For the Daily Journal
For the second straight game, Indian Creek was faced with an overtime situation. This time the ending was more to its liking.
The Braves scored a dozen points and limited visiting Greensburg to a single free throw in the extra session, picking up their 10th win of the season with a 73-62 triumph.
Unlike in their previous overtime game, a six-point loss to West Vigo, the Braves were near perfect in all facets of their game, playing stifling defense, hitting clutch shots and nailing seven free throws.
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Click here to purchase photos from this gallery“This was a good game,” said Indian Creek coach Derek Perry in something of an understatement. “I thought our bench came in and played well, pestering their best players. And we played well as a team with four of our guys getting in double figures.”
This was a much-needed win for the Braves (10-6). Greensburg had been on a late-season roll, winning four consecutive games prior to Monday. The Braves, meanwhile, had lost three of four, but they sure didn’t play like it.
Nor did they panic when down early or when the Pirates kept tying the game. The score was deadlocked seven times.
Greensburg opened up the first half taking several 3-point shots and seeing five of them fall.
The visitors’ inside game was pretty good, too, as the Pirates took their time to find their shot. When they did, it was usually an easy bounce off the glass.
Indian Creek responded, building a four-point edge by the end of the third quarter. Helping them were four 3-pointers of its own.
The Braves had a chance to win in regulation, but 6-foot-4 Greensburg freshman Andrew Welage scored five points in the final 12 seconds to send the game into overtime.
From there, though, it was all Indian Creek, as junior Jared DeHart and sophomore Zach Pugh hit key field goals (Pugh’s a 3-pointer) and free throws.
“That’s (DeHart’s) type of game,” Perry said. “He kept control, got the ball and hit his shots.”
DeHart led the Braves with 23 points.
Senior teammate Bryce Hogue added 16, while Tim Abel, despite fouling out early in the fourth quarter, finished with 14 points.
Sophomore Trevor Ankney added 13.
Greensburg (10-6) was led by Welage’s game-high 31 points. Drew Comer added 18 for the Pirates.
“I can’t say enough about our bench,” Perry said. “(Isaiah) Lacey did a great job on defense and limiting them on shots and rebounds.”
Up next for the Braves is a Johnson County rivalry game against Whiteland on Thursday.
In a Johnson County tournament on semifinal on Jan. 13, the Warriors beat the Braves, 67-63.
