By GREG MENGELT

There’s really no such thing as a “road trip” in high school basketball. After all, the team returns to their homes between every game.

What Jeffersonville (7-4) has been through the last three weeks, though, as about as tough as a schedule maker can be on a high school team. The Red Devils have played six games in a row on the road — two wins and four losses — and closes the “road trip” Saturday afternoon with a game against eighth-ranked Columbus East (9-1) at the Orange Pit in the Hoosier Hills Hoops Game of the Day.

Throw in injuries and illnesses and these are clearly the dog days of the Red Devils’ season.

“In the end, this should make us a better team,” Jeff second-year head coach Missy Voyles said. “People have had to step up and take larger roles on the offensive end of the floor.”

A couple of the players who have seen increased roles are senior Nevaeh Bates and sophomore La’Kyra Johnson, who have thrived on the defensive end for the Red Devils.

“They have both done an outstanding job stifling our opponents’ best offensive players recently,” Voyles said. “Sophia Reese and Elle Marble have been shooting the ball well. Our post game is improving as the year goes along. We are doing better job getting the ball to the post, which just helps with balance.”

East is currently on a 7-game winning streak. Four of the Olympians’ last five games have been away from home. They’ve won all of them, including a 71-42 win at Martinsville on Tuesday.

Jeff has had two shots at the Hoosier Hills Conference’s best teams. BNL knocked off the Red Devils 53-31 on Nov. 20 then Jennings County earned a 50-32 win over Jeff on Nov. 23 … both away from home, of course.

“Columbus East has a veteran group back with great size and outside shooters,” Voyles said. “It should be a great test for us to see if we have made improvements since our Jennings County and BNL games.”

The Red Devils finally get to play at Johnson Arena on Tuesday when they host Charlestown (8-2) at Johnson Arena.

GAME OF THE DAY
JEFFERSONVILLE (7-4, 1-2 HHC) AT COLUMBUS EAST (9-1, 1-0)
• Time: 1:30 p.m.
• Location: Orange Pit, East H.S. (230 S. Marr Rd., Columbus)
• Coaches:
Jeffersonville — Missy Voyles (13-16 in second season at Jeff, 283-130 in 18th season overall)
East — Danny Brown (283-152 in 19th season at East, 341-180 in 23rd season overall)
• Rankings:
East — No. 11 IBCA (single class); No. 8 ICGSA (Class 4A).
• Computer-based Sagarin Ratings:
Jeffersonville — No. 60, No. 42 Class 4A
East — No. 22, No. 18 Class 4A
• Most recent game:
Jeffersonville — Lost at Sacred Heart (Ky.) 64-26 (Dec. 9)
East — Won at Martinsville 71-42 (Dec. 7)
• Last 20 years: Jeff 16-6. The Red Devils have beaten East 6 of the last 7 times.
• Most recent meeting: Dec. 12, 2020 — East 59, at Jeffersonville 49.
• News & notes: Sophomore La’Kyra Johnson had 9 points to lead the Red Devils in Thursday’s 64-26 loss. … The Olympians are currently riding a 7-game winning streak. … East opened its season with a 57-48 win over Floyd Central. That was the Oympians’ last Hoosier Hills Conference game before Saturday. … East is led by senior Koryn Greiwe and junior Saige Stahl. Combined the duo averaged 30.2 of the Olympians’ 61 points per game.
• John Harrell prediction: East 55, Jeffersonville 42.
• Sagarin projection: East by 14.
• Outlook: East is probably better at this point and the Olympians are playing at home, but don’t be surprised if Jeff steals this win.
• Greg’s pick: East 63, Jeffersonville 57.

NEW ALBANY (4-7, 0-1 HHC) AT JENNINGS COUNTY (8-2, 0-1)
• Time: 1:30 p.m.
• Location: Charles Hurley Gymnasium, Jennings County H.S. (800 W. Walnut St., North Vernon)
• Coaches:
New Albany — Shelby Gliebe (10-23 in second season at New Albany, 14-42 in third season overall)
Jennings County — Kristi Sigler (69-63 in sixth season at Jennings)
• Computer-based Sagarin Ratings:
New Albany — No. 121, No. 55 Class 4A
Jennings County — No. 48, No. 36 Class 4A
• Most recent game:
New Albany — Lost to Scottsburg 66-57 (Dec. 9)
Jennings County — Defeated Seymour 70-42 (Dec. 7)
• Last 20 years: New Albany 14-11. Jennings has won 4 in a row over the Bulldogs.
• Most recent meeting: Jan. 5 — Jennings County 53, at New Albany 40.
• News & notes: New Albany is currently on a 6-game losing streak. All six losses came against teams with .500 or better records this season. … New Albany held a 34-26 halftime lead against Scottsburg in Thursday’s 9-point loss. The Bulldogs were outscored 23-7 in the third quarter. … The Panthers started the season 7-0 before back-to-back losses to No. 4 Bedford North Lawrence (9-1) and No. 13 East Central (6-1).
• John Harrell prediction: Jennings County 61, New Albany 37.
• Sagarin projection: Jennings County by 19.
• Outlook: Jennings County is probably the most underrated teams in the Southern Indiana.
• Greg’s pick: Jennings County 59, New Albany 44.

