Rematches on the docket in sectional semifinals

White River Valley's Jeffrey Hogue (left) has been a key contributor off the bench for the Wolverines, who will face Shakamak at 7:30 p.m. Friday in the semifinals of Class A Sectional 57 at Switz City. (By B.J. Hargis/Greene County Daily World). [Order this photo]

At WRV, Clay City (5-15) will meet North Central (11-9) in the first semifinal at 6 p.m.

In the nightcap at approximately 7:30, No. 8 White River Valley (15-6) will play No. 12 Shakamak (16-7).

At South Knox, Eastern Greene (13-8) will take on Bloomfield (6-15) in the first game at 6 p.m. This is a rematch of last year's sectional title game at Eastern Greene, won by the Cardinals 32-30.

Game two at approximately 7:30 will feature South Knox (11-10) against Linton-Stockton (4-17). The Miners played their way into the semifinals with a 68-65 victory over host North Knox on Tuesday.

Eastern Greene defeated the Cardinals 51-49 on Nov. 28 in the first week of the season at Glover Gymnasium.

The Thunderbirds used a 13-2 run in the fourth quarter to finally overcome the Cardinals. It was a game characterized by spurts.

They included an 11-0 spurt by the Thunderbirds to start the night and followed with a 10-0 run by the Cardinals to trim the first-quarter lead to 11-10.

Things failed to loosen up as the second quarter unfolded and Eastern Greene led 20-18 at the half.

Bloomfield finally took its first lead in the third quarter when senior point guard Holden Hamm connected on an old-fashioned three-point play that at the time gave the Cardinals a 32-30 lead late in the period before Ryan O'Neall hit a 3-point buzzer beater from inside the half-court line to close out the quarter.

The game was finally decided in the closing stages of the fourth stanza when the Thunderbirds left the door ajar.

They missed 4 of 5 attempts from the free throw line in the final 68 seconds and survived a 5-0 run by Bloomfield's Andy Cochrane that trimmed the lead to 50-46 with 24 seconds to go.

EGHS guard Tyler Igel hit the second of two free throws to push the gap to five points, which proved to be just enough to overcome another 3-pointer from O'Neall with 2.4 seconds to play that set the final difference.

"You have to give coach (John) Bucher and Bloomfield all the credit," Eastern Greene coach Andy Igel said following the contest. "They battled back from 11-0 down at the start of the game and then came back from eight or nine down in the fourth quarter. They really scratched and clawed."

But Igel's praise for the Cardinals was mild compared to the belief and support for his own team's efforts.

"But you have to give our kids credit too," Igel said. "We were not happy with the way we played, but we made big plays when we had to. I don't think we would have been mature enough to win a game like this last year."

The teams have split the last 18 meetings, but the Cardinals have a 9-1 advantage in postseason meetings.

The Miners and Spartans met Jan. 30 when South Knox prevailed 81-49.

Spartan senior Mitchell Patton had recently signed a national letter of intent to continue his playing days at IUPUI and scored a game-high 30 points.

South Knox, who has a 10-3 advantage in recent contests against the Miners, used 60 percent shooting from the field (55 percent from 3-point range) to dominate from the outset.

Linton-Stockton was not only hampered by Patton's 30 points and Levi Bluebaum's 16, they were also shorthanded.

Both senior guard Chase Rhoten and freshman forward Dess Fougerousse were sidelined with injuries and didn't play against the Spartans.

Linton-Stockton coach Darren Clayton said the Miners face a big challenge Friday.

"We will have our hands full against South Knox," said Clayton. "They got the best of us the first time, but we were not at full strength.

"We will have to continue to rebound the ball like we have lately. We have been scoring enough points on the offense end, but will have to play better defensively. We still are turning the ball over too much."

In the victory over North Knox on Tuesday, which avenged a 60-47 loss to the Warriors during the regular season, Fougerousse scored a career-high 24 points. Tim Scott hit for a career-best 17 and guard Caleb Stuppy added 13. Both Scott and Stuppy made big plays in the final minutes against NK.

Clay City is the defending sectional champion at WRV, having won for the first time in 33 years. The Eels won five straight titles between 1972-1976.

The Eels fell twice to North Central during the regular season. Clay City, under the guidance for first-year coach Vance Edmondson, lost to the Thunderbirds 78-55 during the Greene County Invitational on the same floor at Switz City in January.

Three weeks ago, North Central defeated Clay City 68-58 at Farmersburg in a Tri-River Conference affair.

WRV will be well rested when it tries to avenge a 50-45 loss to Shakamak during the regular season. The Wolverines concluded the regular season with a 53-40 setback at Barr-Reeve on Feb. 23.

The Lakers defeated Union 66-35 in the opening tournament game at WRV on Tuesday.

"They are a very good team," Shakamak coach Steve Brett said of the Wolverines. "They have some weapons on the inside and outside.

"It was a close game with them the first time. The team that plays the best will win."

Billy Newton (20) and Jarred VanHorn (13) combined for 33 points to pace Shakamak in that five-point victory earlier.

WRV seniors Jared Shelton (13) and David McNeal (12) teamed up for 25 points in that first meeting. They average right at 26 per game combined for the season.

Each team had 23 rebounds as WRV's Cole Goodman grabbed 11 and Newton led the Lakers with seven in the first meeting.

WRV coach J.B. Neill, who is in his first season as boys coach after six seasons as girls coach at Eastern Greene, said they have played well at home, winning nine of 12 games.

"I think something that helps us is that it's played on our floor," Neill said of the sectional. "North Central got us at home, but Shakamak got us on their floor, so we've not played them on our floor."

Neill believes they must improve on their own faults and increase their own strengths before focusing on what the next opponent will bring to the table.

"We kind of stubbed our toe against North Central, the effort just wasn't there," Neill said of a 60-51 loss to the T-Birds at home in February. "Then we rebounded well against North Daviess with a good effort and the same thing against Union. So we just need to keep going in that direction. And I think when we do that we're a pretty good basketball team."

The two winners at WRV will play in the title game at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday. The championship game will be played at 7 p.m. on Saturday at North Knox.

Tickets are $5 per session or a season pass is available for $9.

On Saturday, March 13, the winner at North Knox will advance to the Class 2A Southridge Regional while the sectional survivor at WRV will play at the Class A Martinsville Regional.