By RICHIE HALL
If one phrase could describe the Sheridan-North Montgomery boys basketball game on Tuesday, it would be this: It was a grind.
“It was not aesthetically pleasing at all,” said Blackhawks coach Chris Schrank. Sheridan stayed within striking distance of the Chargers the entire game, but eventually lost 27-24 in a defensive contest at Hobbs Memorial Hall.
The tone of the game was set in the first quarter, which ended with North leading 3-2. Caleb Duke got the ‘Hawks on the board, but the Chargers tied it with a basket by Kade Kobel, then Jaron Bradford made a free throw.
It took until the 4:30 mark of the second period for the next score: Duke made a layin to but Sheridan up 4-3. North Montgomery’s Keifer Carmean hit a 3-pointer seconds later, and that opened up a 9-0 run by the Chargers to lead 12-4.
North led 14-6 with 1:31 left, and that’s when the ‘Hawks started their biggest move, an 8-0 run that carried over into the third quarter. Nick Roberts scored on a layin, then Duke’s free throw got Sheridan within 14-9 at halftime. When the second half began, Jesse Kolb made a foul shot, then baskets by Drake Delph and Duke tied the game at 14-14.
The Chargers got the lead back with a Preston Shaw basket with around 1:45 left in the third, and kept it for the remainder of the game. The Blackhawks stayed close, and were within 25-24 late in the fourth, but two free throws by North’s Matt Jackman proved to be enough with 1:15 left.
“That’s two games in a row now where we have beaten ourselves,” said Schrank. “We were 8-of-20 something in the paint and 6-of-16 from the free throw line. You’re not going to beat people doing that to yourselves.”
Sheridan finished the game 8-of-22 in the paint and 9-of-39 overall. Schrank called his team’s defensive effort “great” – the 27 points were the fewest the ‘Hawks allowed since they held Anderson Prep to 26 points on Dec. 5, 2015, and in fact the second-fewest allowed in the past 25 years.
“But when we do that to ourselves, we keep shooting ourselves in the foot,” said Schrank. “Any time we got a spark, we get a kid make a layup and 1, miss the free throw. And then turn around and give up a layup for them, too. Got to quit shooting ourselves in the foot.”
Duke scored 10 points to lead all scorers, and also made seven steals. Nick Burnell pulled 10 rebounds, with Kolb collecting six.
Sheridan is 3-3 and will host Clinton Prairie on Friday as part of a Hoosier Heartland Conference girl-boy doubleheader.
North Montgomery 27, Sheridan 24
Sheridan FG FT TP PF
Drake Delph 1-7 0-2 2 0
Walker Casler 0-1 0-0 0 1
Caleb Duke 4-14 2-5 10 2
Nick Burnell 1-4 2-4 4 4
Jesse Kolb 1-6 1-2 3 0
Kyle Eden 1-3 0-1 2 3
Nolan Buckner 0-2 0-0 0 0
Nick Roberts 1-2 1-2 3 2
Totals 9-39 6-16 24 12
Score by Quarters
North Montgomery 3 11 4 9 – 27
Sheridan 2 7 6 9 – 24
Sheridan 3-point shooting (0-13) Delph 0-4, Duke 0-4, Buckner 0-2, Eden 0-1, Casler 0-1, Kolb 0-1.
Sheridan rebounds (21) Burnell 10, Kolb 6, Delph 2, Roberts 2, Buckner 1.
Sheridan’s Nick Burnell prepares to take a foul shot during the Blackhawks’ game with North Montgomery Tuesday at Hobbs Memorial Hall. Pictured in the background is Kyle Eden. (Richie Hall)