Rivalry games highlight busy hoop weekend

Eastern Greene's J.T. Yoho (left) and Bloomfield's Andy Cochrane (40) and Gavin Thompson will all be in action during the first full weekend of the high school boys basketball season. (By B.J. Hargis/Greene County Daily World). [Order this photo]

Just one glimpse at this weekend's boys schedule is another sign. There are 10 area boys games, highlighted by a couple of county rivalries.

Friday's schedule features Clay City at Union (Dugger), Linton-Stockton at Owen Valley, Mitchell at Eastern Greene, North Daviess at Shoals, Shakamak at Bloomfield and White River Valley at South Knox.

Union (Dugger) guard Blane Boyd (21) is shown playing defense against North Knox Tuesday. Boyd and the Bulldogs will host Clay City Friday before traveling to Eminence Saturday. (By B.J. Hargis/Greene County Daily World). [Click to enlarge] [Order this photo]

Saturday's schedule features four games, including Bloomfield at Linton-Stockton, Mitchell at White River Valley, Sullivan at Shakamak and Union (Dugger) at Eminence.

The Linton-Stockton at Owen Valley game will begin with the JV contest at 6:30 p.m. as will the Clay City at Union (Dugger) game. All of the other games will start at 6 p.m.

Because of the Linton-Stockton football squad having advanced to the semistate, the Miners will be the last area hoop team to begin the season with a road game against the Patriots (1-0) Friday before hosting Bloomfield (1-1, 1-0) in a Southwestern Indiana Athletic Conference game Saturday.

"The toughest part for us and has been trying to get everything in and get ready play," said Linton-Stockton coach Darren Clayton. "We will have seven practices before playing Owen Valley.

"The kids have come in with a wonderful attitude. They are working very hard. We are still trying to get our basketball legs back under us."

Jordan Tharp (9.8 ppg in 2007-08), Keith Cunningham (8.6 ppg) and Evan Magni (8.1 ppg) are the top returning scorers for the Miners, who won five games a year ago.

"We feel like we have nine or 10 kids that have the ability to play and contribute every night," said Clayton. "We don't have a lot of size and want to play quickly.

"J.D. Fish is an unknown quantity. He is a senior that has not played in a while. He is going to be an asset by the end of the season."

Owen Valley defeated Eastern Greene 69-66 in overtime in its only game to date. The Pats played that game without 6-7 center Cody Vest. It is unknown when he will return.

Bloomfield defeated Union (Dugger) but lost to Eastern Greene 39-38 last week in its first two conference games.

The Cardinals are led in scoring by Kurt Schulte, who averages 13 points per game. Andy Cochrane averages nine per while Chris Babcock hits at a 8.5 clip. Bloomfield has played those games without starting center Rick Tally, who has not dressed because of an "in-house thing," according to coach Ron McBride.

"We will play two teams with opposite styles," said Clayton. "Owen Valley has size and likes to get up and down the floor.

"Ron's group will be very patient and execute. They are very good at what they do."

Bloomfield won 55-53 at Guy Glover Gymnasium last year, but the Miners have won two of the last three meetings.

The Shakamak (1-0) at Bloomfield clash Friday night will not only be a big early-season SWIAC game, but it will be the a battle of the teacher vs. the student.

Brett coached at Bloomfield for 16 seasons 1977-78 to 1992-93. McBride, who was an assistant on Brett's staff, took over for Brett in 1993-94 and is in his 16th season at Bloomfield.

The Lakers thrashed North Vermillion 90-56 in its season-opener as Billy Newton scored a career-high 31 points for Shakamak. John Smith and Ethan Stanifer each had 13 points and Jarred VanHorn added 10 in that victory.

After the North Vermillion game, Brett said he was pleased with the play of his bench, rebounding and they way they attacked and got to the foul line (20 of 25 shooting), but said they will have to do a better job of getting back in their transition defense.

Bloomfield has dominated the series in recent years, having won 18 of the last 21 meetings. The Cardinals survived 49-46 a year ago at Jasonville.

