BROOKVILLE – Not even Santa Claus could slow down the Golden Bears.
Caden Claxton (photo, with ball) scored a game-high 20 points. Mar Nicholson finished with 17 points and four rebounds and Kohen Myers delivered six points and nine rebounds in his first start of the season to lead Shelbyville to a 61-49 victory Friday at Franklin County.
The season-high points total for the Golden Bears improved them to 6-3 – the best pre-Christmas break record since the 2006 season. Santa Claus and the Grinch were even on hard to witness the performance at festive Franklin County High School.
“It’s good for us. The guys are happy. We know we have a tough matchup Wednesday night (against Franklin) and we’re ready to go to work,” said Shelbyville head coach John Hartnett after the win.
In the first meeting between the two basketball programs since a 2003 sectional contest which the Golden Bears won 53-31, Shelbyville got off to a strong start.
All five starters scored in the opening eight minutes to build a 19-8 advantage. Claxton scored five straight points late in the second quarter to push the lead to 30-16.
As in other wins this season, Shelbyville has struggled to create that insurmountable lead in the third quarter that would make finishing the fourth quarter much easier. The Wildcats produced a 6-2 run to start the third quarter to get within eight points.
Nicholson (photo) followed with four made free throws and Ethan Lambert scored in the lane to quell Franklin County’s momentum but the Golden Bears did not get the lead back above 12 points in the quarter.
Leading 48-36, Claxton sank a three-pointer from the wing, Nicholson drove in the lane and converted and Claxton sank a pair of free throws to push the lead to 20.
“Our halftime speech was we have to find ways to put people away,” said Hartnett. “There are times we put that pedal down all the way to the floor and there are times we let up and let people back in the game.”
Nicholas Vanoven scored seven of his team-high 11 points in the fourth quarter for Franklin County (1-6). Carson Allen came off the bench to sink three 3s and finish with 10 points. Isaiah Kemp and Eli Butt each scored eight points.
Shelbyville has held seven of its nine opponents below 50 points this season and is still young enough, two sophomores were the leading scorers Friday, that the learning curve to finish off opponents has not yet been overcome.
“We have to find guys that can close games out and take control of them,” said Hartnett. “I thought Mar Nicholson did a great job tonight along with Caden Claxton and we made an adjustment to the starting lineup to bring some new energy and Kohen Myers did an excellent job for us.
“We have to find ways at the end to relax and keep everything together and just finish games off and not panic when things go wrong or they make a couple buckets or we make a few mistakes.”
Shelbyville’s junior varsity also improved to 6-3 this season with a 48-22 victory. The game was tied 13-all at halftime before Shelbyville outscored the Wildcats 35-9 in the second half.
Brody Runnebohm hit four 3s and led the Golden Bears with 20 points. Gavin Reed finished with 13.
Franklin County will complete the two-year contract next season with a road trip to Garrett Gymnasium in Shelbyville.
The Golden Bears have played six of their first nine games on the road but now prepare for a stretch where six of their next seven are at home. The final two games on the 2023 calendar, both at Garrett Gymnasium, are Franklin, 8-1 and a potential sectional opponent, Wednesday and Martinsville (3-4) Friday.
Both games will air on GIANT fm radio with the pregame show scheduled for approximately 7 p.m.
Steve Bush photos
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