By GREG MENGELT

It’s been an interesting couple weeks for Silver Creek basketball.

The Dragons are 6-8 against a very tough schedule and they’ve got a new face — Kaden Oliver — who transferred from Madison in the middle of last week.

Now Silver Creek hosts Madison (5-8) in Tuesday’s Hoosier Hills Hoops Boys’ Basketball Game of the Night.

Silver Creek coach Brandon Hoffman indicated over the weekend that Oliver likely won’t play against his former team.

The Dragons have lost three games in a row, including a 56-39 loss to Bloomington South on Saturday. It was Silver Creek’s first game in three weeks. In spite of the record, Hoffman says he likes his squad.

“I think our team’s definitely improving,” he said. “We’ve played a lot of guys with inexperience and we’ve lost a couple games we probably shouldn’t have lost. I like where we’re at headed toward March.”

GAME OF THE NIGHT
MADISON AT SILVER CREEK
• Time: 7:30 p.m.
• Location: Silver Creek H.S. (557 Renz Ave., Sellersburg)
• Records:
Madison 5-8. The Cubs have lost two of their last three games.
Silver Creek 6-8. The Dragons have lost three straight.
• Coaches:
Madison — Adam Stotts (5-8 in first season at Madison)
Silver Creek — Brandon Hoffman (207-81 in 12th season at Silver Creek)
• Computer-based Sagarin Ratings:
Madison — No. 182, No. 52 Class 3A
Silver Creek — No. 138, No. 40 Class 3A
• Most recent game:
Madison — Lost to North Harrison 49-47, OT (Jan. 29)
Silver Creek — Lost to Bloomington South 56-39 (Jan. 29)
• Last 20 years: Silver Creek 19-6. The Dragons have won 16 in a row over Madison.
• Most recent meeting: March 6, 2021 — Silver Creek 83, Madison 71 (Class 3A Charlestown Sectional championship)
• News & notes: Cubs’ leading scorer Kaden Oliver has transferred from Madison to Silver Creek and is immediately eligible to play for the Dragons. Hoffman says Oliver is unlikely to play Tuesday.
• John Harrell prediction: Silver Creek 66, Madison 57.
• Sagarin projection: Silver Creek by 8.
• Outlook: When this game was originally scheduled, we figured the Dragons would win in a blowout. After the Cubs played so well against North Harrison, that’s certainly in doubt now.
• Greg’s pick: Silver Creek 67, Madison 55.

By GREG MENGELT

Arthur finished with 27 points, four rebounds and two steals in a 70-55 loss to Southwestern on Tuesday. Four days later, Arthur had an even bigger performance with 30 points, six rebounds and three steals in a 57-45 victory over Bloomington Lighthouse.

Arthur and the 4-11 Mustangs, who’ve had two of their last four games postponed, goes to Medora (3-11) on Thursday.

WEEK’S TOP PERFORMERS
• Brady Dunn, Christian Academy: The CAI senior averaged 22 points, 12 rebounds and two assists as the Warriors lost games to Providence and Borden over the weekend.
• Christian Kiper, South Central: Kiper, a South Central sophomore, had 23 points and nine rebounds in the Rebels’ 63-44 loss to Rock Creek on Tuesday then put up 19 points and 11 boards as South Central knocked off Borden 63-55 on Saturday.

By GREG MENGELT

Floyd’s senior point guard is the Hoosier Hills Hoops Girls’ Player of the Week.

In the Highlanders’ 55-50 upset of Jennings last Tuesday, Kaiser went for 23 points, including nine in the fourth quarter. Then on Thursday, Kaiser finished with 20 points in the victory over Providence.

Kaiser and the 9-13 Highlanders will face either Bedford North Lawrence (20-2) or Jeffersonville (10-7) in the semifinal round of the Jeffersonville Sectional on Friday.

WEEK’S TOP PERFORMERS
• Allison McGlothlin, Scottsburg: McGlothlin averaged 12.5 points and eight rebounds as the Wariorettes lost to Lanesville and defeated Madison last week. Against Madison, the senior forward finished with 20 points, going 2 for 5 behind the 3-point line, 12 rebounds, an assist, a steal and a block in the win over Madison.
• Ellie Richardson, Scottsburg: Richardson, a freshman, averaged 9.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and three assists as the Warioretttes went 1-1 last week. In the win over Madison, Richardson finished with 14 points, four rebounds and an assist.

By GREG MENGELT

The Highlanders, who then beat Evansville Reitz 58-46 at home on Saturday, are now 5-0 in conference play and only have to beat fifth-place Bedford North Lawrence (6-6) and last-place Columbus East (2-12) for their fourth HHC title in five years.

“I think it’s important,” Floyd head coach Todd Sturgeon said of the HHC race. “What else are we playing for in the regular season? Is it as important as the postseason? No, not in Indiana. But it gives us something to play for in the regular season. If we’re able to win it, it’s something we would be proud of. It’s a significant achievement, but it’s not the No. 1 thing on our list of achievements.”

The Highlanders can clinch at least a share of the HHC crown with a win Wednesday at BNL or a New Albany loss to Jennings County the same night.

By GREG MENGELT

After a win over North Harrison late in 2021 and a victory over rival New Albany early in 2022 showed signs that the Highlanders were turning a corner.

Now the corner has been completely turned. After a tough overtime loss at Corydon Central (19-2) to end last week, the Highlanders upset Jennings County 55-50 last Tuesday before blowing out Providence 61-25 on Thursday to become the Hoosier Hills Hoops Girls’ Team of the Week.
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“We keep getting better,” Floyd head coach Randy Gianfagna said. “We knew we would get it was going. We just had to find a way to finish.”

Gianfagna said the key to the reversal has been players returning from injuries and everyone finding their roles on the team.

“I think everybody’s finding their role,” he said. “We’ve shot it very well in the last eight or nine games. We had a couple kids get back healthy and eligible. We’re back where we thought we would be at the beginning of the year.”

By GREG MENGELT

Kaelin and the Class 2A No. 16 Pioneers (12-4) have won six of their last seven games and go to South Central (5-9) on Thursday.

WEEK’S TOP PERFORMANCES
• Tucker Biven, New Albany: Biven scored 18 points and became the 14th Bulldog to reach 1,000 career points in Saturday’s 60-50 loss to Jasper.
• Marial Diper, Rock Creek: Diper had 24 points, going 11 for 14 from the field and 2 for 2 at the foul line, to go along with 16 rebounds and three blocked shots in the Lions’ 63-44 win at South Central on Tuesday.
• Anthony Martin, Corydon Central: Martin finished with 18 points in Corydon’s big 92-78 MSC win over Brownstown Central on Saturday. The junior went 6 for 9 from the field, 2 for 5 behind the 3-point line and 4 or 4 at the foul line in Corydon’s big 92-78 MSC win over Brownstown Central on Saturday. Martin also had seven rebounds, three assists, three deflections and a steal.
• Owen Shireman, Corydon Central: The Panther senior went 5 for 6 from the field and made his only 3-points attempt for 18 points in the win over Brownstown. Shireman also had three assists, two rebounds and a steal in the victory.
• Caleb Washington, Floyd Central: Washington had a team-best 14 points in the Highlanders’ big 60-50 HHC victory over Seymour on Friday.