North Lawrence (8-14, 4-2) at 7:30 p.m. Friday. If the Bulldogs win, they will clinch at least a share of their fourth consecutive conference championship.

Check Southern Indiana Preps later this weekend for a breakdown of New Albany’s 77-48 blowout win over Evansville Central on Saturday afternoon.

NEW ALBANY 77, EVANSVILLE CENTRAL 48

Ev. Central       14 13 11 10-48

New Albany     23 23 15 16-77

Evansville Central (6-12): Joe Space 15, Collin Wedding 13, Keon Jones 6, Jermiah Bradley 4, Zach Daugherty 4, Malcolm DePriest Jr. 4, Devon Mills 2, Cory Bosecker 0, Colton Glaser 0, Sam Kennedy 0, Nathan McVaigh 0, Mason White 0.

New Albany (18-3): Romeo Langford 22, Sean East 18, Isaac Hibbard 11, Julien Hunter 11, Derrick Stevenson 10, Savion Southers 5, Trey Hourigan 0, Peyton Martin 0, Blake Murphy 0, Seth Short 0.

3-point field goals: Central 1 (Space 1); New Albany 9 (East 4, Hibbard 3, Langford 1, Stevenson 1).

Rebounds: Central 27 (Daugherty 7); New Albany 25 (Murphy 6).

Turnovers: Central 19, New Albany 7.

Total fouls: Central 11, New Albany 16.

Fouled out: none.

Junior varsity score: New Albany 57, Central 45.