H.S. BOYS' BASKETBALL: Jeff finishes perfect HHC slate

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Jeffersonville's Bryce Roland drives past Columbus East's Ridge Harris on Tuesday night at Johnson Arena. Photo by Joe Ullrich
Jeff's Dionte Allen scores on an easy look inside Tuesday night at Johnson Arena. Photo by Joe Ullrich
Jeff's Jordan Ellis shoots over Columbus East defenders Nate Rich (20) and Bryce Lienhoop (24). Photo by Joe Ullrich
Jeffersonville's Jonathan Ellis skies high to reject an Olympian shot at Johnson Arena on Tuesday night. Photo by Joe Ullrich
Jeff's Marcus Gray goes up for a layup while being surrounded by three Olympian defenders on Tuesday night. Photo by Joe Ullrich
Jeff's Drew Ellis (33) passes the ball inside to teammate Jonathan Ellis (20) during Tuesday night action against visiting Columbus East. Photo by Joe Ullrich
Jeffersonville's Jordan Ellis and Columbus East's Zach Martindale fight for a loose ball late in the first half on Tuesday night at Johnson Arena. Photo by Joe Ullrich

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February 21, 2012

Red Devils trounce Columbus East, 90-65

BY JON REITER sports@newsandtribune.com The News and Tribune Tue Feb 21, 2012, 11:43 PM EST

JEFFERSONVILLE — With the Hoosier Hills Conference championship already clinched, the Jeffersonville boys’ basketball team faced invading Columbus East on Tuesday night for the chance to close out a perfect HHC season at 7-0.

For the first half, the contest looked to be in doubt, but Jeffersonville (16-3, 7-0 HHC) ultimately closed out the Olympians by exploding for 54 points in the second half to secure a 90-65 win.

“They are having fun right now, but they’re doing it within their system,” Jeffersonville coach Chad Gilbert said. “We don’t want to go crazy out there, but when you have everybody playing within the system, on the same page, and they have as many opportunities as we had tonight, it was a lot of fun.”

For a time, it looked as if Jeffersonville might struggle a bit with the Olympians (12-8, 4-3), whose starting lineup consisted of four players 6-3 or taller, including sophomore Bryce Lienhoop — who stands 6-6 and serves as one of their primary ballhandlers — and rugged 6-3 forward Ridge Harris.

Harris and Lienhoop combined for 23 first-half points for Columbus East, who led at the end of the first quarter, 26-24. The Olympians led 34-29 with two minutes remaining in the first half, but Jeffersonville’s defense forced them into four turnovers and the hosts ended the first half with a 7-0 run to take a 36-34 lead into intermission.

Junior guard Darryl Baker opened the second half on fire, scoring 10 of his game-high 23 points during a four-minute span at the beginning of the third quarter.

He electrified the Johnson Arena crowd when he slammed an alley-oop pass from Trice Whaley through the hoop with six minutes left in the third frame to give Jeffersonville a 44-36 lead and force Columbus East coach Brent Chitty to call a timeout.

Jeffersonville led at the end of the third quarter 66-49, and opened the fourth quarter with a 15-3 run to bury Columbus East and cruise to the win.

Gilbert’s troops committed 10 fouls in the first half compared to Columbus East’s four, and were plagued early by poor shooting. But that all changed after the Red Devils exited the locker room for the second half.

“Our kids really came out with some intensity in the second half, and I thought we sort of went through the motions in the first half,” Gilbert said. “We have to be the aggressors, and we have to make things happen.”

Jeffersonville placed four players in the double-digit scoring column and were paced by Baker’s 23.

Bryce Roland added 16 points, Drew Ellis 12 and Whaley 10. Ten different Red Devil players scored.

With the win, Gilbert noted, his squad accomplished something that only two other Jeffersonville teams had. The 1993 squad that ultimately won the state championship and the 2006 team are the only ones to finish with a perfect Hoosier Hills Conference record, and Gilbert said he has more accomplishments in mind for this version of the Red Devils.

“We’ve got one more game left to play, but we want to win seven more,” he said, noting that seven more wins would get Jeffersonville a state championship. “From here on out, our goal is to survive and advance. We want to play seven more games.”

The Red Devils close out the regular season Friday night when they host Indianapolis Howe.

COL. EAST 26 8 15 16—65

JEFF 24 12 30 24—90

Columbus East (12-8, 4-3) — Martindale 6, Harris 18, Rich 14, Taylor 5, Lienhoop 14, Fosbrink 0, Williams 0, Galle 6, Jensen 0.

Jeffersonville (16-3, 7-0) — Whaley 10, Roland 16, Jon. Ellis 7, Jor. Ellis 8, Baker 23, D. Ellis 12, Allen 8, Harvey 2, Kinnard 2, Gray 2.

Rebounds — Jeffersonville 28 (Allen, Jor. Ellis, Baker 5); Columbus East 24 (Lienhoop 8).

3-point field goals — Jeffersonville 9 (Whaley 3, Roland 3, D. Ellis 2, Jon. Ellis); Columbus East 4 (Harris, Rich 3).

Turnovers — Jeffersonville 13, Columbus East 12.

Free throws — Jeffersonville 15-16, Columbus East 18-23.

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H.S. BOYS' BASKETBALL: Jeff finishes perfect HHC slate

Red Devils trounce Columbus East, 90-65

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