By GREG MENGELT

Silver Creek senior Branden Northern completed his Player of the Year-type season with 53 points and 16 assists in the final two games of the Dragons’ regular season.

Northern helped Creek beat Salem 110-35 with 24 points, nine assists, three steals and two rebounds. He went 9 for 11 from the field, 2 for 3 from behind the 3-point stripe and was 4 for 5 at the foul line.

In Friday’s 63-54 overtime loss to Seymour, the Dragons senior finished with 29 points, seven assists and three rebounds. He was 9 for 17 overall, 4 for 8 from deep and 7 for 10 at the foul line in the defeat.

Northern and the 4-time defending sectional champion Dragons (11-12) will face host Salem (5-16) again in Wednesday’s first semifinal.

WEEK’S TOP PERFORMERS
• Will Lovings-Watts, Jeffersonville: The future Drake Bulldog scored game-high 25 points in the Red Devils’ 76-33 win over Madison then put up 20 points, nine rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocked shots as the Red Devils dropped a 57-55 decision to Castle on Friday.
• Cole Thomas, South Central: The South Central freshman contributed 23 points, four rebounds, three assists and two steals to the Rebels’ 65-58 Win of the Week victory over Corydon Central last Tuesday then had a team-high 15 points in their 70-49 loss to Eastern on Friday.