By KENZIE WINSTEAD
Content Editor
It’s been a special week at Silver Creek.
For the first time ever, the Silver Creek boys’ basketball team is practicing in late March as it prepares for the Class 3A state final.
The No. 6 Dragons (24-3) will face defending champion and third-ranked Culver Academies (24-3) Saturday night at 6 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in downtown Indianapolis.
“We’re doing a good job at staying focus,” said Silver Creek coach Brandon Hoffman.
Hoffman admits it’s not the typical week of practice for the most successful team in Silver Creek’s history.
“There’s always someone at practice — writers, TV stations,” Hoffman said, “and our kids have never eaten like this before. Everybody wants to do something for this team.”
It’s a been a whirlwind for Hoffman, his staff and the players.
After the season, Hoffman said he’ll really appreciate what they’ve accomplished this season. “I’m still on cloud nine,” he said. “Everybody will always remember this team, win or lose. It’s the definition of team. But how many teams can say they won their last game.”
For now, Hoffman and his staff are trying to figure out how to win one more game.
Winning that last game won’t be easy.
“Really, I like where we’re at,” the Silver Creek coach said. “They (Culver) are the favorites. They’ve really got a lot of individual talent.”
Hoffman, however, said the Dragons have an edge in the paint. “I think we have a size advantage and an advantage on the bench (depth),” he said.
Four of Silver Creek’s starters average double-figure scoring — two sophomores (Trey Kaufman, 15.1, and Kooper Jacobs, 13.7) and two seniors (Zane Gross, 15.7, and Jack Hawkins, 12.0).
Meanwhile, Culver is led by Trey Galloway (16.1 ppg) and Ethan Brittain-Watts (13.7 ppg).
Galloway, a junior, has allows from Butler, Notre Dame and most of the Big Ten schools.
“They are really disciplined,” Hoffman said of Culver. “They remind me of Floyd Central.”
For advice, Hoffman reached out to some of his good friends in Southern Indiana who know something about getting ready for a state final week, including New Albany’s Jim Shannon, Borden’s Doc Nash and former Jeff coach Chad Gilbert. He talked to each personally.
“The coaching fraternity down here (in Southern Indiana) is really close” Hoffman said.
Nash, a close friend to Hoffman and the Silver Creek staff, was in Seymour as the Dragons won the semistate.“After we won the semistate, I got a text from just about everybody (in Southern Indiana),” Hoffman said.
“I’m just trying to soak it in,” Hoffman said.
As they prepare, Hoffman said his team is and ready to go.
“I really don’t sense any nervousness or any kind of complacency,” he said. “We’ll be ready.”
