DAILY JOURNAL SPORTS CORRESPONDENT
SHELBYVILLE
The Indian Creek boys basketball team solidified its hold on first place in the Mid-Hoosier Conference with a 75-60 win Friday night at Southwestern.
Not only did Indian Creek (10-4) spoil the Spartans’ homecoming, but the win kept the Braves atop the conference with a 5-0 mark with four conference games remaining.
Three of those remaining conference games are home games for the Braves.
“We’re in a good spot right now,” Indian Creek coach Derek Perry said. “We did a good job tonight, and it was a total team win. Our game plan was to go inside and we did that with many lay ups.
“We didn’t have to rely on the three-point shot.”
Indian Creek raced to a 21-8 first quarter lead and maintained control throughout.
“I was proud of our discipline, and we had some good guard play,” Perry said. “We broke their press several times and managed to keep doing the job even when Southwestern caught fire.”
Southwestern played hard through the fourth quarter but couldn’t cut significantly into the Braves’ lead.
The Spartans could get no closer than 10 points, when the Braves were up 59-49 with 2:29 to go. Freshman Jared DeHart stole an inbound pass in the closing minutes and converted a lay up that killed any Spartan chances.
It was then just a simple process of mopping up for Indian Creek.
The Braves had four of their five starters in double-figures. Senior Dylan Phair had 18 points. Senior Spencer Wood added 15 and junior Tyler Parks had 13.
Sophomore Bryce Hogue had 10.
Indian Creek shot 62 percent from the field as a team.
“I like our chances when we get four of five in double-figures,” Perry said.
Southwestern (7-8) also had a decent night with four players in double-digits. And the Spartans shot 54 percent overall.
The Spartans’ Bryce Rowe had a game-high 19 points.
Indian Creek’s victory was its second straight game and fourth in five games. The Spartans, who started the year with three consecutive losses, had a two-game winning streak end.
Up next for the Braves is a non-conference date next Friday against visiting Brown County.
