By RICHIE HALL
SHERIDAN – The Sheridan boys basketball team is off to a strong start this year, having compiled a 6-1 record so far this season.
The Blackhawks added to their win total with two very different victories last weekend. Last Friday, Sheridan rolled past Eastern 83-49 for a Hoosier Heartland Conference win at Larry Hobbs Gymnasium. The next night, the ‘Hawks trailed Frankfort at halftime, but rallied for a 53-43 victory over the Hot Dogs in another home game.
Sheridan took care of business early against the Eastern Comets, leading 18-5 after one quarter. The Blackhawks outscored Eastern in each quarter, pouring in 21 second-period points for a 39-20 lead. Sheridan went into another gear in the third quarter, with 26 points, finishing that period with a 65-32 advantage. The ‘Hawks are unbeaten in the HHC at 3-0.
Two Blackhawks players topped the 20-point mark. Caleb Wright nailed five 3-pointers on his way to 27 points, while Trey Page threw in seven 3s while scoring 25 points. Devon Hamilton added 14 points. Chance Spencer led the rebounds with six and Hamilton collected five. Sheridan had 23 team assists on 31 made baskets; Wright dished out six assists, followed by Spencer and Hamilton with five each and Dayne Voege with four.
The ’Hawks got off to another good start against the Hot Dogs, leading 12-5 after the first quarter. Wright scored seven of those points. Sheridan went up 15-8 early in the second quarter when Wright hit a triple.
But Frankfort came back in the second quarter, going on a 16-5 run to lead 24-20 at halftime. The Hot Dogs’ Taran Emery opened the second half with a 3 to give Frankfort a 27-20 lead.
The Hot Dogs were up 32-27 when Sheridan went on an 8-0 run. Chance Spencer started it with a layin, then Wright’s basket got the ‘Hawks within one. Brayden Whisman scored on a putback to give Sheridan the lead, and Wright finished the run with a steal then basket.
Frankfort tied the game early in the fourth quarter at 37-37, but a 9-0 Blackhawks run got Sheridan ahead 46-37 at the midway point of the period. Wright scored five of those points. The Hot Dogs nailed back-to-back 3s after that spurt, getting back within 46-43 with 2:07 left.
The Blackhawks had one more run in them, however, finishing the game by scoring the last seven points. Trey Page helped out from the free-throw line, going 5-of-6 during the last minute and a half.
“You don’t want those kinds of game situations, but that’s high school basketball,” Sheridan coach Bill Bowen said after the Frankfort game. “We played really well last night and shot the ball really well. Just the opposite tonight, just couldn’t shoot it very well at all.”
But Bowen said that to the Blackhawks’ credit, the Sheridan players “had a lot of pride in their game and they fought that second half,” scratching and clawing their way to victory.
“And in the fourth quarter, we just kept playing and good things happened,” said Bowen.
Wright led all scorers with 22 points, with Page adding nine and Spencer eight. Spencer also had six rebounds and four assists.
The Blackhawks will host their own tournament on Saturday. Sheridan plays North White at noon in the first round, with Hagerstown taking on Fountain Central in the other first-round game. The consolation and championship games are both scheduled for 5 p.m.
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