GREENFIELD — Two streaks stayed intact.
The Greenfield-Central’s boys basketball team’s best start in school history continued.
Ranked No. 7 in the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association (all classifications) poll and No. 7 in the Class 4A Associated Press ratings, Greenfield-Central improved to 14-0, the best start in program history, with a 72-43 victory over Indianapolis Shortridge at Dellen Automotive Gymnasium Tuesday.
Shortridge, winners of three of its first five games, lost its 11th in a row to drop to 3-13.
“We’ve got a couple guys under the weather and you never know what you’re going to get on a Tuesday night at home when you’ve had three games in five days,” Greenfield-Central coach Luke Meredith. “We’ve got some gamers on our team and when the ball is tipped off I just know they are going to be ready to play. That is exactly what they did tonight.”
Shortridge stayed relatively close in the first quarter. Both teams had five opening-period miscues, but the Cougars shot better and rebounded better to take a 17-9 lead. G-C hit 6 of 10 first-quarter shots, including three from long range, and out-rebounded the Blue Devils 6-2. Shortridge was 4 of 8 from the field.
Greenfield-Central began to pull away in the second. The Cougars took better care of the basketball — with just one turnover — and got contributions from a number of players to increase their lead by halftime to 36-15.
Six players scored in the first half. Junior standout Braylon Mullins had 13 of his game-high 27 in the first two quarters. Starters Dallas Freeman, Braden Robertson, Jake Hinton and Boston Willard and sub Brady Johnson all had first-half points.
“That’s the thing, that’s what’s makes us 14-0,” Meredith added. “Braylon is our dude and everybody knows that. He’s the most important guy on our team and in our program. We have complementary pieces of guys that can make plays, stick shots, rebound, know their role and do their job.”
Johnson ended up being the team’s only other double-figure scorer. He had 10 including a pair of 3-point field goals.
The Cougars had 10 3-pointers from six different players.
“We talk about opportunity and he was given an opportunity,” Meredith said of Johnson, a junior guard. “Against New Pal, he had a jump-stop in the paint and kicked the ball out to Boston (Willard) for the game-winning 3. There will be games where Brady might not play, but if they don’t pout and get an opportunity down the line that’s what makes teams successful when you get to the dog days of January and February.”
Those dog days are coming up for the Cougars.
Leading the Hoosier Heritage Conference with a 4-0 record, Greenfield-Central’s next three games are all against HHC foes on the road. It begins Saturday at Shelbyville (9-5, 1-3) and continues with Pendleton Heights (7-8, 1-2) on Jan. 26 and Delta (12-3, 1-1) on Feb. 1.
Following Mullins and Johnson, Freeman and Willard had eight points each. Both had two 3-point field goals.
Shortridge was led in scoring by Jalen Yates with 12. Kurt Moore added 1o.
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Greenfield-Central 72, Shortridge 43
Shortridge;9;6;13;15;—;43
Greenfield-Central;17;19;17;19;—;72
Shortridge (3-13): Jalen Yates 4 1-2 12, Kurt Moore 5 0-0 10, Vontrell Kittrell 4 0-2 8, DaiRon Davis 2 0-0 5, Gavin Lowery 0 0-0 0, Corey Jackson 0 0-0 0, Adam Taylor-James 1 0-0 3, Nick Jordan 1 0-0 2, Donavein Fonder 1 0-0 3, Deshean Davis 0 0-0 0, Gabe Hampton 0 0-0 0. Totals: 18 1-4 43.
Greenfield-Central (14-0): Braden Robertson 2 0-0 6, Dallas Freeman 3 0-0 8, Jacob Hinton 2 0-0 4, Boston Willard 3 0-0 8, Braylon Mullins 11 4-4 27, Brady Johnson 4 0-0 10, Cooper Robertson 3 0-0 6, Tucker Brown 0 0-0 0, Clay Mullins 0 0-0 0, Blake Evans 0 0-0 0, Gavin Markus 1 0-0 3. Totals: 29 4-4 72.
3-point goals: Shortridge 6 (Yates 3, Da. Davis, Taylor-James, Fonder). Greenfield-Central 10 (B. Robertson 2, Freeman 2, Willard 2, Johnson 2, B. Mullins, Markus).
