The Blackford Bruins Basketball program traveled to Jay County High School Saturday night for a non-conference rivalry game. The Bruins defeated Jay County last year 47-44 in what was considered at the time an upset. Blackford has played Jay County 44 times in the past 35 years, winning 12 of the 44 contests. The Bruins entered Saturday night 11-6 overall, after defeating the Eastbrook Panthers Friday evening in a convincing fashion 76-47. The Bruins knew they were facing a rival on their home floor and a roster loaded with size and athleticism. Jay County typically plays a 1-2-2 half court match-up zone defense, as their length and size makes it difficult to penetrate the zone and score around the basket. The Bruins knew they would need to be sharp offensively, making quick decisions and sharp passes to break down the Patriots zone defense. The Patriots entered Saturday evening winning their previous 3 games, while holding 2 out of the 3 opponents to under 20 total points.
Blackford was able to get off to a great start Saturday night vs the Patriots. The Bruins started their scoring with Jacob Leas driving left baseline and throwing a cross court skip pass to Ethan Morris, Morris quickly swung the ball to the right corner to Kian Wells for a 3-pointer. The 3-pointer by Wells gave the Bruins a 3-2 lead early in the 1st quarter. Blackford was able to get a stop on the defensive end, with Wells grabbing the rebound and passing the ball ahead to Ethan Morris for an open layup to jump ahead 5-2. On the next possession, Gage Baker was able to come up with a steal (1 of his 5 steals in the game!) and push the ball up the floor before hitting Jacob Leas for an open layup. The Patriots were then able to make a 3-pointer, cutting the Bruins lead to 2 points, 7-5. Blackford was able to execute a set play, getting the ball to Baker on the right block to finish an And-1 at the basket, extending the Bruins lead to 10-5. After the Bruins gathered the early lead with about 4 minutes remaining in the 1st quarter, the Patriots took control of the basketball game.
Blackford really struggled to penetrate the zone defense, while committing a lot of careless turnovers. The Bruins ended the first half down 29-25, despite committing 13 turnovers. Gage Baker was able to help the Bruins stay in the game during the first half, scoring 13 of his 15 points before the intermission. Baker was the only Bruin who scored multiple 2-point field goals in the half court setting vs the Patriots length and athleticism. Blackford needed to play more sound and confidently in the 2nd half to hang with the Patriots.
For the first 3 minutes of the 3rd quarter, both teams struggled to score, with the Bruins continuing to struggle to get shot attempts, committing turnovers vs Jay County's matchup zone defense. The Patriots extended their lead to 34 - 25 with about 5 minutes remaining in the 3rd quarter before Kian Wells was able to knock down a 3-pointer on the right wing. Jay County scored again on a layup at the rim, extending their lead to 8 points, 36-28.
Blackford scored on an out bounds under their own basket, as Gage Baker found Jacob Leas at the top of the floor, he drained his 2nd 3-pointer of the game, pulling the Bruins to a 5-point deficit, 36-31. The Patriots answered again with a jump shot right around the foul line. The Bruins following possession resulted in another turnover, a careless pass out of bounds leading to another Patriots opportunity to score with a 7-point lead. Blackford earned a stop as Baker collected the defensive rebound and dribbled up the floor finding Oxley for a layup attempt that did not drop for the Bruins. Jay County pushed the ball up the floor and scored on a shot right in front of the rim, extending their lead to 40-31 with about 2 minutes remaining in the 3rd quarter. Blackford's Kian Wells was fouled at the top of the floor by the Patriots as he attempted to penetrate the zone, giving the Bruins another out of bounds under their own basket. The Bruins executed another out of bounds play with Kian Wells finding Jacob Leas at the top of the floor for another 3-pointer, pulling the Bruins to within 6 points, 40-34. Blackford was then able to collect another stop defensively, as the Patriots were whistled for a traveling violation.
On the next possession, Gage Baker found Mason Kitterman under the basket drawing a shooting foul. It was 1 of the many nice passes in the 2nd half by Baker against the Patriots zone defense that created a good look for his teammate. Kitterman drained both free-throws, to pull the Bruins within 4 points, 40-36. Jay County drew a shooting foul on the next possession. The foul called was one of the several plays during the game that appeared to be a clean block by Baker but gave the Patriots 2 more free-throws. Baker had several nice plays during the game on Patriots shot attempts that appeared to be clean blocks, but was whistled for shooting fouls. The Patriots hit 1 of the 2 free-throws to give them a 41-36 lead through 3 quarters.
