The Blackford Bruins Basketball program traveled to Monroe Central High School Saturday evening to take on the Bears in another non-conference game. The Bruins entered Saturday night 9-6 overall, after being defeated in a convincing fashion Friday night at home vs the Frankton Eagles. Blackford traveled to Monroe Central for another round of back-to-back games over Friday/Saturday evenings. Blackford has now participated in Friday/Saturday back-to-back games over the last three weeks, as the Bruins would enter Saturday evening thirsty for their 10th win on the season. Monroe Central and Blackford High School had a longstanding non-conference rivalry that went on for several years before the schools did not play each other for the past several years. Blackford has won 20 out of the 32 matchups between the two schools over the last 35 years. The Bruins traveled Saturday to Monroe Central ready play without their starting Center, Senior Vince Oxley. Oxley has been a key cog in the middle for the Bruins, he injured his back this past Monday at practice and has been deemed out until further notice.
Blackford started the game Saturday night matching baskets by the host Monroe Central Bears, as both teams found success on the offensive end early in the first quarter. Ethan Morris was able to get the Bruins off to a solid start on the offensive end, scoring multiple baskets, hitting a couple free-throws and dishing out multiple assists in the first quarter. The Bruins and Bears ended the first quarter tied at 14 apiece, Morris either scored or assisted on 11 of the Bruins first 14 points. The Bears 6'5" starting Center, Easton Foster had his way in the first quarter, starting the game nailing a 3-pointer at the top of the floor and scoring multiple baskets inside to contribute 7 first quarter points for Monroe Central. In the 2nd quarter, Foster took control of the game for the Bears, scoring 10 of his team's 18 points in the period, leading to the Bruins entering halftime with a 7-point deficit, down 32-25. Easton Foster dominated the first half, scoring 17 of his team's 32 points, hurting the Bruins driving to finish inside around the basket.
Blackford entered the 2nd half, once again looking to make a run and capture a lead to earn a win in a tough environment on the road. Blackford made adjustments in the 2nd half defensively, having Gage Baker face guard and defend Foster for the Bears. At the start of the 2nd half the Bruins were able to get a stop on the opening possession, but committed a violation on their first offensive possession, as Mason Kitterman drove to the basket and was whistled for a travel. On the Bears next possession, they instantly fed the post inside to Foster in the middle of the lane, Baker was able to wall-up defensively and contest the missed shot and collect the rebound. Blackford came down offensively and Baker drove to the basket and missed the shot, Kitterman was able to wrestle the ball away and hand it off to Jacob Leas who drove downhill to the right side of the basket for a layup. Monroe Central then went to a wing ball screen and passed it to the guy rolling to the basket, Baker once again rotated over on another Bear and walled up to contest to the shot causing a miss and Blackford collected the rebound. Blackford pushed the ball up the floor but stopped to run their motion offense, Kian Wells was able to find Mason Kitterman cutting to the right block, Kitterman with his back to the basket made a couple dribbles towards the middle of the floor and found Baker on the left wing open for 3, Baker drilled the 3-pointer, pulling the Bruins to within 2 points, 32-30.
On the next Bears possession, Kian Wells was able to block a shot on the right block and Jacob Leas sprinted down the rebound and zoomed up the floor full speed. Leas was able to kick the ball out to the left wing to Wells who instantly swung the ball to the trailing Baker and Baker drove to collapse the defense and kicked it out to Kitterman in the right corner, Kitterman drilled a 3-pointer to give the Bruins a 33-32 lead with about 5:15 remaining in the 3rd quarter. The quick 8-0 run by the Bruins to retake the lead, led to a Monroe Central time-out. Blackford was able to get another stop out of the time-out leading to another chance at scoring against the Bears. Kitterman drove hard down the left side of the lane and a foul was called leading to an out of bounds under their own basket. Blackford executed an inbounds play, with Leas screening for Morris cutting to the basket and Wells found Morris for an And-1, Morris missed the free-throw long, giving Blackford a 35-32 lead. Both teams came up empty on their next possessions, before Monroe Central drove baseline and Kitterman rotated over and swatted the shot attempt out to the perimeter. A perimeter shot by the Bears was off the mark and Baker collected another rebound and stop for the Bruins. Baker dribbled up the floor and found Kitterman streaking toward the basket and Kitterman completed a pivot spin on a Bears defender for a finish, giving the Bruins a 5-point lead. It was probably the strongest spurt of basketball this season from Sophomore Mason Kitterman, helping the Bruins retake the lead. With about 4 minutes remaining in the 3rd quarter and a 37-32 lead, the Bruins were not finished.
Monroe Central was finally able to get on the board in the 3rd quarter, as Kian Wells was whistled for a foul on a 3-point attempt. The Bears hit 1 of their 3 free-throws and on the next possession, Jacob Leas completed a dribble hand-off with Gage Baker driving downhill to the left side of the basket to finish, extending the Bruins lead to 39-33. With about 3:30 remaining in the 3rd quarter, Kitterman was whistled for his 4th foul, leading the Bruins subbing in Senior Gavin Collett. Collett entered the game and had to switch onto Foster on a cross screen, as Foster turned to try and finish at the rim, Collett swiped the ball away collecting a steal. Blackford's next offensive possession came up empty as Leas drove down to the right block but couldn't finish the contested layup. Foster drove the floor and finished an And-1 in transition, pulling the Bears to within 3-points, 39-36. On the next possession, Baker found Ethan Morris on a cross court skip pass, Morris quickly swung the ball to Leas in the right corner, Leas's 3-pointer was all net, putting the Bruins back up 42-36. The Bears would then go inside to Foster on the left block, Baker continued to wall-up and Collett would once again rotate down and swipe the ball away and Leas scrambled to find the loose ball and speed up the floor getting it into the lane drawing multiple defenders before kicking it out to the right wing to Kian Wells. Wells let the open 3 fly, it was just short and the Bears collected the rebound.
