Short-handed Tiger Cubs clipped by last Bulldog hurdle in another close loss

MONROVIA – The Greencastle Tiger Cubs came close, but no cigar on Thursday night at Monrovia in a boys’ high school basketball contest. The Cubs struggled down the stretch and fell to the Bulldogs 50-47.

Greencastle, playing without four of its main varsity contributors, was able to battle the Bulldogs and led the game with 1:22 left, but four turnovers in the final stretch doomed the Cubs to fall to 2-15 on the season, while Monrovia improved to 4-13.

“We had 11 useful players tonight with the varsity and JV combined. We had 11 guys who came out and played hard. It (short-handed) hinders you some with substitutions and your legs,” Greencastle head coach Bryce Rector said of his team missing Nathan Sutherlin, Cody Evans, Jacob Simmerman and Ian Williamson from the varsity rotation.

The two teams had almost identical stat lines as they both shot approximately 40 percent from the field and 63 percent from the line, with the difference in the game being that Monrovia was able to knock down more three-pointers and the Cubs turned the ball over seven times in the final quarter.

Monrovia seemed poised to break the game open early as it went on a 7-0 run late in the first quarter, but a Cole Hutcheson layup late kept the score close at 12-9 at the first stop in the action.

Greencastle tied the score early in the second period on a Hutcheson free throw at 16-16 but the Bulldogs continued to pull ahead and led 27-22 with 1:08 to play in the half.

An Anthony Adams driving layup at the buzzer cut the Monrovia lead to 27-26 at the half.

Greencastle was able to take a lead early in the third on a Sam Gooch layup, but the Bulldogs went on a 9-0 run behind a pair of Jayden Jones three-pointers to take a 36-30 lead.

The Cubs rallied with their own run of eight points as Hutcheson had five and Boyd Ensley a big three in the spurt. The Cubs took a 41-38 lead but an old-fashioned three-point play by Jones late in the quarter provided the Bulldogs with the ability to tie the score at 41-41 heading into the final period.

The two teams battled early in the fourth period trading buckets and Greencastle took a 47-46 lead on a Gooch jumper but the lead wouldn’t last.

Following a timeout with 1:22 left in the game, the Cubs turned the ball over four times and gave up three offensive rebounds to the Bulldogs as Jones had a steal and layup to give Monrovia a 48-47 lead before Tucker Rahn closed it out with a couple of free throws.

The Bulldogs tried to give the Cubs another chance by missing free throws down the stretch, but Greencastle could not come up with a rebound and Monrovia closed out the contest with the 50-47 win.

“We really struggled to execute down the stretch, especially when we got tired. That (tired) is part of it, but at this point in the she season it is inexcusable to execute like that with 1:20 to go,” Rector said.

Monrovia was led by Jones with 19 points and Rahn with 15. Hutcheson led Greencastle with 16 points and 15 rebounds, while Adams and Gooch each added 14 for the Cubs.

“Sam (Gooch) was fantastic tonight for a freshman. He had an excellent, excellent game. We will take whoever is available this weekend and try and get a win at Brown County (Saturday). Then we will compete when we get to the County Tourney next week,” Rector said when asked of who he might have available.

Greencastle will travel to Brown County on Saturday for a matinee game at 1:30 p.m.

GREENCASTLE (47) –Taylor 0-3 0-0 0, Gooch 5-15 4-5 14, Ensley 1-2 0-0 3, C. Hutcheson 6-17 4-6 16, Adams 6-8 1-3 14, McRoberts 0-0 0-0 0, D. Hutcheson 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 18-45 FG, 9-14 FT, 47 TP.

MONROVIA (50) – McCloud 1-5 2-2 4, Rahn 5-11 3-5 15, Tharp 1-5 0-0 2, Jones 6-16 4-5 19, Craney 1-4 0-0 3, Najera 1-1 0-0 2, Faires 2-2 1-4 5, Corona 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 17-45 FG, 10-16 FT, 50 TP.

3-point shooting – GHS 2-11 (Taylor 0-3, Gooch 0-2, Ensley 1-2, C. Hutcheson 0-2, Adams 1-2), MHS 6-23 (McCloud 0-2, Rahn 2-7, Tharp 0-1, Jones 3-9, Craney 1-4). Rebounds – GHS 30 (Taylor 1, Gooch 4, Ensley 4, C. Hutcheson 15, Adamas 4) MHS – 28 (McCloud 8, Rahn 5, Tharp 6, Jones 2, Craney 2, Najera 1, Faires 1, Corona 1) FG Pct. – GHS 40.0, MHS 37.8. FT Pct. – GHS 64.3, MHS 62.5. Turnovers – GHS 15, MHS 10.