The Rising Sun Shiner boys varsity basketball team fell to Jac-Cen-Del on Saturday night in the championship game of the Class 1A Sectional at South Decatur.
The loss ended an outstanding tournament run for the Shiners. Here’s a look at Rising Sun’s three tournament games.
By Tim Hillman
Hot shooting Eagles down Shiners in finals
Rising Sun defeated Jac-Cen-Del in double overtime on February 25th, which led to the Eagles losing the Ohio River Valley Conference title.
A game winning 3-pointer by junior Evan Borgman was nullified by a timeout by Coach Perry Nash. Borgman buried a 3-pointer to cap a 16-3 second quarter run to avenge the regular season loss with a 63-47 win in the championship game of the Class A Sectional 60 at South Decatur.
Borgman, JCD’s 6’8″ leading scorer, had 19 points including a pair of 3-pointers to lead the Eagles who advanced to the finals with wins over Hauser (75-64) and defending sectional champ Oldenburg Academy (55-48).
The Eagles were on fire, hitting 11-for-19 from 2-point range along with 7-for-14 from 3-point range and a near perfect 20-for-24 at the free throw line.
Conversely, Rising Sun (advancing to the finals for the second straight year) was 9-for-25 from inside the arc while 4-for-18 behind the arc and 17-for-22 at the line.
Junior Brady Murray led Rising Sun with 14 points and seven rebounds. Leading scorer Austin Armstrong finished with 10 (eight in the second quarter). Mitchell Morris was held to eight points after leading the Shiners with three straight double-doubles heading into the final.
JCD’s defense clamped down on the Shiners, especially junior Tyler Huff. He shared game high scoring honors with Borgman with 19 but shadowed Kurtis Armstrong (Rising Sun’s 3-point ace), limiting him to just two points.
Rising Sun jumped out to a 6-2 lead before JCD went on a 13-3 run, limiting the Shiners to a Murray 3-pointer to lead 15-9 after one quarter.
A 6-0 Shiner run evened the score at 15 before the before mentioned 16-3 run and again just one Murray 3-pointer. Borgman was teed up for his salute while backpedaling down court.
Rising Sun was still in the game, trailing 31-22 at the half.
JCD added a 17-5 edge in the third quarter to go up 48-27 with one quarter remaining.
The Shiners trailed 36-31 when 5’8″ guard Kurtis Armstrong picked up an offensive foul on the foot taller Borgman, his third.
JCD went up by 25 (63-38) before Rising Sun reserves closed out the scoring. Senior Chad Wagner had a 3-pointer and 2-pointer while Tristan Brown scored and Jack Sullivan and Angelo Gallegos made two free throws each. Junior Jake McClellan added two points while senior Jake Uhlmansiek did not score and sophomore Derrick Eldridge saw limited action with ongoing physical issues.
Jac-Cen-Del had defeated Rising Sun 69-60 in the early season when senior Alex Pilz had 12 points. The 6’6″ forward had just two points but dominated the boards with nine. JCD had a 23-15 rebounding advantage and had nine turnovers to 14 for RS.
Senior Allen Hooten added 11 points including two 3-pointers as the third Eagle in double figures. Devon Wilson had four with three each by Bo Kaiser and Reuben Benham.
Jac-Cen-Del advances to regional action at noon Saturday against Indianapolis Lutheran in Martinsville. Tindley and Clay City play in the first game. Rising Sun closes the season at 10-16 including a three way tie with JCD and Switzerland County for second place in the conference.
Shiners advance with win over Shawe
Rising Sun advanced to their second straight finals of the Class A Sectional 60 basketball tourney after a 60-51 win over Shawe Memorial on Friday, March 6th at South Decatur High School.
The Shiners had the hot hand with junior Kurtis Armstrong hitting back to back 3-pointers to give the Shiners an early lead, in a game tied four times in the opening quarter. The game turned with 1:41 left as Dida Ikongshul, Shawe and the Ohio River Valley Conference leading scorer and rebounder, picked up his second foul with 1:48 left in the opening quarter.
Mitchell Morris’ basket gave RS the lead and Austin Armstrong’s 3-pointer put RS ahead 18-13 after one quarter. The lead was as big as nine on a basket by Jake McClellan before taking a 26-19 halftime lead.
Rising Sun led 36-32 after three quarters as the Shiners (30-for-32 at the free throw line in an earlier win at Shawe) failed to pull away with just 1-for-5 at the line in the quarter.
The Shiners built a nine point lead again, 45-36, as Ikongshul was called for goaltending on a Kurtis Armstrong basket.
Zach Brooks got the Hilltoppers to within one 50-49. Morris answered with two charity tosses.
Shawe’s final run ended when Derrick Eldridge took a charge from Kaelan Jines. The call by Dave Sheets waved off a basket and potential game tying 3-point play. Instead it was his fifth foul.
The Shiners sealed the win as Austin Armstrong canned a pair of free throws then Morris put in an inbounds pass before two more Armstrong free throws (8-for-9).
Cousins Austin and Kurtis Armstrong had 15 each behind Morris’ team high 16. Austin had four rebounds, five assists and two steals. Kurtis had three boards and four steals.
McClellan added eight and Eldridge six. Seniors Jake Uhlmansiek and Brady Murray helped with ball handling (six assists) while Chad Wagner saw action as did Jack Sullivan, but did not score.
Ikongshul led all scorers with 21 points and 11 rebounds. Brooks finished with 13 and Koehler had 11.
The difference was at the line again where RS was 19-for-29.
Shawe was 19-for-34 from the field but just 1-for-12 from behind the arc and 10-for-18 at the line.
Shiners take charge, steal victory at SD
After getting off to a quick start, Rising Sun had to rely on defense and free throw shooting to post a 58-50 win over South Decatur in opening round of Class A Sectional 60 action on the Cougars home court Tuesday, March 3rd.
An 8-for-15 first quarter led the Shiners to a 22-14 advantage after one quarter.
Brady Murray and Mitchell Morris picked up a pair of charges by the Cougars and the Shiners pulled ahead 34-23 at the half.
The Shiner offense struggled in the third quarter with just four points and five turnovers as South Decatur pulled ahead 42-38, sparked by Jordan Ortman.
SD went ahead by seven after a 3-pointer by Nick Schwering with six minutes remaining.
Mitchell Morris had a 3-point play then a steal to start the Shiner comeback. A pair of steals by Kurtis Armstrong, along with a Brady Murray 3-pointer in between to make the run, ending with Morris hitting a free throw for a 46-45 lead.
SD (0-for-5 at the line in the fourth quarter) was hampered by six fourth quarter turnovers, but managed to get the lead one more time on a basket by sophomore Nick Benge.
Austin Armstrong got the lead back on a fast break score then cousin Kurtis buried a 3-pointer.
The host team had to foul three times before the Shiners went to the line where they closed out the win with four by Austin Armstrong and the final three by Morris.
Morris led the attack with a game high 19 points and 13 rebounds. Each Armstrong had 15 points with Austin controlling the ball and scoring four key points at the line while Kurtis added three 3-pointers.
Murray added five points and five rebounds while Derrick Eldridge had three and Jake McClellan one, as both big men dealt with foul trouble throughout. Seniors Jake Uhlmansiek and Chad Wagner saw action but did not score.
RS was 13-for-30 from 2-point range and 5-for-14 behind the arc while SD was 11-for 24 and 7-for-10.
The Shiners came through at the line with 17-for-21 to just 7-for-17 by the Cougars.
Schwering led SD with 17 including four 3-pointers. Ortman added 15.
Rising Sun had a 26-17 rebounding advantage and had just 10 turnovers to 14 for South Decatur.