Mullins stars in Greenfield-Central's HHC win over Shelbyville

GREENFIELD – Braylon Mullins has had the spotlight on him all season.

On Saturday at Dellen Automotive Gymnasium, the Greenfield-Central senior showed off why he is the frontrunner to be named Indiana Mr. Basketball later this year with a 43-point performance to lead his Cougars to an 82-60 win over Shelbyville.

Mullins scored a season-high on 17-of-21 shooting and he powered a 15-0 run in the middle of the second quarter to help Greenfield-Central extend a one-point lead to 35-19.

With the win, the Cougars improved to 13-2 overall and 5-0 against Hoosier Heritage Conference opponents. They have won six straight.

Shelbyville’s four-game win streak was snapped to drop the Golden Bears to 13-4 (3-2 HHC). They play their next five games at home at William L. Garrett Gymnasium.

Shelbyville handled the raucous atmosphere at Greenfield-Central, shot 47% from the field and made 10 3s, but could stop Mullins.

“Obviously Braylon Mullins is a tremendous basketball player,” said Shelbyville head coach John Hartnett. “At the high school level, he is going to go out and get 30, 40 or 50 every single night. He is tough to guard. You have to pick him up at half court.

“What he does best, as he showed tonight, no matter how many guys we send at him, he will overpower you or shoot it over you and bully you to the basket. That was a tough task tonight.”

Mar Nicholson (photo) led Shelbyville with 18 points, three rebounds and two assists working in the middle of Greenfield-Central’s 1-2-2.

Damon Badgley hit four 3s and finished with 14 points. Caden Claxton had nine points and Gavin Reed added eight points.

Shelbyville grabbed a 12-9 lead but Mullins scored off an offensive rebound and Cooper Robertson came off the bench to score six points and the Cougars led at the first break 15-14.

A Reed floater in the lane cut the lead to 20-19 before the Cougars found another gear.

Mikey Johnson, who transferred in from Southport in the offseason, scored four straight points that started the 15-0 run. Mullins scored in the lane; Boston Willard hit a corner 3; Mullins dunked; Dallas Freeman hit a 3 and Robertson scored again at the rim to get the lead to double digits.

Shelbyville never recovered.

In the third quarter, the Golden Bears hit 7 of 8 shots including four 3s to score 19 points and still saw G-C extend the lead to 63-45.

“In the second half, our offensive movement was much better and we found seams in the zone,” said Hartnett (photo, standing). “Mar started moving more to the middle and got some easy shots. And we had some nice kick outs for some 3s.”

Robertson finished with 14 points off the bench for G-C. He made all seven of his field goal attempts. Johnson and Freeman each had nine points. And Willard dished out nine assists.

“We knew Braylon would come out and score some points, but we had to shut down those other guys and that’s exactly what we did not do tonight,” said Hartnett. “Some of the guys that are role players for them got some easy buckets.”

Mullins entered the game averaging 34.6 ppg. He is committed to the University of Connecticut, the reigning two-time NCAA Division I champions. He will learn Monday if he will be named a McDonald’s All-American.

Greenfield-Central won the junior varsity game Saturday, 58-29. Nick Fischer led the Golden Bears with eight points.

Shelbyville will attempt to get back into the win column Friday at home against Speedway (2-9).

Steve Bush photos

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