PENDLETON – Damon Badgley hit the game-winning three-pointer from the top of the key Saturday afternoon with 10 seconds left to give Shelbyville a 58-55 conference win over Pendleton Heights.
Ollie Sandman drew two defenders and the senior found Badgley wide open (photo) to his left. Badgley missed an opportunity to hit a 3 from nearly the same spot only seconds earlier but did not miss on a second look.
“That last play we drew up was a ball screen for Ollie,” said Shelbyville head coach John Hartnett. “We knew they were going to double (team) him. We told (Damon) he was the big man in this situation but you are not going to roll. You are going to pop out and if they double (Ollie), you will get a wide open shot … and they did and he hit it.”
The Golden Bears, winners of four of their last six games, improved to 6-8 overall and 1-3 in the Hoosier Heritage Conference standings.
Shelbyville earned the win at Pendleton Heights Middle School with its most complete performance of the season. The Golden Bears shot 51% from the field, 50% from the 3-point line, hit 7 of 8 free throws in the final quarter and outrebounded the Arabians (5-9, 0-4 HHC).
“That was a collective team effort to get that done,” admitted Hartnett.
The Golden Bears needed a fast start and Sandman made that happen. He hit a trio of 3s in the first quarter to get his team a 16-15 lead at the first break.
Pendleton Heights’ leading scorer Josiah Gustin made his presence known in the second quarter, scoring six points and handing out two assists while shadowing Sandman with his six-foot, seven-inch frame.
Four different Golden Bears scored in the quarter to keep the lead at halftime, 28-27.
“We hit some big 3s to start the game,” said Hartnett. “We’re a team that has to hit outside shots. When we hit shots, we are hard to compete against.”

Luke Brinkman (photo) hit a pair of 3s in the third quarter to help Shelbyville open up a 41-33 lead going into the fourth.
The lead grew to 48-38 after a Sandman drive to the rim and score with just over six minutes on the clock.
Pendleton Heights finally found the range from outside the 3-point line. Hunter Suchyna’s 3 sparked a 12-2 run that cut Shelbyville’s lead to 52-50 with two minutes to go.
Caden Claxton hit a pair of free throws to push the lead to four but Evan Mozingo’s 3 from the wing got the Arabians as close as they were at halftime.
Claxton hit one of two free throws at the other end of the floor then Isaac Wilson drove to the rim and scored to tie the game at 55-all with 48 seconds left.
Shelbyville was able to get into position for one final shot and Sandman, who was 5 of 7 from the arc in the game, was the obvious defensive target. He used that to his advantage to get Badgley a great look. The sophomore finished with 10 points, five rebounds and two assists.

Sandman (photo) had 20 points, three assists and two rebounds and pushed his career scoring total to 891 points. He is on pace to become the 10th Golden Bear to eclipse 1,000 career points.
Claxton had 12 points, five rebounds and three assists.
Mozingo led Pendleton Heights with 13 points and four rebounds. Gustin finished with 12 points, five rebounds and five assists.
Pendleton Heights won the junior varsity game, 66-53.
Joseph Estes scored 22 of his team-high 24 points in the first half for Pendleton Heights.
Brody Runnebohm scored 25 points for Shelbyville. Jack West had 13 and Kohen Myers finished with 11.
Shelbyville hosts Franklin Central (1-10) Tuesday at Garrett Gymnasium.
Steve Bush photos
Shelbyville 58, Pendleton Heights 55
SH – Sandman 6-9 3-3 10, Badgley 4-8 0-0 10, Brinkman 2-4 2-2 8, Parker 0-2 0-2 0, Claxton 2-8 7-8 12, Lambert 3-3 0-0 6, Asher 1-1 0-0 2. Totals: 18-35 12-15 58.
PH – Wilson 3-6 4-5 10, Cookston 3-5 1-1 7, Kanitz 0-0 1-2 1, Mozingo 5-12 2-2 13, Caplinger 2-2 0-0 4, Gustin 5-7 2-5 12, Ca. Sims 2-3 0-0 5, Estes 0-0 0-0 0, Suchyna 1-1 0-0 3. Totals: 21-36 10-15 55.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
SH (6-8) 16 12 13 17 -- 58
PH (5-9) 15 12 6 22 -- 55
Three-point field goals: SH 10-20 (Sandman 5-7, Badgley 2-4, Brinkman 2-4, Parker 0-1, Claxton 1-4), PH 3-13 (Wilson 0-3, Cookston 0-1, Mozingo 1-6, Ca. Sims 1-2, Suchyna 1-1). Rebounds: SH 19 (Sandman 2, Badgley 5, Brinkman 1, Parker 3, Claxton 5, Lambert 2, Asher 1), PH 16 (Wilson 3, Mozingo 4, Caplinger 1, Gustin 5, Ca. Sims 3). Assists: SH 12 (Sandman 3, Badgley 2, Brinkman 1, Parker 2, Claxton 3, Lambert 1), PH 11 (Wilson 2, Cookston 1, Kanitz 1, Caplinger 1, Gustin 5, Suchyna 1). Steals: SH 3 (Sandman 1, Brinkman 1, Parker 1), PH 3 (Mozingo 1, Caplinger 1, Suchyna 1). Blocks: SH 1 (Parker 1), PH 1 (Gustin 1). Total fouls: SH 17, PH 14. Turnovers: SH 9, PH 10.
JV
Pendleton Heights 66, Shelbyville 53
SH – Runnebohm 25, West 13, Myers 11, Isaacs 2, Owens 2.
PH – Estes 24, Eikenberry 8, Jones 7, Baker 6, Ca. Sims 4, Fox 4, Suchyna 3, Bronnenberg 3, Co. Sims 3, Hannaford 2.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
SH 12 7 17 17 -- 53
PH 17 20 11 18 -- 66
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