Shelbyville was the steadier team Wednesday night in the season opener against Rushville and rolled to a 61-35 victory at William L. Garrett Gymnasium.
Ollie Sandman scored 12 of his game-high 28 points in the fourth quarter against a worn-down Rushville squad.
Luke Brinkman opened the game with eight straight points to put a spark into the Shelbyville crowd but he quickly picked up three fouls and was sidelined until the second half.
Rushville settled in after falling behind 17-5 with an 8-0 run to end the first quarter. Jerron Taylor drove in the lane and scored to start the second quarter and the Lions cut the lead to 17-15.
Sandman hit a three-pointer from the wing to get the lead back to five and the two teams traded baskets over the next five minutes until Jakob Heaton scored eight straight points for Shelbyville to end the quarter.
“I told our guys at halftime we were really going to have to push the basketball and get in our transition offense and if we don’t have anything pull it out and get set up in our normal offense and keep the ball moving,” said Shelbyville coach John Hartnett Jr.
A 32-19 halftime lead grew to 39-21 but Rushville outscored the Golden Bears from there 11-6 to end the third quarter.
After missing 7 of 8 shots, Sandman settled in and hit back-to-back wing 3s to start a 14-0 run in the fourth quarter.
“I was forcing it a little bit,” admitted Sandman.
The junior guard added 25 pounds to his frame in the offseason which gives him more confidence attacking through the lane.
“I was in the weight room all summer and working with my friends to get stronger,” he said. “I am way more confident now getting to the rack and getting to the (free-throw) line and getting some points on the board.”
Shelbyville’s active defense limited the Lions to three fourth-quarter points and 29% shooting from the field in the game.
“I thought in the second half we really picked it up defensively,” said Hartnett Jr. “We have to have an identity this year as a tough-nosed defensive team and I thought in the second half our guys did a tremendous job.”
Taylor led Rushville with 21 points. Dylan Thompson had seven points, 13 rebounds and four blocked shots.
Shelbyville was better at 39% shooting but hit just 6-of-26 shots from beyond the 3-point line.
“We started hot from the (3-point line) and we kind of fell into their defense which forced us to shoot 3s,” said Hartnett Jr. “We talked at half about not settling for 3s and breaking the defense down and getting the ball moving.”
Brinkman finished with 13 points and two steals. Heaton had 11 points and eight rebounds.
Thomas Macaluso came off the bench and had a team-high 10 rebounds.
“He has been our biggest surprise so far. He has really bought into our program and what we are trying to accomplish,” said Hartnett Jr. “If (Macaluso) plays like that, he has a bright future in the program.”
Shelbyville won the junior varsity game, 54-16. Kohen Myers led the Golden Bears with 14 points. Gaige Runnebohm had 11.
After a Thanksgiving break, Shelbyville will travel to Fairland Saturday night to face Triton Central (1-0).
“It will be will county game and we’re ready for the fight,” said Sandman.
Notes: Rushville played without senior guard Cameron Jackman and sophomore guard Quentin Cain. … Shelbyville was without starting sophomore forward Ethan Lambert, who will be available Saturday at Triton Central, and junior Aidan Asher (illness). … Shelbyville has won seven straight over Rushville. ... The Shelbyville High School pep band was bolstered by former band members now in college who are home for the holiday break.
Shelbyville 61, Rushville 35
RV: Taylor 7-15 5-5 21, Woolf 0-0 0-0 0, Morton 0-8 1-3 1, Thompson 3-6 0-4 7, Laker 1-7 1-2 3, Bowles 0-3 0-0 0, McKee 1-2 1-2 3, Jarman 0-1 0-0 0, Alexander 0-0 0-0 0, Jenkins 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 12-42 8-16 35.
SH: Sandman 10-24 5-6 28, Brinkman 5-10 1-2 13, Parker 0-1 0-0 0, Heaton 5-13 1-2 11, Smothers 2-5 2-4 7, Macaluso 1-3 0-0 2, Conover 0-0 0-0 0, Runnebohm 0-2 0-0 0, Badgley 0-1 0-0 0, Myers 0-0 0-0 0, Fortune 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 23-59 9-14 61.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
RV (0-1) 13 6 13 3 -- 35
SH (1-0) 17 15 13 16 -- 61
Three-point field goals: RV 3-12 (Taylor 2-4, Morton 0-1, Thompson 1-3, Bowles 0-3, Jarman 0-1), SH 6-26 (Sandman 3-11, Brinkman 2-5, Parker 0-1, Heaton 0-3, Smothers 1-3, Macaluso 0-1, Runnebohm 0-1, Badgley 0-1).
Rebounds: RV 39 (Taylor 3, Woolf 1, Morton 3, Thompson 13, Laker 11, Bowles 2, McKee 5, Jarman 1), SH 29 (Sandman 3, Parker 2, Heaton 8, Smothers 4, Macaluso 10, Conover 1, Runnebohm 1). Assists: RV 2 (Taylor 1, Morton 1), SH 7 (Brinkman 1, Heaton 2, Smothers 4). Steals: RV 0, SH 6 (Brinkman 2, Heaton 1, Macaluso 2, Smothers 1). Blocks: RV 5 (Morton 1, Thompson 4). Total fouls: RV 18, SH 18. Fouled out: Laker, McKee (RV); Parker (SH). Turnovers: RV 24, SH 7.
JV
Shelbyville 54, Rushville 16
RV: Corn 7, Schelle 4, Jarman 3, Tressler 2.
SH: Myers 14, Runnebohm 11, Conover 6, Chappelow 5, Badgley 5, Jones 5, Parker 4, Owens 4.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
RV 3 5 2 6 -- 16
SH 15 10 21 8 -- 54
