Menu
Cubs take first businesslike step toward title
LEBANON — Greencastle coach Bryce Rector did not require his players to wear a suit and tie to their sectional game against Western Boone at Lebanon on Wednesday, but if he had the ploy would have fit into his motif for sectional week.
The Cubs dominated the Stars from the outset, scoring the final 14 points of the first quarter and coasting to a 68-46 win.
“We told them this was the first of three business trips we need to make this week,” said Rector, Greencastle’s second-year head coach. “This was No. 1, you cross it off the list and get ready for trip No. 2 [tonight].
“This is a team that is jelling at the right team,” Rector said. “We responded to some adversity [foul trouble] that we haven’t had to deal with. I am very happy with our ability to deal with that.
“It’s just survive and advance at this point.”
The Cubs led just 7-6 after a basket from Western Boone’s Patrick Shallenbarger with 5:02 left in the first quarter, but then took over the game.
Jack Hutcheson started the big run with a putback basket and Colin York and Gavin Bollman took care of the rest.
A York basket, a Bollman layup, a York “and one” 3-point play, another Bollman basket and a York trey put the Cubs ahead 21-6 at the first stop.
York had 15 points, and would eventually finish with a game-high 26.
The victory was Rector’s first as a varsity coach, after having lost to Crawfordsville last year in the first round.
He was much happier for York, though, whose teams had lost their first game in each of the past three seasons.
“He’s so efficient with the basketball and so under control,” Rector said. “He’s playing like a senior that doesn’t want to lose, and when you get someone playing like that it means good things for your team.
“I can’t speak highly enough about what he’s done for this team, this program for me and these players,” he added. “For us to be able to get him in his senior year, and for him to be able to get our team — from where it was a year ago to where it’s at now — speaks very highly of that kid.”
Both Bollman and senior forward Hutcheson encountered foul trouble which limited them at times, but the Cubs got solid play from junior Trey Wood and improving freshman Nick Sutherlin to fill in the gaps.
The second period was a near draw, with Greencastle still holding a 29-15 lead at the half, and the Stars got a 3-point play from Lucas Morton to open the third period.
Greencastle then took off on an 11-0 run that ended any Western Boone comeback hopes. A Benton Parmley trey, two baskets and a free throw from Bollman, a York basket and a Sutherlin free throw put Greencastle ahead 40-18 with 2:26 left in the third period.
Another Parmley trey gave the Cubs a 43-20 lead at the final stop.
Western Boone won the fourth period by a 26-25 margin, as the Stars had also done in the January meeting that Greencastle won 71-65.
The Cubs got another stellar defensive effort from freshman Brody Whitaker, who limited WeBo leading scorer Peyton Young to eight points. Young had 21 points when the teams met in January.
“He’s a good player and he really hurt us the first time,” Rector said. “We made some adjustments before this game, and I’m happy with the adjustments we made.
“It’s a very difficult thing to be able to take away a player as skilled and as athletic as he is, and Brody Whitaker did a great job on him. It’s just a bunch of guy stepping up and doing their roles,” Rector said.
York hit 9 of 16 field goals on the night, including 3 of 6 from 3-point range. He had 21 of his points in the first half.
Bollman was 8 of 10 from the field, with the Cubs also getting seven points from Whitaker, six from Parmley and four each from Hutcheson, Sutherlin and freshman Cade Plew.
Greencastle shot a blistering 57.5 percent from the field, including 5 of 13 from 3-point range.
The Cubs improved to 16-7 with their third straight victory.
Western Boone ended its season 7-16, but can look forward to next year after losing just one senior reserve from this year’s squad.
Greencastle’s 16 wins are the most since its 2004 sectional championship team that finished 17-8.
Greencastle will meet Crawfordsville tonight in the sectional semifinals.
WESTERN BOONE (46) — Young 4-8 0-1 8, Wright 2-7 3-4 8, Shellenbarger 1-2 0-0 2, Hole 1-5 0-0 3, Morton 4-13 8-9 17, Stoudamire 0-2 0-0 0, Reed 2-3 0-0 5, Pratt 0-1 0-0 0, Beck-King 1-1 0-0 2, Elkins 0-0 0-0 0, Jones 0-0 0-0 0, Hendrix 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 15-42 FG, 11-13 FT, 46 TP
GREENCASTLE (68) — C.York 9-16 5-6 26, Bollman 8-10 1-1 17, Whitaker 1-5 5-7 7, Parmley 2-4 0-0 6, Hutcheson 2-2 0-0 4, Sutherlin 0-1 4-6 4, Wood 0-0 0-0 0, A.York 0-0 0-2 0, Plew 1-1 2-2 4, Baxter 0-0 0-0 0, Alexander 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 23-40 FG, 17-24 FT, 68 TP.
Western Boone 6 9 5 26 — 46
Greencastle 21 8 14 25 — 68
3-point shooting — Greencastle 5-13 (C.York 3-6, Whitaker 0-2, Parmmley 2-4, Sutherlin 0-1), Western Boone 5-21 (Young 0-1, Wright 1-3, Hole 1-3, Morton 1-8, Stoudamire 0-1, Reed 1-2, Pratt 0-1, Beck-King 1-1). Turnovers — Western Boone 14, Greencastle 6.