By RICHIE HALL
SHERIDAN – A little adjustment was all Sheridan needed to soar past the Mounties on Wednesday.
The Blackhawks hosted Southmont at Larry Hobbs Hall and accelerated through the second and third quarters to post a 65-45 victory. After a tight first quarter, Sheridan broke away from the Mounties in the second period and kept them at arm’s length in the second half.
“We pressured early in the game and they were going right through it like a sieve,” said ‘Hawks coach Bill Bowen. “We made a couple adjustments and still kept the pressure on. I think that was necessary.”
Both teams had their offenses going in the first quarter, which ended with the Blackhawks ahead 19-17. Caleb Wright drained two 3-pointers for six points, while Damon Winston also scored six points.
The second quarter was the key period for Sheridan, as it outscored Southmont 17-6 for a 36-23 halftime lead. Five different Blackhawks made at least one basket in that quarter. Trent DeCraene scored six points, while Owen Bell, Trey Page and Caleb Wright all made 3s. Carson Wright chipped in a basket as well.
Cal. Wright
“We’re sharing the ball,” said Bowen. “We’re seeing the floor well. I think we’re shooting it pretty well.”
Tyler Garner opened the third quarter with a triple to put Sheridan up 39-23. The Mounties answered with five straight points, but Caleb Wright took care of that with back-to-back 3s. He led the Blackhawks in scoring, with five 3-pointers for 15 points.
Garner finished the quarter with a pair of free throws to put Sheridan up 53-32. The ‘Hawks kept their lead above 20 points for all but a few seconds of the fourth quarter. Southmont’s Cale Chadd made an and-1 with 1:01 left in the game to cut the Sheridan lead to 61-42.
DeCraene put in a pair of free throws just five seconds later, and the ‘Hawks were back up 63-42. DeCraene was perfect from the foul line at 6-for-6; he scored 14 points and dished out seven assists.
Garner and Winston each collected six rebounds, with Winston also blocking three shots.
Sheridan is 10-6 and hosts Carroll Friday in a Hoosier Heartland Conference game. The Cougars are 12-6 and Bowen said they will be a “formidable opponent, but those are the kind of people you want to play, you have to play and we want to get to that level.”
SHERIDAN 65, SOUTHMONT 45
Sheridan FG FT TP PF
Trent DeCraene 4-7 6-6 14 2
Tyler Garner 2-5 2-2 7 1
Trey Page 3-8 1-2 9 0
Caleb Wright 5-9 0-0 15 1
Damon Winston 4-6 1-2 9 1
Carson Wright 4-4 0-0 8 1
Owen Bell 1-2 0-0 3 1
Devon Hamilton 0-0 0-0 0 1
Brayden Whisman 0-0 0-0 0 0
Jake Hall 0-0 0-0 0 0
Totals 23-41 10-12 65 8
Score by Quarters
Southmont 17 6 9 13 – 45
Sheridan 19 17 17 12 – 65
Sheridan 3-point shooting (9-18) Cal. Wright 5-6, Page 2-5, Bell, 1-2, Garner 1-2, Winston 0-2, DeCraene 0-1.
Sheridan rebounds (24) Garner 6, Winston 6, DeCraene 4, Bell 3, Cal. Wright 2, Page 1, Car. Wright 1, Hamilton 1.