The Bears were able to score on the next possession, driving left baseline and hitting a floater to pull within 4 points, 42-38. Blackford brought the ball down and made a few passes before Leas was able to shot fake and drive into the middle of the lane and hit a floater, extending their lead to 44-38. The Monroe Central Bears would have an answer, as they were able to hit a floater of their own from about 7 feet from the basket. Blackford pushed the ball up the floor with about 50 seconds left in the 3rd quarter and Leas drove and drew a 2nd defender, before kicking it out to Ethan Morris for an open 3, Morris's 3-pointer rimmed in and out for the Bruins. Monroe Central once again was able to find a basket again on a jump shot just inside the foul line. With about 30 seconds remaining in the quarter and a 44-42 lead, Blackford decided to hold the ball for the last shot. The Bruins went to a high ball screen for Morris, and he attacked the lane and found Leas in the corner for 3, Leas let it fly again from 3, and it was all net, extending the Bruins lead to 47-42 to end the 3rd quarter. Leas scored a quick 8 points in the final 2:30 of the 3rd, helping the Bruins keep the lead they earned early in the 3rd quarter. Blackford hit four 3-pointers during their 3rd quarter run (Baker, Kitterman and Leas hit 2). The Bruins outscored the Bears 22 - 10 (with Leas scoring 10 of the Bruins 22 points) in the 3rd quarter to take a 5-point lead heading into the 4th quarter.
At the start of the 4th quarter, the Bruins could smell victory and it was obvious on the defensive end. Blackford smothered the Bears on the first possession, Kian Wells Ethan Morris and Gavin Collett all got their hands on the ball before Collett collected the steal and passed it up the floor for Morris to finish a wide-open layup. The Bears would score bringing it back to a 5-point game, before Baker was able to drive hard from the right wing to finish at the basket, extending the lead for the Bruins to 51-44. The Bears once again answered Baker's basket with another bucket for Monroe Central. With the score 51-46 and about 5:50 remaining in the 4th quarter, Leas was able to get around his defender driving right baseline and drawing defenders before launching a right-handed hook pass to the top of the floor to Gavin Collet, Collet knocked down his 1st 3-pointer of the season! Collett has only participated in 6 games this year (and played multiple games in limited minutes) due to injuring his foot for the first half of the season. Collett was massive for the Bruins in both halves, contributing on both ends of the floor. It was one of the biggest shots in Collett's career, giving the Bruins an 8-point lead, 54-46. Both teams came up empty on their next possessions, before the Bears knocked down a 3-pointer, pulling them back within 5 points, 54-49. Blackford called time-out.
On the next possession, the Bruins exhibited great patience, moving the ball out of their motion offense. Every Bruin player touched the basketball before guard Ethan Morris penetrated into the lane and found Baker on the left wing for an open 3, Baker drained his 2nd 3-pointer of the half. Baker's 3-pointer gave the Bruins 7 made 3-pointers in the 2nd half. Foster would answer on a jump shot to pull the Bears within 6 points, 57-51. On the next possession, Ethan Morris was then able to drive down the left side of the lane to finish another And-1 at the rim, with about 2:30 remaining. Morris made the free-throw to extend the lead to 60-51. Blackford was then able to hit free-throws at the end of the game and hold off any charge by the Bears, keeping a 5-point lead or more to finish the game winning 65-55. Easton Foster for the Bears scored 17 points in the first half, in the 2nd half, Baker switched onto Foster and with the help of his Bruins teammates, Blackford held him to 5 points in the 2nd half, helping hold the Bears to 23 second half points! Blackford has now improved to 10-6 overall. The Bruins will now play Conference rival Eastbrook next Friday night in Bruin gymnasium.
Stats for Varsity:
Ethan Morris, - 19 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal
Gage Baker - 14 points, 11 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 1 block and two 3-pointers (Baker's 3rd double- double of the season)
Jacob Leas - 10 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals and two 3-pointers
Gavin Collett - 9 points, 1 assist, 3 steals and one 3-pointer
Mason Kitterman - 7 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks and one 3-pointer
Kian Wells - 4 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 1 block and one 3-pointer
Jacob Dillon - 2 points, and 3 rebounds
In Junior Varsity action, the Bruins really struggled for most of the game vs the Monroe Central Bears before falling 51-43. Blackford struggled taking are of the ball for most of the game, leading to falling behind 39-24 thru 3 quarters. Blackford is now 8-7 overall and will play again next Friday against Eastbrook at home.
JV Stats:
Reggie Duren - 14 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists
Kentral Toomer - 13 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist, 1 steal
Eli Morgan - 6 points, 4 rebounds, 1 block, 1 steal
Mason McFeely - 3 points, 3 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 block, 4 steals
Jayveon McPhaul - 3 points, 1 rebound
Jacob Dillon - 2 points, 4 rebounds
Jacob Barry - 2 points
Ryan Gorrell - 1 steal
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