At the start of the 4th quarter, both teams came up empty on chances to score before Gage Baker found Ethan Morris on a skip pass to the left corner, Morris drained his first 3-pointer of the game, getting a shooters bounce, making it a 2-point game, 41-39. Blackford called time-out to set up a press and make sure Morris was not injured on the play. The next possession, the Bruins came up with a steal near midcourt, as Jacob Leas stole an errant Patriots pass, leading to a foul on Jay County. Despite all the Bruins miscues, Blackford had the ball with about 6:30 remaining in the 4th quarter and a chance to tie or take the lead. Gage Baker once again manipulated the defense out at the top of the floor finding Jacob Leas open in the left corner for 3, Leas let it go and the ball bounced twice off the rim and did not drop. On the next possession, a Jay County Patriot drove the middle of the lane and Gavin Collett stepped over to take a charge, nothing was called as the Patriots dropped a pass off for a layup, giving the Patriots a 4-point lead. Gage Baker was then able to find Collett in the middle of the Patriots zone, as Collett squared up and made a nice move to get to the rim but missed the open layup attempt. On the following Patriots possession, Collett rotated over again to help defensively, this time taking a charge on the Patriots. It was Collett's 2nd charge taken on the weekend for the Bruins.
The Bruins were still only down 4 points, 43-39 with about 4:30 remaining in the 4th quarter, Blackford melted down offensively as they turned the ball over 3 possessions in a row, resulting in a 47-39 deficit. With about 3:30 remaining in the 4th quarter, Baker collected another steal and assist, as he stripped a Patriot out high on the floor and found a streaking Leas for a layup, cutting the deficit to 6 points, 47-41. Jay County answered, as their 6'7'' Sophomore Gradin Swoveland scored one of his many baskets in the 2nd half to extend the Patriots lead to 49-41. The Bruins once again completed a play on an out of bounds under their own basket as they found Baker off a screen in the left corner. Baker was able to put the ball on the floor and attack the basket, scoring at the rim, making the score 49-43 Patriots. Baker's attack was one of the few drives by the Bruins in the half-court all night. Blackford's press created a Patriots turnover on the next possession. With 1:42 remaining in the 4th quarter, Blackford still had life down 49-43. The next Bruins possession resulted in another turnover, leading to the Patriots scoring to extend the lead to 51-43. The Bruins had 25 turnovers on the evening, helping the Patriots defeat the Bruins 56-43.
Blackford now has a long lay-off before they travel to Tipton High School on February 6th. The Bruins have won 7 out of their last 10 games (11-7 overall) and will look to carry that momentum into February as they face a top team in the state, the Tipton Blue Devils.
Stats for Varsity Game:
Gage Baker - 15 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 5 steals, 1 block and one 3-pointer (Congrats on the 4x5 stat line GAGE!)
Jacob Leas - 13 points, 1 assist, 1 steal, and three 3-pointers
Ethan Morris - 7 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist and one 3-pointer
Kian Wells - 6 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, 1 block and two 3-pointers
Mason Kitterman - 2 points, 3 rebounds
Gavin Collett - 1 steal
In Junior Varsity action, the Bruins struggled for the majority of the evening, losing the Jay County Patriots. Blackford was once again playing without their starting center Jacob Dillon. Dillon's absence was noticeable Saturday evening, as Blackford ended the 3rd quarter with 6 total rebounds as a team. The Bruins's Junior Varsity is 9-8 overall and will now face a stiff test February 6th at Tipton High School.
Stats from Junior Varsity Game:
Reggie Duren - 9 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist
Kentral Toomer - 8 points, 3 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals
Mason McFeely - 9 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal
Elijah Morgan - 2 rebounds and 2 blocks
Jayveon McPhaul - 2 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist
Ryan Gorrell - 1 rebound, 1 assist, 1 steal
Jacob Barry - 3 points
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