FLOYD CENTRAL (3-6) AT BLOOMINGTON NORTH (5-5)
• Time: 1:30 p.m.
• Location: The Cougar Den, North H.S. (3901 N. Kinser Pike, Bloomington)
• Coaches:
Floyd Central — Randy Gianfagna (23-53 in fourth season at Floyd Central)
North — Jeff Turmail (29-73 in fifth season at North)
• Computer-based Sagarin Ratings:
Floyd Central — No. 162, No. 65 Class 4A
North — No. 132, No. 59 Class 4A
• Most recent game:
Floyd Central — Lost at Silver Creek 47-34 (Dec. 8)
North — Won at Owen Valley 52-49 (Dec. 7)
• Last 20 years: Floyd Central 6-1.
• Most recent meeting: Dec. 12, 2020 — North 44, at Floyd 40.
• News & notes: Six Highlanders scored in Wednesday’s loss against Silver Creek, led by Natalya Gaines’ 8 and 7 apiece from Kendall Brown and Samara Miller. … North’s last winning season came in 2010-11 when the Cougars went 15-8 under Alana Harrington.
• John Harrell prediction: Floyd Central 45, North 44.
• Sagarin projection: North by 4.
• Outlook: This is one that’s so close, we’ll take the team with the homecourt advantage. But there’s no doubt the Highlanders can win this game.
• Greg’s pick: Bloomington North 50, Floyd Central 45.

LOUISVILLE CENTRAL (2-2) AT SILVER CREEK (10-0)
• Time: 7:30 p.m.
• Location: Silver Creek H.S. (557 Renz Avenue, Sellersburg)
• Coaches:
Central — Deshawn D. Pendleton (coaching record unavailable)
Silver Creek — Scott Schoen (165-108 in 12th season at Silver Creek)
• Rankings:
Central — Unavailable.
Silver Creek — No. 9 IBCA (single class); No. 2 ICGSA (Class 3A).
• Most recent game:
Central — Defeated Male 55-40 (Dec. 7)
Silver Creek — Defeated Floyd Central 47-34 (Dec. 8)
• Last 20 years: First meeting.
• News & notes: Silver Creek is 10-0 for the second straight season. … Silver Creek senior Kynidi Mason-Striverson scored her 1,000th career point during the Dragons’ 13-point win over Floyd Central on Wednesday. She finished with a game-high 28 points as Creek improved to 10-0. … Silver Creek scored just 2 points in the second quarter Wednesday against Floyd. The scored a minimum of 13 in the other three periods. … The Yellow Jackets went 14-1 last season before dropping a 54-51 decision to eventual state champion Sacred Heart in the 7th Region championship. … Senior Amaya Asher returns for Central after scoring 14.9 points for game last season. Sophomore Destiny Jones is currently leading the Yellow Jackets at 16.5 points per contest.
• Outlook: Central is really good, but it’s not smart to pick against the Dragons.
• Greg’s pick: Silver Creek 66, Central 60.

PROVIDENCE (2-7) AT BORDEN (5-3)
• Time: 2:30 p.m.
• Location: Borden Junior-Senior H.S. (301 West St., Borden)
• Coaches:
Providence — Brad Burden (161-155 in 14th season at Providence)
Borden — Matt Vick (39-59 in fifth season at Borden)
• Computer-based Sagarin Ratings:
Providence — No. 320, No. 81 Class 2A
Borden — No. 307, No. 55 Class A
• Most recent game:
Providence — Lost at North Harrison 38-25 (Dec. 9)
Borden — Lost to Lanesville 59-16 (Dec. 9)
• Last 20 years: Providence 4-2. Borden has won 2 of the last 3 against the Pioneers.
• Most recent meeting: Dec. 12, 2020 — Borden 56, at Providence 37.
• News & notes: Maci Hoskins had a team-best 12 points — knocking down four 3-pointers — in the Pioneers’ 38-25 loss to North Harrison on Thursday. … Borden has five wins in its first seven games for the second straight season.
• John Harrell prediction: Providence 40, Borden 39.
• Sagarin projection: Borden by 7.
• Outlook: Like we said earlier this week, we like the way Burden has the Pioneers playing.
• Greg’s pick: Providence 38, Borden 36.

