July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
Sharp-shooting Spartans top JC (01/15/05)
JCHS boys basketball
Sharp-shooting Spartans top JC (01/15/05)
By By RAY COONEY-
PORTLAND — They say two heads are better than one. Well, three points are better than two, especially when a team is as proficient at scoring them as the Spartans.
Connersville shot 75 percent from 3-point range Friday in dispatching the Jay County Patriots 63-51.
“We’re disappointed because we knew (Matt Holbrook) was a good shooter,” said Jay County coach Craig Teagle of the Spartan guard who went 6-of-7 from long distance. “What we were supposed to do was not give him open looks. Obviously we didn’t execute that well.”
Connersville hit its first three 3-point attempts of the game, was 6-of-7 at halftime and finished 9-of-12. It has shot 60 percent from long distance in the last three games, is shooting 50 percent from downtown this season and has an overall field-goal percentage of 54.
Holbrook, Chris Bloom and Matt Howard accounted for all but five of the Spartan points as they handed Jay County its third straight loss. Holbrook, who also went 6-of-7 from 3-point range against Greensburg last week, finished with 25 points as he also hit 7-of-8 free throws.
Bloom had a pair of 3-pointers and finished with 17 points, and Howard went 10-of-12 from the foul line en route to a 16-point night.
Howard also had nine rebounds, three assists and three blocks. Holbrook and Bloom each grabbed four rebounds.
“Those guys have been carrying us the last few games,” said Connersville coach Rodney Klein. “I thought we shot well because of our ball movement.”
Klein said the key was that players who had fairly open shots made the extra pass in order to find wide open shots.
The Spartans (7-3, 1-0 Olympic Athletic Conference) never trailed in the game, which Bloom and Holbrook opened with back-to-back 3-point shots. After the opening trio of triples, they started to go inside to Howard and managed to get the Patriots (4-4, 0-1) in foul trouble.
Mark Kelly and Scott “Scooter” Bruggeman each had two personal fouls in the first quarter, and Corey Comer picked up six second less than three minutes into the second period.
The visitors were up 15-11 after one quarter, but Jay County cut the deficit to 42-22 midway through the second.
However, Connersville answered with a 6-0 run and led by eight at the half. It scored the first six points after the break to push to a double digit lead, but the Patriots pulled to within five points with 5:31 to go.
They were still down five with just 1:26 to go, but the Spartans finished the game with a 9-2 run. All of the Connersville points in that final minute and a half came on free throws, and it went 20-of-25 from the line for the game.
Jay County went to the free-throw line just six times in the game.
“I just thought they played extremely smart once they got the lead,” said Teagle, whose team had not played a game in more than three weeks thanks to cancellations stemming from the Jan. 5 ice storm. “They didn’t force things. They played like a smart, experienced basketball team.”
Trent Bailey, who was in his first game back after serving a two-game suspension for a violation of team rules, was the only Jay County player to reach double figures as he paced the team with 19 points. He had not played in a game since Dec. 11.
He finished with 3-pointers, and had four rebounds and three assists.
However, the Patriots couldn’t match Connersville’s offensive efficiency as they shot 6-of-20 (30 percent) from long distance and 41 percent overall.
Kelly was next with nine points, and Comer, Bruggeman and Zac Green each added six. Comer grabbed five rebounds, and Bruggeman dished out four assists.
Jay County is now 0-3 at home, with losses to Class 3A No. 1 Bellmont, Class 4A No. 4 Muncie Central, and Connersville. It also lost 61-52 at Class 2A No. 4 Centerville Dec. 21.
Junior varsity
Jay County dominated the opening minutes of the second half and held the margin for a 43-32 victory over Connersville in junior varsity action.
The teams were tied at 17 at the half, but the Patriots came out on fire in the second. They held Connersville scoreless for more than three minutes as they went on a 10-0 run to open the third quarter.
They led by 12 after three periods and rolled to the win.
Rhett Retter paced Jay County with 14 points, and Clint Muhlenkamp added 10. Jon Wenger had seven points, and John Retter scored six.
