Golden Bears open season with win at Waldron

WALDRON -- Shelbyville and Waldron looked like two girls basketball programs going through transitions.

Shelbyville graduated 1,000-point scorer Ava Wilson and ferocious rebounder Ella Johnson. Waldron lost freshman-sensation Grace Fischer to a knee injury in June that will sideline her for most, if not all, of her sophomore season.

That put key returnees, transfers and a freshman with great potential into the spotlight Tuesday at Waldron where the Golden Bears were making their season debut and the Mohawks were celebrating their home opener.

Shelbyville head coach Becca Hoefler has put trust in junior guard Hannah Baker to make the Golden Bears go. She showed why with a 14-point, 12-rebound, four-assist, four-steal performance Tuesday that netted a 58-38 victory.

“She is our one and only captain right now,” said Hoefler. “She is demanding and she is bossy and its great qualities to have. I appreciate that, I know other people don’t. I love that about Hannah Baker because she will boss people around but she also takes criticism well. She is super coachable. She did a nice job tonight setting the tone for the season.”

Maddy Jones, another junior, also finished with a double-double – 14 points and 10 rebounds – while freshman Jayla Ash scored 13 points and had three steals in her varsity debut.

“For us, we are really young this year. A lot of people don’t have varsity experience so this is a good opening game for us,” said Hoefler, who has no seniors on the roster this season. “We talked all summer and all preseason that it will not be one person. We don’t have a 1,000-point scorer on our team yet, so we need to really work the ball around and if someone is not hitting let’s get it to somebody else. There are girls that have the green light to shoot the ball and there are girls that know their roles and right now, we are all figuring out our roles and how it will be effective for us.”

Seven different Waldron players scored in the loss but none reached double digits. Senior Riley Price came off the bench and made a pair of fourth-quarter 3-pointers to lead the way with nine points.

Jackie Corlett, a junior, had seven points and six rebounds. Emerson Lindsey and South Decatur transfer Kiley Best each had six points and Alivia Fischer finished with five points, six rebounds and four assists.

“It’s been a transition. We are still really trying to find our way,” said Waldron head coach Ilea Shipp. “With Grace out, we lost our two leading scorers from last year and two leading rebounders from last year. We are just trying to build and get better every single day and have some new people step up in some roles and continue to grow.”

The loss of sophomore Grace Fischer, Waldron’s leading scorer (15.3 ppg), rebounder (6.7 rpg) and steals leader (2.4 rpg) last season tore the anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee in June. She had surgery in July and will not be rushed back into the lineup, according to Shipp, now in her third season leading the Mohawks.

“It’s been an adjustment for some of them,” said Shipp. “With the upperclassmen and the two transfers (also Kacey Barker from North Decatur), we have five seniors and their maturity has really grown but they are really still trying to get in the groove.”

Shelbyville did not shoot well Tuesday at Waldron, making just 24 of 75 shots (32%) overall and just 3 of 21 (14%) of its 3-point attempts. But the Golden Bears crashed the boards, pulling down 42 rebounds, including 22 offensive that extended possessions.

“That’s been a big emphasis for us,” said Hoefler. “We don’t have consistent shooters yet so we need to be on the offensive boards to get second possessions for us. That’s how we will be successful.”

Sophomore center Reese Fortune had five rebounds and six points. And junior guard Savannah Collins came off the bench to contribute eight points, five rebounds and three blocks.

Shelbyville will now prepare for its home opener Saturday against Morristown (0-2) and a Tuesday tilt at home against Class 3A, No. 1 Greensburg (2-0).

Waldron, who is battling illness and injuries, travels to South Ripley (1-1) Thursday before returning home Friday to host Southwestern (1-1).

Shelbyville won the junior varsity game, 54-30.

Melia Cartwright led the Golden Bears with 18 points. Chloe Higdon had 14.

Alexis Rogers topped Waldron with 16 points. Kassidy Meulen had seven.

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