Shelbyville overcomes slow start to race past New Castle for HHC win

NEW CASTLE – Shelbyville spotted New Castle 11 points Friday to start the game then went to work.

The Trojans did not score again for a full quarter. By the time Alana Orr made her first three-pointer of the game, her team was now down 19-11.

Shelbyville’s defensive pressure forced New Castle into eight second-quarter turnovers and a 1-of-11 shooting performance to take a 27-14 lead at halftime and never trailed again.

Maddy Jones hit all three of her 3-point attempts in the second quarter and finished with a game-high 16 points to lead the Golden Bears to a 47-38 victory and their second Hoosier Heritage Conference win of the week.

The Golden Bears, now 5-4, are 2-0 in the HHC for the first time since the 2006-07 season. Getting to 3-0 will prove tough with Greenfield-Central (8-2, 2-0 HHC) coming to William L. Garrett Gymnasium Tuesday.

Shelbyville did not look interested in going 2-0 Friday during the game’s opening six minutes. New Castle freshman guard Carlee Lanzer scored the first seven points and Kaidyn Minyard’s steal and score extended the lead to 9-0.

Hoefler called timeout and challenged her team to compete harder.

“I was pretty mad. I guess you could say that,” said Hoefler after the win. “I wasn’t real happy with how we came out with the intensity side. Luckily, Maddy Jones caught fire and got us right back into it.”

Hannah Baker sank a 15-foot jumper with just under two minutes to go in the first quarter to get the Golden Bears on the scoreboard.

Jayla Ash then scored in the lane. Jones splashed her first of four made 3s and Baker scored on a baseline drive to quickly cut New Castle’s lead to 11-9 by the end of the quarter.

Shelbyville took its first lead inside the first minute of the second quarter when Ash drove and converted while being fouled. She made the free throw and the Trojans’ lead was gone.

Jones made three consecutive 3s inside the final three minutes of the first half to extend the lead to double digits.

New Castle got as close as 31-27 midway through the third quarter but the Golden Bears closed out the quarter on an 8-0 run to get the lead back to double digits.

Orr hit a pair of 3s in the fourth quarter but it was not enough to spark a comeback.

Orr led New Castle (3-8, 0-3 HHC) with 14 points. Lanzer finished with 11 points, six rebounds and four assists.

Ash finished with 12 points, four rebounds and two steals. Baker had 10 points, three rebounds, four assists and three steals.

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