NEW CASTLE — The opening game of the City Securities Hall of Fame boys basketball tournament featured a pair of Class 2A powers, No. 1-ranked Tipton and No. 2 Bluffton.
Tipton proved more than ready for the challenge.
The Blue Devils led all the way in whipping the Tigers 49-36 Tuesday morning at New Castle Fieldhouse. The Blue Devils held a double-digit advantage throughout the final three quarters, leading by as many as 24 points before cruising to the 13-point win.
“They are a good team,” Bluffton coach Wayne Barker said of the Blue Devils. “They are well-coached and they have a great system of play for the players they have. I congratulate them — they took it to us.”
Tipton improved to 8-0 while Bluffton (7-1) saw its 28-game regular-season winning streak end.
Class 4A No. 8 Franklin Central beat Lafayette Jeff 65-43 in the second semifinal. Purdue recruit Patrick Bade led the Flashes with 26 points. The Bronchos played without leading scorer Jesse Berry, who is serving a suspension.
Tipton took control in the first quarter when it forced Bluffton into eight turnovers. On the other end of the floor, the Devils knocked down 7 of 12 shots. Guards Brad Dickey and Jake Hoffman combined for 10 points to lead the Devils to a 16-7 advantage.
Dickey and Hoffman each hit 3-pointers early in the second quarter to stretch the Devils’ lead to 22-8 as the Tigers continued to bleed turnovers.
“Defensively, we were really solid early,” Tipton coach Travis Daugherty said. “Not that it was perfect, but our effort was outstanding, we stuck to the game plan well and I think we made life more difficult for them than maybe what their opponents had to this point.
“They have so many weapons and so many kids who, in the right kind of game, can do some damage. We were fortunate to be able to dictate the way the game was played and that gave us a big advantage.”
Tipton held a 22-12 lead midway through the second quarter when Mr. Basketball candidate Derek Elston took over. The IU recruit scored nine points in the final 3:14 of the quarter to send his squad into halftime with a comfortable 31-14 lead. He capped his scoring spree with a 3-pointer from the top of the key in the closing seconds.
“Derek is so versatile and capable of moving all over the floor,” Daugherty said, noting Elston keeps a defense on its heels. “The post moves he made, I think, show how much stronger he’s become and how aggressive he is in the post. But his ability to knock down jump shots, like the 3 right before halftime, that is the thing that really separates him from a lot of guys.”
The Devils played with a comfortable lead throughout the second half, which allowed Daugherty to empty his bench. The Tigers closed the game on an 8-1 run to make the final score look somewhat more respectable.
Dickey finished with a game-high 17 points and a team-high five rebounds and Elston followed with 14 points. Hoffman added 11 points in a reserve role.
“[Hoffman] is so solid. He doesn’t make many mistakes,” Daugherty said. “He has always fundamentally been good, but he has gotten bigger and stronger and more aggressive. He has become a key part to what we do.”
Also for Tipton, forward Kyle Coleman dished four assists and grabbed four rebounds.
Brock Woodward, a 6-7 center, scored 13 points and grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds for Bluffton.
Sports
No. 2 Bluffton is no test for Tipton
Blue Devils blow through Hall of Fame opener.
- Sports
-
-
Eastern netters fall to defending state champions
Carmel’s girls tennis team lived up to its billing Tuesday in the Kokomo Regional semifinal round.
-
Hursh silences Comets
Eastern softball coach Jerry Haines looked out to an empty field after his squad lost 1-0 to Tipton on Tuesday night in the first round of the Class 2A Eastern Sectional and made an observation that may as well have been a warning.
-
Eastern’s girls track, tennis set for regional action today
Eastern ranks No. 4 among the five Howard County high schools in enrollment — but it is clearly No. 1 when it comes to 2012 girls spring sports.
-
Local softball squads eye demanding sectionals
In any sport, the postseason is a proving ground.
This week in Greentown, whomever emerges from the proving ground of the Class 2A Eastern Softball Sectional will be legit. No questions asked.
-
Bacon sizzles on Kokomo dirt track
One word to describe the racing action Sunday night at the Kokomo Speedway is, Wow.
-
Western, NW, tackle sectional
The IHSAA state softball tournament opens today and very quickly, the contenders will rise to the surface.
Western surfaced and flourished in last year’s postseason. The Panthers won the Class 3A Twin Lakes Sectional, then captured regional hardware the following week.
-
Chevrolet power dominates Pole Day
It has been seven years since a Chevrolet power plant has been in competition at the Indianapolis 500, but the “bowtie” brand made its return memorable by taking the top eight spots during Saturday qualifying.
-
Eastern beats Kokomo to repeat as tennis sectional champion
Eastern nearly swept the court clean against Kokomo in Friday’s local girls tennis sectional final, taking the first three points of the afternoon on the way to a 4-1 win on the Wildkats’ courts.
-
Former Lady Kat great Hendrix is moving up
Kokomo’s DeUnna Hendrix is the new women’s basketball coach at High Point University, an NCAA Division I school and a member of the Big South Conference. High Point is located in North Carolina.
-
Kokomo withstands Eastern’s challenge to win boys track sectional
Heading into Thursday’s IHSAA boys track and field sectional at Kokomo’s Walter Cross Field, Eastern appeared to have the depth to strongly challenge the host Wildkats as they attempted to chase down their third straight sectional title.
- More Sports Headlines
-
Eastern netters fall to defending state champions
HP to Cut 27,000 Jobs, Save Up to $3.5B
Inquiry Hears Wider Secret Service Misbehavior
Parents Skeptical of FAMU Hazing Probe Statement
Md. 911 Dispatcher Caught Sleeping on Job
Raw Video: Toddler Trapped in Washing Machine
Iowa Man With Zebra, Parrot in Truck Gets DUI
Egyptians Pick New President in Free Election
Secret Service Boss: 'I Apologize'
Giant Bull Head Draws Drivers to South Dakota
Astrodome Fades As Houston Decides Fate
Franciscan Files Tell Stories of Priest Abuse
Wildfire Destroys 2 Homes
Flight Diverted After Suspicious Note
Joplin Remembers Deadly Tornado, 1 Year Later
Panel Recommends Against Routine Prostate Test
Fired Lingerie Employee Claims Discrimination
Facebook Shares Continue Negative Slide
Cuba Waiting for Cyber Age to Come
8 Hurt in Oklahoma Shooting After NBA Playoff
Sheriff: DNA Links Suspect to Missing CA Teen
