The South boys basketball team capped off a two-game stand Saturday night with a commanding win against Decatur Central, 72-42. Although the game was less than 24 hours after a road win against Southport, the fatigue of back-to-back games never found its way onto the floor.
South (4-1) was propelled to a win based off a team effort that was sparked by the starters but ended with the reserves. The bench was red hot, going 8-8 in shooting attempts and managing to hit a perfect 4-4 on threes. Freshman Connor Hickman led the charge from the bench, dropping 13 points and shooting 5-5 on the night. The usual stalwarts (University of Southern Indiana commit and senior Chance Coyle and highly touted sophomore Anthony Leal) were equally as effective, scoring 19 and 16 points respectively.
South’s spectacular shooting night didn’t just come from thin air. More often than not, it came from the hands of sophomore point guard Noah Jager, who dished out 10 of the 23 assists recorded. “When I’m on a team as a point guard where you can pass (the ball) around to any guy and they’re just knocking down shots, it’s just so much fun.” Jager said.
Senior Chris Bomba (5pts) was happy with the way his team performed, citing a basketball mantra: “Stay confident and keep shooting your shot, because shooters shoot!” Bomba noted that the team’s first half shooting was not nearly as dominant as their second, due mainly to improved ball movement and fluid offense in the second half.
Whether or not the Panthers can continue such a hot shooting streak is yet to be seen. But one thing is for sure, according to Jager: “When we pass and shoot like that, we’re gonna be tough to beat.”
The Panthers (4-1) will be back in action this Friday, Dec. 15, at home against Terre Haute North. South will be seeking their fourth straight win and 3rd conference victory.
All Photography by Calvin Prenkert and Seth Thomas
