Bartrum scores 16 as Greencastle maul Bulldogs 66-62

Saturday, February 7, 2009

MONROVIA -- The Greencastle Tiger Cubs boys' basketball team traveled to Monrovia Friday night to play the always tough Bulldogs in a West Central Conference game.

The Tiger Cubs knew they would have their hands full, as the Bulldogs entered the game with only one loss in the conference, and were celebrating senior night.

Greencastle played one of their best games of the season, playing a solid game on both ends of the floor, defeating Monrovia, 66-62.

The Tiger Cubs scored the first points of the game on a basket by Kyle Harlan after he stole the ball from the Bulldogs, with 7:33 showing on the clock in the first period.

However, Monrovia took the lead from Greencastle with 6:46 left in the quarter, and the Bulldogs would retain the lead until there was 1:05 left in the game.

From that point on, the Tiger Cubs controlled the rest of the game.

Between those two moments in time, Greencastle worked hard on both ends of the floor, with Justin Bartrum, Graham Shuee, Ashton Marshall, Jordan Hickam, Wade Huber, Kyle Nobles, and Nick Hutcheson joining Harlan in the score book, as the Tiger Cubs were moving the ball well on offense, generating 10 assists.

Defensively, Greencastle caused problems for Monrovia in the second half, forcing the Bulldogs to commit 11 turnovers after halftime, while the Tiger Cubs committed only five turnovers in the third period, and none in the final stanza.

Greencastle, after trailing at each stop, 17-12, 36-28, and 52-44 going into the fourth quarter, outscored Monrovia 22-10 in the final period, while forcing six Bulldog turnovers to pull out the win.

The Tiger Cubs won the game by hitting 67 percent of their two-point shots, and 55 percent overall from the floor, outrebounding the Bulldogs, 28-23, and stealing nine Monrovia passes, including five in the crucial fourth quarter.

"I am most proud the way that our kids did not give up tonight," commented Greencastle coach Troy Greenlee after the game. "We've had several losses in a row, and when you are in that situation, it's hard to get over the hump. I just told them that we've just got to keep fighting.

"I thought the difference in the game tonight was that we made plays at the end that we haven't been making in the past. They may not have been scoring plays, but we had some great hustle plays tonight, and those win you games.

"I thought tonight that those were some of the biggest plays that we had," Greenlee continued. "I am really proud of the kids, and I thought everyone who came into the game did some really positive things for us, and that's all that you can ask for."

Another aspect that Greenlee liked was the unity in which his Tiger Cubs displayed while getting the win

"I was happy to see the kids in our locker room giving each other a lot of high fives and enjoying the victory," Greenlee said. "That's what it's all about."

Greencastle was led in scoring by Bartrum with 16 points and Marshall with 12.

Hickam followed with nine, Hutcheson added eight, Nobles had seven, Harlan and Huber scored five each, and Shuee closed out the Tiger Cub scoring with four points.

Nobles led the Tiger Cubs in rebounds with a game-high 10 boards, closely followed by Hutcheson with eight, and each had a blocked shot.

Bartrum had a game-high four assists, and Marshall and Hickam had game-high two steals each.

The Tiger Cubs (4-8, 2-2 WCC) travel to Nashville tonight (Saturday) to play possible Sectional foe Brown County. The junior varsity game begins at 6:00.

At Monrovia

Greencastle 12 16 16 22 -- 66

Monrovia 17 19 16 10 --62

Greencastle (4-8, 2-2 WCC)

Bartrum 4-7 8-13 16, Shuee 1-2 1-2 4, Marshall 5-5 2-4 12, Moore 0-1 0-0 0, Harlan 2-3 1-1 5, Hickam 4-7 0-0 9, Huber 2-7 0-0 5, Nobles 1-3 5-10 7, Hutcheson 4-7 0-2 8. Totals 23-42 FG, 17-32 FT, 66 TP.

Monrovia (7-9, 4-2 WCC)

Johnson 2-3 3-4 7, Gray 3-8 0-0 8, Connor 6-10 4-10 19, Everett 3-3 3-4 9, Watson 1-3 0-1 2, Jordan Standeford 4-6 3-5 11, McCleerey 2-4 0-1 4, Shuee 0-8 0-0 0, Joe Standeford 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 22-47 FG, 13-25 FT, 62 TP.

3-pt. FG -- G 3-12 (Bartrum 0-1, Shuee 1-2, Moore 0-1, Harlan 0-1, Hickam 1-1, Huber 1-5, Nobles 0-1), M 5-13 (Johnson 0-1, Gray 2-4, Connor 3-5, Watson 0-1, Jordan Standeford 0-1, McCleerey 0-1). Rebounds - G 28 (Bartrum 2, Marshall 1, Harlan 4, Hickam 1, Huber 2, Nobles 10, Hutcheson 8), M 23 (Johnson 1, Connor 2, Everett 7, Jordan Standeford 6, McCleerey 1, Shuee 4, Joe Standeford 2). Blocks -- G 2 (Nobles 1, Hutcheson 1), M 0. Assists -- G 10 (Bartrum 4, Marshall 2, Hickam 2, Nobles 1, Hutcheson 1), M 10 (Johnson 1, Gray 4, Connor 1, Watson 2, Jordan Standeford 1, McCleerey 1). Steals -- G 9 (Bartrum 1, Shuee 1, Marshall 2, Harlan 2, Hickam 1, Nobles 1, Hutcheson 1), M 5 (Johnson 2, Gray 1, McCleerey 1, Shuee 1). Total fouls -- G 23, M 25. Fouled out -- Everett. Turnovers - G 12, M 15.

Next game -- The Tiger Cubs (4-8, 2-2 WCC) travel to Nashville tonight (Saturday) to play possible Sectional foe Brown County. The junior varsity game begins at 6:00.