Ryan Mullins racked up 20 points for Connersville. No other Spartan player scored more than two points.[[In-content Ad]]
Connersville shot 75 percent from 3-point range Friday in dispatching the Jay County Patriots 63-51.
“We’re disappointed because we knew (Matt Holbrook) was a good shooter,” said Jay County coach Craig Teagle of the Spartan guard who went 6-of-7 from long distance. “What we were supposed to do was not give him open looks. Obviously we didn’t execute that well.”
Connersville hit its first three 3-point attempts of the game, was 6-of-7 at halftime and finished 9-of-12. It has shot 60 percent from long distance in the last three games, is shooting 50 percent from downtown this season and has an overall field-goal percentage of 54.
Holbrook, Chris Bloom and Matt Howard accounted for all but five of the Spartan points as they handed Jay County its third straight loss. Holbrook, who also went 6-of-7 from 3-point range against Greensburg last week, finished with 25 points as he also hit 7-of-8 free throws.
Bloom had a pair of 3-pointers and finished with 17 points, and Howard went 10-of-12 from the foul line en route to a 16-point night.
Howard also had nine rebounds, three assists and three blocks. Holbrook and Bloom each grabbed four rebounds.
“Those guys have been carrying us the last few games,” said Connersville coach Rodney Klein. “I thought we shot well because of our ball movement.”
Klein said the key was that players who had fairly open shots made the extra pass in order to find wide open shots.
The Spartans (7-3, 1-0 Olympic Athletic Conference) never trailed in the game, which Bloom and Holbrook opened with back-to-back 3-point shots. After the opening trio of triples, they started to go inside to Howard and managed to get the Patriots (4-4, 0-1) in foul trouble.
Mark Kelly and Scott “Scooter” Bruggeman each had two personal fouls in the first quarter, and Corey Comer picked up six second less than three minutes into the second period.
The visitors were up 15-11 after one quarter, but Jay County cut the deficit to 42-22 midway through the second.
However, Connersville answered with a 6-0 run and led by eight at the half. It scored the first six points after the break to push to a double digit lead, but the Patriots pulled to within five points with 5:31 to go.
They were still down five with just 1:26 to go, but the Spartans finished the game with a 9-2 run. All of the Connersville points in that final minute and a half came on free throws, and it went 20-of-25 from the line for the game.
Jay County went to the free-throw line just six times in the game.
“I just thought they played extremely smart once they got the lead,” said Teagle, whose team had not played a game in more than three weeks thanks to cancellations stemming from the Jan. 5 ice storm. “They didn’t force things. They played like a smart, experienced basketball team.”
Trent Bailey, who was in his first game back after serving a two-game suspension for a violation of team rules, was the only Jay County player to reach double figures as he paced the team with 19 points. He had not played in a game since Dec. 11.
He finished with 3-pointers, and had four rebounds and three assists.
However, the Patriots couldn’t match Connersville’s offensive efficiency as they shot 6-of-20 (30 percent) from long distance and 41 percent overall.
Kelly was next with nine points, and Comer, Bruggeman and Zac Green each added six. Comer grabbed five rebounds, and Bruggeman dished out four assists.
Jay County is now 0-3 at home, with losses to Class 3A No. 1 Bellmont, Class 4A No. 4 Muncie Central, and Connersville. It also lost 61-52 at Class 2A No. 4 Centerville Dec. 21.
Junior varsity
Jay County dominated the opening minutes of the second half and held the margin for a 43-32 victory over Connersville in junior varsity action.
The teams were tied at 17 at the half, but the Patriots came out on fire in the second. They held Connersville scoreless for more than three minutes as they went on a 10-0 run to open the third quarter.
They led by 12 after three periods and rolled to the win.
Rhett Retter paced Jay County with 14 points, and Clint Muhlenkamp added 10. Jon Wenger had seven points, and John Retter scored six.
Ryan Mullins racked up 20 points for Connersville. No other Spartan player scored more than two points.[[In-content Ad]]
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