LOUISVILLE — It looked like it was going to be the Indiana All-Stars’ night in the boys’ varsity game of the 14th annual Battle of the Bridges Basketball Classic Saturday night at MidAmerica Sports Center.

But the Kentucky All-Stars rallied from a 12-point deficit in the second half and knocked off the Hoosier Stars, 94-89.

Holding a three-point lead early in the second 20 minutes, Indiana reeled off nine consecutive points to go up 68-56 near the midway point of the latter half.

But the Bluegrass Stars answered with a 12-2 run to slice their deficit to two points at 70-68.

After Silver Creek High School guard Caleb Sprigler hit 1-of-2 free throws to give Indiana a 71-68 lead, Charles Foster and Daniel Ross hit back-to-back baskets to give Kentucky its first lead of the game at 72-71.

After both teams traded the lead a couple of times, Kentucky took the lead for good at 78-75 on a bucket by Jeffersontown’s Demichael Jackson.

With Kentucky leading 86-81, Jeffersonville guard Trice Whaley converted a layup to pull Indiana within three with a little more than a minute left.

But Kentucky pushed its advantage to 90-83 after back-to-back layups by Desmond Dorsey and Ross.

Indiana controlled most of the first half. The Hoosiers nailed five of their first seven shots of the game to bolt out to an 11-2 advantage at the 17:15 mark of the opening half.

Indiana’s lead grew to 19-7 following a pair of free throws by Providence’s Colin Daly.

Kentucky responded with a 15-5 spurt to slice its deficit to 24-22. With the Hoosier Stars leading 40-35, they scored five unanswered points to increase their advantage to 10.

Following a three-point play by Kentucky’s Andre Gray, Indiana ended the half with a bucket by Borden guard Brandon Beam and then a dramatic three-quarter-court 3-pointer by Whaley at the halftime buzzer to put the Hoosiers up 50-38.

Whaley registered a game-high 25 points. The Jeff senior-to-be made Battle of the Bridges history by becoming the first player to win the Indiana most valuable player award in back-to-back years.

Beam ended up with 11 points and Rock Creek Community Academy guard Keontez Malone tallied 10 for Indiana.

The Hoosiers struggled handling the ball, committing 31 turnovers. Twenty of the miscues came in the second half.

Fern Creek High School’s O’Brien Hobbs led Kentucky with 19 points. Ross scored 18 to earn Kentucky MVP honors for the second consecutive year. Foster scored 15, with 13 of his points coming in the second half. Teammate Montez Buford had 10.



GIRLS’ VARSITY

• Kentucky rolls past Hoosiers: Kentucky’s overall quickness was too much for Indiana to handle, as the Bluegrass All-Stars won the girls’ varsity contest, 75-50.

Kentucky forced 31 Hoosier turnovers, as it led by as many as 30 points late in the game.

Jeff incoming sophomore Haley Vogen was the lone Indiana player to score in double figures with 12 points. Vogen earned the Indiana MVP honor.

Teammate Emily Clayton of Silver Creek scored nine points.

Three Kentucky players tallied double-digit point totals. LeAsia Wright had 16 points, Jade Spaulding chipped in 15 and Jasmine Whitfield scored 10. Whitfield was named the Kentucky MVP.

Kentucky led 42-25 at halftime. After Indiana cut its deficit to 47-33 early in the second half, Kentucky exploded with a 15-4 spurt to go up by 25 points midway through the half.



BOYS’ VARSITY

KENTUCKY 94, INDIANA 89

Indiana — Whaley 25, Beam 11, Malone 10, Lucas 8, Garner 7, Sprigler 7, Daly 6, Miller 4, Banks 2, Hunt 2, A. Jones 2, I. Jones 2, Sawyer 2, other player 1.

Kentucky — Hobbs 19, Ross 18, Foster 15, Buford 11, Gray 9, Dorsey 8, Russell 7, Boyd 4, Jackson 3.

Halftime score — Indiana 50, Kentucky 38.

3-point field goals — Indiana 6 (Whaley 3, Malone 2, Daly); Kentucky 3 (Foster 2, Russell).

Turnovers — Indiana 31, Kentucky 19.

Free throws — Indiana 20-28, Kentucky 19-29.



GIRLS’ VARSITY

KENTUCKY 75, INDIANA 50

Kentucky — L. Wright 16, Spaulding 15, Whitfield 10, Ruffin 9, Allen 8, Wilson 5, Bodine 4, Roberts 4, K. Wright 4, Franklin 0, Hawkins 0.

Indiana — Vogen 12, Clayton 9, Hines 5, Martin 5, Henning 3, Langford 3, McFarland 3, Mousty 3, Roberson 3, Stiner 2, Thrasher 2, Ferber 0, Young 0.

Halftime score — Kentucky 42, Indiana 25.

3-point field goals — Kentucky 5 (Allen 2, Spaulding 2, Ruffin); Indiana 2 (Clayton, McFarland).

Turnovers — Kentucky 20, Indiana 31.

Free throws — Kentucky 18-25, Indiana 18-30.