(SOUTHSIDER VOICE PHOTOS BY STEVE PAGE)
Beech Grove senior Jeremiah Tate, left photo, drives past three Indian Creek defenders to score two of his 23 points on a layup in Saturday’s regional game at Lebanon. Jaleel Edwards, center photo, a Beech Grove senior, stretches to make a layup in Saturday’s game with Indian Creek. Jeremiah Alexander , right photo, stretches to pull down a defensive rebound while Beech Grove teammate Cam Brown watches late in Saturday’s regional title tilt.
Beech Grove senior Jeremiah Tate, left photo, drives past three Indian Creek defenders to score two of his 23 points on a layup in Saturday’s regional game at Lebanon. Jaleel Edwards, center photo, a Beech Grove senior, stretches to make a layup in Saturday’s game with Indian Creek. Jeremiah Alexander , right photo, stretches to pull down a defensive rebound while Beech Grove teammate Cam Brown watches late in Saturday’s regional title tilt.
By Steve Page
Correspondent
Though he was the game’s leading scorer with 23 points, Jeremiah Tate said Saturday’s Class 3A regional championship game was all about defense.
“The talk at the half was stay the course,” he said of Beech Grove coach Joe Rhim’s session. “We went back to our defense in the second half and got it done. We wanted to lock down on defense, stop allowing the open 3’s.”
The Hornets survived Indian Creek’s barrage of 3-point field goals in the opening period by coming back to stop the Braves 65-56 at Lebanon’s Rosenstihl Gymnasium.
The Hornets, 17-6, will play Guerin Catholic, 18-8, in the March 18 noon semifinal in the Lloyd E. Scott Gymnasium at Seymour. The 10 a.m. semi pits Scottsburg, 21-5, against North Daviess, 24-5. The championship game will be played at 8 p.m.
As they had in the one-point sectional championship win over Ritter on March 3, the Hornets battled back from a calamity of different sorts.
Both teams bombed away from the outside in the opening minutes, with the score tied 12-12 just three minutes after the start.
Three different Braves each hit two 3-pointers in the opening quarter; the Hornets countered with four 3’s, with Edwards knocking down two.
Beech Grove led 21-18 at the quarter break. But the Hornets went cold and fell behind 28-18, not scoring again until starting forward Rylan Horen converted a follow shot with 2:55 to play in the half.
“I was just trying to be a leader, keep everybody involved,” said Horen. “We work together very well.”
Jaleel Edwards hit a 3 from the top of the key at the halftime buzzer, cutting the deficit to 32-31.
The Hornets’ defense enabled them to lead 49-44 after three quarters. They won the final frame, 16-12.
Tate drove the lane for nine baskets, added one 3-pointer and two free throws.
Edwards, another of eight seniors who played, finished with four 3’s and converted all four of his free throws for 16 points. Cam Brown and his formerly gimpy ankle came off the bench to score 10, including two 3’s; Horen scored nine, Skyler Thacker added a 3 and Logan Muffler had a basket. The Hornets finished with nine 3’s and converted 8 of 12 free throws.
“In the warmups, I felt better than before,” Tate said. “But I did this with my teammates. It was a team effort. Today, we came in ready to go. We have a great fan base. They help us out a lot.”
Sophomore Adam Crouch led the Braves with four 3’s and 21 points.
“They came out on fire,” BG coach Joe Rihm said of the Braves. “Like last week, we withstood the punches.
“I think our experience the last couple of years really helped. We’ve been here before. That was a tough 32 minutes. I challenged the boys at the half. We had to fight.”
And win.
“That was exciting,” Edwards said. “I was just trying to be a leader. When we play our best game, we’re hard to beat. When we play like that, we’re confident that we can get back in the game. We worked on driving the ball, working inside-out.”
And ignoring those who don’t believe the defending state champions are that good this year.
“We’ve heard it all along,” said Rihm. “There are doubters. So we’re playing with a chip on our shoulder.
We’re OK being the underdog.”
Correspondent
Though he was the game’s leading scorer with 23 points, Jeremiah Tate said Saturday’s Class 3A regional championship game was all about defense.
“The talk at the half was stay the course,” he said of Beech Grove coach Joe Rhim’s session. “We went back to our defense in the second half and got it done. We wanted to lock down on defense, stop allowing the open 3’s.”
The Hornets survived Indian Creek’s barrage of 3-point field goals in the opening period by coming back to stop the Braves 65-56 at Lebanon’s Rosenstihl Gymnasium.
The Hornets, 17-6, will play Guerin Catholic, 18-8, in the March 18 noon semifinal in the Lloyd E. Scott Gymnasium at Seymour. The 10 a.m. semi pits Scottsburg, 21-5, against North Daviess, 24-5. The championship game will be played at 8 p.m.
As they had in the one-point sectional championship win over Ritter on March 3, the Hornets battled back from a calamity of different sorts.
Both teams bombed away from the outside in the opening minutes, with the score tied 12-12 just three minutes after the start.
Three different Braves each hit two 3-pointers in the opening quarter; the Hornets countered with four 3’s, with Edwards knocking down two.
Beech Grove led 21-18 at the quarter break. But the Hornets went cold and fell behind 28-18, not scoring again until starting forward Rylan Horen converted a follow shot with 2:55 to play in the half.
“I was just trying to be a leader, keep everybody involved,” said Horen. “We work together very well.”
Jaleel Edwards hit a 3 from the top of the key at the halftime buzzer, cutting the deficit to 32-31.
The Hornets’ defense enabled them to lead 49-44 after three quarters. They won the final frame, 16-12.
Tate drove the lane for nine baskets, added one 3-pointer and two free throws.
Edwards, another of eight seniors who played, finished with four 3’s and converted all four of his free throws for 16 points. Cam Brown and his formerly gimpy ankle came off the bench to score 10, including two 3’s; Horen scored nine, Skyler Thacker added a 3 and Logan Muffler had a basket. The Hornets finished with nine 3’s and converted 8 of 12 free throws.
“In the warmups, I felt better than before,” Tate said. “But I did this with my teammates. It was a team effort. Today, we came in ready to go. We have a great fan base. They help us out a lot.”
Sophomore Adam Crouch led the Braves with four 3’s and 21 points.
“They came out on fire,” BG coach Joe Rihm said of the Braves. “Like last week, we withstood the punches.
“I think our experience the last couple of years really helped. We’ve been here before. That was a tough 32 minutes. I challenged the boys at the half. We had to fight.”
And win.
“That was exciting,” Edwards said. “I was just trying to be a leader. When we play our best game, we’re hard to beat. When we play like that, we’re confident that we can get back in the game. We worked on driving the ball, working inside-out.”
And ignoring those who don’t believe the defending state champions are that good this year.
“We’ve heard it all along,” said Rihm. “There are doubters. So we’re playing with a chip on our shoulder.
We’re OK being the underdog.”
Beech Grove players, coaches and cheerleaders celebrate their second straight regional championship at Lebanon.
Beech Grove defenders, including (from left) Jeremiah Alexander, Jaleel Edwards, Rylan Horen and Jeremiah Tate, apply defensive pressure to Indian Creek attackers late in Saturday’s regional championship game.
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