BEECH GROVE — Greenfield-Central’s season opener has meant just a little bit more than most the past few seasons.
With the Matt English traveling trophy on the line honoring the former G-C player and Beech Grove coach, there’s an added importance to winning the first game of the season.
With a 56-36 win on the road at Beech Grove on Friday night, the Cougars retained the trophy.
“I went to Beech Grove, and then with Matt English and that whole dynamic around the game, it’s always great to come here the first game,” Greenfield-Central head coach Luke Meredith said. “We lost the first couple of times in my tenure here at Greenfield, so to be back-to-back champs is a great way to start the season.”
English was a basketball start at G-C before coaching the Hornets. He lost a courageous battle to brain cancer in 2018.
While the trophy added to the importance of the season opener, for the Cougars, it was also important to see what they’ve got as a team.
With the graduation of a strong senior class, and just a few returning players with meaningful varsity experience, game No. 1 was a chance for Meredith and the coaching staff to see what they’ve got.
“It’s one of those opportunities where they get thrown into the fire and you don’t know what you’re going to get from some of these guys. Boston [Willard], Dallas [Freeman], and Jacob [Hinton] all played some minutes but now they’re being asked to do more, Braden [Robertson] being a leader, and Braylon [Mullins] being the guy now without other people there to help carry the load. I’m impressed with all of them tonight.”
Expectations entering the season for the junior guard, Mullins, are high, and on Friday night he lived up to that hype.
With a back problem putting his playing status in jeopardy, Mullins not only played but led all scorers with 22 points.
Thirteen of those came in the first quarter and were the first 13 points scored in the game.
He knocked down two 3-pointers, had a basket and the foul off of a steal, and added two more baskets for the quick 13-0 Greenfield-Central lead.
“He toughed it out and was a warrior out there tonight. He didn’t have to play,” Meredith said. “He came out on fire and led us.”
Defensively in the opening quarter, the Cougars limited Beech Grove to just one made basket and three points.
“When we’re flying around, talking, getting deflections and rebounding, that’s great,” Meredith said. “The effort that we played with in the first quarter, I wish I could bottle that up. If we can play that hard all season long we’re going to be alright.”
To try and slow down Mullins, the Hornets went to a full-court press early in the second quarter, but the Cougars sliced right through it.
Cooper Robertson and Freeman each got free for easy layups to push the G-C lead to 22-9 midway through the second.
Beech Grove added a few baskets but a Braden Robertson layup and free throw in the final minute gave the Cougars a 31-17 halftime lead.
“I’m really proud of how the kids came out from the start. We did not have a great scrimmage against Warren Central, and we had a lot of talk in our film sessions about what we needed to do moving forward,” Meredith said. “We came out, played with energy, and were diving on the floor first. They did everything that I asked them to do.”
Out of the break, the Hornets switched their defense up once again and went to a zone. And again, the Cougars found the open man.
Mullins added a quick basket and Willard knocked down a 3-pointer to push the lead to 36-19.
In a 39-20 game, Mullins scored the next seven G-C points, and Braden Robertson followed him with the ensuing six to push the lead to 52-28 after three.
Braden Robertson, who was a role player for the Cougars last season showed the ability to create offense and finished behind Mullins with 14 points.
“He’s in a new role. Last year he was a role player, and now he’s going to be one of our main guys,” Meredith said. “He’s done a great job of being a vocal leader and a captain.”
Cooper Robertson added seven points off the bench, and Willard finished with eight.
“Cooper came in and gave us great minutes. I’ve been harping on him to just play hard,” Meredith said. “He came in and played great and gave us a spark off the bench.”
Greenfield-Central is off until December 2 when they travel to Northeastern.
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Greenfield-Central 56, Beech Grove 36
Greenfield-Central;14;17;21;4;—;56
Beech Grove;3;14;11;8;—;36
Greenfield-Central (1-0): Braylon Mullins 9 1-1 22, Braden Robertson 6 2-6 14, Jacob Hinton 1 0-0 2, Boston Willard 3 0-1 8, Dallas Freeman 1 1-2 3, Cooper Robertson 3 1-1 7, Tucker Brown 0 0-0 0, Brady Johnson 0 0-0 0. Totals: 23 5-11 56.
Beech Grove (0-1): Cantrell Byrd 2 2-4 6, Tyris Reid 2 1-2 5, Jarron Murray Jr. 2 0-0 5, Simeon McIntosh 2 0-0 5, Tyquan Lee 0 0-0 0, Griffin Matracia 2 1-4 5, Anthony Huff 0 2-4 2, Marcellus Bradford 2 0-0 5, Jayden Smith 1 0-0 3. Totals: 13 6-14 36.
3-point goals: Greenfield-Central 5 (Mullins 3, Willard 2), Beech Grove 3 (Murray Jr., McIntosh, Bradford, Smith).