McBride said his team has to do a better job of executing at both ends of the floor, something they didn't do in the loss at Eastern Greene.

Shakamak will take on a 1-0 Sullivan team that defeated two-time defending Class 2A Sectional South Knox in overtime in its season opener last week.

The Golden Arrows, who play Brown County Friday, looks to be improved as 6-3 freshman Rhett Smith is in starting line-up.

Thad Thompson (15), Dalton Hiatt (14), Smith (13) and David Bedwell (10) combined for 52 points in a one-point victory over South Knox. Thompson also had 14 rebounds.

"Shakamak is an awfully good basketball team with a lot of weapons," said Sullivan coach Jeff Moore. "We will have our hands full Saturday night."

Sullivan has an 11-4 advantage in the series recently. Shakamak won 69-58 at Sullivan year ago."

Clarence Johnson's Union (Dugger) Bulldogs have lost to Bloomfield and to North Knox Tuesday to begin the season. They will host the Eels (1-0) in a dual conference game, that also counts in the Tri-River Conference, and a TRC game at Eminence (0-1) Saturday.

"We have a a couple of tough conference games coming up this weekend," said Johnson. "They both will be good early-season tests.

"The kids have played hard, but we just have to continue to try to get better at both ends of the floor."

Senior guard B.J. Howard poured in 31 points in a 49-45 loss at North Knox Tuesday. This came after he was shutout against Bloomfield.

Blane Boyd has averaged 7.5 ppg while Logan Chesterfield run the point and scores 5.5.

Eastern Greene (1-1) is the only area team that will play just once this weekend. They will meet the Bluejackets of Mitchell, who has started 2-0, beating Orleans 51-39 and host Paoli 70-67 in overtime to win the Tip-Off Classic. It was the first time the Jackets defeated Orleans in six years.

Guard Dwyane Eubanks has averaged 15.5 points for Mitchell. Forward Taylor Phillips is hitting at 12 points per game. Forward David Wintczak also scores in double figures (13.0).

Center Evan Sanders is shooting 50 percent and averages 16 points per game to lead the team.

Eastern Greene coach Andy Igel said his team will have to play much better than they did against Bloomfield.

"We have to be more consistent," said Igel. "We have to do a better job of getting into our offense. At times, we have played like our heads were cut off.

"But at times we had a freshmen and two sophomores on the floor. This group is still learning and growing. The win was big for the confidence of the kids. We will have another tough test against Mitchell Friday."

Davis Russell (11) and David McNeal (10) are both averaging in double digits for the Thunderbirds.

Mitchell won 53-28 on its home floor a year ago.

White River Valley (1-1) will play at South Knox (0-1) Friday night before hosting Mitchell Saturday.

Joe Patton's Spartans have played just once, losing at Sullivan 64-63 in OT.

Jeramy Lucas had 25 points and Mitchell Patton 16 in the loss to the Golden Arrows. Patton also grabbed eight rebounds.

"We will have a test on the road at South Knox and then Mitchell at home," said WRV coach Gene Hall, whose Wolverines came up short in a one-point loss at Vincennes Rivet Saturday. "Mitchell beat Orleans. Those are two pretty good foes.

"We will be facing two teams with size. The Patton kid is about 6-9 and the Sanders kid for Mitchell is 6-6 and about 240. They are both good post players."

Hall said that battling bigger teams is just something they will have to do.

"Including the big kid at Shoals, three of our first four opponents have nice post players," he said. "But that is something we will have to deal with all year.

"The Lucas kid is one of the better players we will face. We will have to try and use our length on him. We have our work cut out for us."

WRV junior Jared Shelton is second in the area, averaging 20 points per game. Jacob Birch has hit for 16.5 ppg in two games.

"We don't worry about early games," said Hall. "We just want to be making strides in late January, February and March.

"If you win 13 or 12, 10 or 14 games, it doesn't really matter a heck of a lot if you don't win the sectional."