Shelbyville was desperately in need of a win while head coach John Hartnett Jr. was in need of a quick finish to the 2021 portion of the regular season schedule.

The third-year Shelbyville coach expects to become a first-time father before 2021 closes. John and his wife, Alexis, departed immediately after the game for Indianapolis for the scheduled birth of their son.

Hartnett Jr. left William L. Garrett Gymnasium with a good feeling after his Golden Bears ended a seven-game losing streak with its most complete performance of the season.

Ollie Sandman scored 26 points and Jakob Heaton had 14 in Shelbyville’s 58-49 win over Franklin.

“We really played more consistent and that’s the mark that the guys have learned something during the week,” said John Hartnett Sr., an assistant coach with the Shelbyville basketball program. “We had three good practices this week (following a disappointing 51-44 overtime loss at Yorktown on Dec. 18) and these guys have learned how to win.”

The Golden Bears (2-7) fell behind early 9-2 before closing out the first quarter with a 14-2 run and never trailed again.

Following an early timeout, Shelbyville cut the Grizzly Cubs’ lead to 11-7 before scoring the final nine points of the opening quarter for a 16-11 advantage.

Sandman opened the second-quarter scoring with a drive to the basket that included an and-1 free throw for a three-point play that resulted in a 19-11 lead.

Franklin, under first-year head coach Adrian Moss, put together an 8-0 run that culminated with a Jayden Razor score in the lane to tie the game at 19-all.

Nolyn Smothers answered with a fast-break layin and Sandman drained a 12-foot jumper to give the Golden Bears the lead for good.

Shelbyville pushed the lead to nine midway through the third quarter but Franklin got within three, 34-31, after three quarters.

The lead quickly grew to eight points in the fourth quarter and Shelbyville was in complete control against a team that struggles from the 3-point arc and already put Shelbyville in the free-throw bonus.

The Golden Bears hit 16 of 17 free throws in the final eight minutes and finished 20 of 22 for the game to secure the win.

“We don’t have a huge window when we play. We have to do everything right because of our size and experience,” said Hartnett Sr. “We only have two guys with any varsity experience and we hit that window tonight.”

Sandman sank all eight of his free-throw attempts in the final quarter while Heaton was 5 for 5.

Franklin finished 21 of 50 from the field (42%) but was 4 of 18 from the arc (22%) and just 3 of 6 from the charity stripe.

Shelbyville shot 41% from the field and just 25% from the arc but made up for it with a 91% performance from the free-throw line.

Sandman also had three rebounds and three assists. Heaton added four rebounds, two assists and two steals.

Smothers finished with nine points and four rebounds. Luke Brinkman had five points while Jackson Parker added four points and three rebounds.

Carson Hunter had a team-high 16 points for Franklin. Tristan Coleman, a six-foot, six-inch senior, finished with a double-double (13 points, 12 rebounds). Eight of Coleman’s 12 rebounds came on the offensive end with six in the final quarter.

Franklin has lost four straight.

Shelbyville ended a four-game losing streak to the Grizzly Cubs and collected its first win this season in three attempts over a potential Sectional 13 foe.

Alexis Hartnett (photo) was induced into labor early Thursday according to Hartnett Sr. who told the Shelby County Post he expects his grandson to be born tonight or early Friday.

Hartnett Jr. will have ample time to return to the Golden Bears who are off until Jan. 8 when Greensburg (8-2) and head coach Stacy Meyer visit Garrett Gymnasium.

Shelbyville 58, Franklin 49

FR: Auger 0-4 0-0 0, Hunter 7-11 0-0 16, Phillips 1-4 0-0 3, Coleman 6-9 1-4 13, Beverly 2-9 2-2 6, Nickleson 1-5 0-0 3, McCorkle 1-2 0-2 2, Stanger 0-0 0-0 0, Crow 2-2 0-0 4, Razor 1-4 0-0 2. Totals: 21-50 3-6 49.

SH: Sandman 7-13 9-9 26, Brinkman 2-5 0-0 5, Parker 2-4 0-0 4, Heaton 4-8 6-7 14, Smothers 2-7 5-6 9, Macaluso 0-2 0-0 0, Asher 0-2 0-0 0. Totals: 17-41 20-22 58.

SCORE BY QUARTERS

FR (2-6)  11  10  10  18  --  49

SH (2-7)  16    7  11  24  --  58

3-point field goals: FR 4-18 (Auger 0-3, Hunter 2-3, Phillips 1-4, Beverly 0-2, Nickleson 1-4, Razor 0-2), SH 4-16 (Sandman 3-8, Brinkman 1-2, Parker 0-1, Heaton 0-1, Smothers 0-2, Asher 0-2). Rebounds: FR 27 (Hunter 3, Phillips 1, Coleman 12, Beverly 3, Nickleson 2, McCorkle 5, Stanger 1), SH 21 (Sandman 3, Brinkman 3, Parker 3, Heaton 4, Smothers 4, Macaluso 4). Assists: FR 8 (Hunter 2, Coleman 2, Beverly 3, Nickleson 1), SH 8 (Sandman 3, Brinkman 1, Heaton 2, Smothers 2). Steals: FR 1 (Hunter 1), SH 5 (Brinkman 1, Parker 1, Heaton 2, Smothers 1). Blocks: SH 1 (Parker 1). Total fouls: FR 18, SH 10. Turnovers: FR 14, SH 11

JV

Franklin 67, Shelbyville 46