The Blackford Bruins traveled for a Boy/Girl doubleheader Friday evening to open up Conference play for the 2023-2024 season against the Alexandria Tigers. The Bruins entered the Central Indiana Conference opener 2-1 overall, coming off back to back wins vs the Bluffton Tigers and Blue River Valley Vikings. Alexandria Entered the game 2-1 overall, as both teams were similarly matched up, the game was expected to be a tight game Friday evening. The Bruins and Tigers have faced each other 38 times over the last 35 years, with the Alexandria Tigers dominating the head to head match-ups, winning 28 out of the 38 contests over the past 35 years. The Bruins were looking to earn their first victory of the season in the conference in a tough environment on the road.
The Bruins entered without their leading scorer on the season in Kian Wells. Wells started the season breaking out for the Bruins, helping lead them to back to back wins, but was put out for most of the week due to an illness. The Bruins were forced to enter the evening with 5 full-time Varsity players. It was a tough ask for the Bruins, as they entered Alexandria's gymasium (the Jungle), realizing it was going to be a warm night, as the gymasium at times felt like a sauna. The Bruins were able to get off to a solid start in the first quarter, jumping out to an early 5 point lead, with Gage Baker scoring 11 out of the team's 15 points in the first quarter.
Blackford struggled throughout the first half on the offensive end, missing several lay-ups, fumbling passes that would have been lay-ups, and missing several paint shots, but Blackford played great half court man to man defense which led to a 24-22 lead at half-time.
Blackford continued to play solid defense throughout the majority of the game, despite struggling to put the ball in the basket the entire 2nd half. The Bruins made 5 total field goals in the 2nd half and senior guard Ethan Morris made the lone 4 free-throw attempts for the Bruins in the game. Blackford did a solid job overall taking care of the basketball and getting good clean looks on offense, but could not find any Bruins who could put the ball in the basket with any consistency. Morris and Senior Vince Oxley helped keep the Bruins in the game in the 2nd half, being the lone two Bruins to put the ball in the basket in the 2nd half. Despite the Bruins lack of success offensively in the 2nd half, they still had chances to win the game. Down 41-40 with less than a minute remaining, Blackford called time-out to set up a full court press. Out of the time-out, Alexandria was able to hit a baseball pass up the floor to a player streaking for a wide open lay-up. Blackford was down 43-40, and on the next possession, Baker missed a clean look from the 3-point line, Oxley appeared to come down with the offensive rebound, as he was coming down to the floor Alexandria was able to knock the ball loose and knock Oxley to the floor. Alexandria retrieved the basketball and the Bruins fouled providing two more points to defeat the Bruins 45-40. The loss drops the Bruins to 2-2 overall, as they face another Conference rival next Friday night at home vs Elwood.
Stats from Varsity Game:
Ethan Morris - 14 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals
Vince Oxley - 8 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal
Gage Baker - 11 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals
Jacob Leas - 3 points, 1 rebound, 3 assists, 3 steals
Mason Kitterman - 2 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal
Jacob Dillon - 2 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal
In Junior Varsity action, the Bruins played the Alexandria Tigers earlier in the evening in the Auxillary gymnasium. The Bruins entered the game knowing they would be short handed, Jacob Dillon and Kentral Toomer were tabbed to play 2 quarters Junior Varsity due to the Varsity being without Kian Wells and Gavin Collett. The Junior Varsity had one of the best games in my tenure at Blackford, with Sophomore's Reggie Duren, Mason McFeely and Jacob Dilllon leading the way for the Bruins.
Reggie Duren had a breakout game for the Bruins, drilling five 3-pointers on his way to scoring 20 points. Duren has now drained 9 total 3-pointers in the last two games for the Junior Varsity. Duren also grabbed 6 rebounds, dished out 4 assists and grabbed 3 steals in what was his best game in his young career for Blackford. It was an impressive performance from Duren to say the least. Mason McFeely had a monster game for the Bruins as he seemed to be all over the court for the entire game. McFeely scored 13 points, grabbed 4 rebounds, dished out 3 assists, and had 5 steals playing the point of the Bruins defense. Jacob Dillon contributed (in only 2 quarters of play) 4 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal and 2 massive blocks that he volley spiked straight into the ground. It was one of the most impressive wins over the last 3 years at Blackford for JV or Varsity. The Bruins JV will now look to improve to 2-0 on the year in the CIC next Friday night at home vs Elwood.
Stats for Junior Varsity:
Reggie Duren - 20 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, 5 (3-pointers)
Jacob Dillon - 4 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 2 blocks
Mason McFeely - 13 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 5 steals
Kentral Toomer - 2 points, 2 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals
Elijah Morgan - 7 points, 1 rebound
Ryan Gorrell - 1 point, 3 rebounds
Jayveon McPhaul - 2 points, 1 rebound
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