BROWNSTOWN CENTRAL (3-7, 1-3) AT AUSTIN (2-7, 0-4)
• Time: 1:30 p.m.
• Location: Austin H.S. (401 South Highway 31, Austin)
• Coaches:
Brownstown — Brandon Allman (48-18 in third season at Brownstown)
Austin — Jared Petersen (233-171 in 17th season at Austin)
• Computer-based Sagarin Ratings:
Brownstown — No. 128, No. 40 Class 3A
Austin — No. 271, No. 67 Class 2A
• Most recent game:
Brownstown — Lost at Salem 61-28 (Dec. 7)
Austin — Won at Switzerland County 63-30 (Dec. 9)
• Last 20 years: Brownstown 18-9. The Braves are on a 5-game winning streak against Austin.
• Most recent meeting: Dec. 12, 2020 — At Brownstown 52, Austin 27.
• News & notes: So far this season, Austin has two wins sandwiching seven losses. The wins have came against 5-5 Madison and 8-2 Switzerland County. … All three of Brownstown’s MSC losses have come on the road against one of the league’s best teams — by 7 at Corydon on Nov. 6, by 7 at Scottsburg on Nov. 26 and at Salem by 34 on Dec. 7.
• John Harrell prediction: Brownstown 52, Austin 43.
• Sagarin projection: Brownstown by 17.
• Outlook: So Austin is inconsistent. It wasn’t shocking the Eagles beat Switzerland County on Thursday, but the way they did it was. We’ll take Brownstown, but don’t be surprised if Austin pulls off another surprise.
• Greg’s pick: Brownstown 55, Austin 49.

By GREG MENGELT

LOUISVILLE — After an 0-5 start, Bellarmine won for the fifth time in six games, 89-39 over visiting Midway (Ky.) on Friday evening at Freedom Hall.

After valuing behind 8-7 early, freshman forward Curt Hopf (Montgomery/Barr-Reeeve) made a layup that gave the Knights the lead for good and kickstarted a 38-9 run that gave Bellarmine (5-6) a 45-17 lead at the break.

The Knights then scored 15 of the first 19 points in the second half. Senior guard Dylan Penn (Evansville/Memorial) made a layup with 13:48 to go that put Bellarmine ahead 60-21 against its NAIA opponent.

Ten different Knights scored in the win, including former Providence star Juston Betz, who finished with 10 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals in the win. Senior forward Ethan Claycomb (Vincennes) had a team-best 12 points, Penn finished with 11 points and 9 assists and Hopf contributed 10 points and 8 boards to the victory.

Midway (6-5), which is a member of the River States Conference with IU Southeast, got 11 points from sophomore guard Donnie Miller (Newport, Ky.). Eastern graduate Ridge Hill scored 2 points and Seymour graduate Alex Hofer went scoreless in 6 minutes off the Eagle bench.

The Knights’ bench outscored Midway’s 38-9. Bellarmine held the Eagles to 15 of 55 shooting (27.3 percent) and forced 20 turnovers.

“As much as I believe in offense, this team has taken basketball to a different level, taking unselfishness on offense to playing unselfish defense,” Bellarmine head coach Scott Davenport said.

Bellarmine goes to South Dakota on Wednesday. The game is scheduled for an 8 p.m. tipoff.

By GREG MENGELT

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. — Former North Harrison star Langdon Hatton scored 2 points and had 2 rebounds, but his William & Mary Tribe lost a 54-53 decision against in-state rival Hampton on Thursday at Kaplan Arena.

William & Mary (1-10) fought back from a 52-45 defect with 6:11 left. Senior reserve Quinn Blair scored five straight points to cut the deficit to 52-50 with 2:35 to play. Sophomore forward Ben Wight hit a pair of free throws with 1:07 left and the Tribe trailed 54-53.

The Pirates’ Russell Dean missed a layup with 25 seconds left. Tribe sophomore Yuri Covington had a 3-point attempt to win it at the buzzer but missed.

William & Mary, which shot just 39.6 percent from the field (21 of 53) and 2 of 14 from the 3-point line (14.3 percent), has lost four straight. Hatton, a freshman, made his only field goal attempt in his 15 minutes on the court.

Ten different William & Mary players scored in the loss, led by Wight’s 12 and Covington’s 11.

Hampton senior Najee Garvin led all scorers with 20 points. He was 10 for 17 from the field and had 5 rebounds. The Pirates are 4-6 and have won consecutive games following a 6-game losing streak.

William & Mary will look for win No. 2 Sunday when it hosts Fairfield (6-3) at 1 p.m. at Kaplan Arena. The Stags have won three straight, including a 74-59 triumph over Holy Cross on Wednesday. The game can be see at flosports.com.

By GREG MENGELT

LOUISVILLE — Bellarmine led from start to finish in an 87-55 win over Division III Asbury on Thursday evening at the KFC Yum! Center.

Former Providence star Juston Betz hit a jumper to open the scoring. After Asbury took a 5-2 lead, the Knights outscored the Eagles 41-25 the rest of the half for a 15-point halftime edge. Bellarmine (4-6) pushed the advantage to 54-28 on dunk by freshman Curt Hopf (Montgomery, Ind.) early in the second half.

The Knights’ biggest lead was 35 after a 3-pointer by junior Garrett Tipton (Columbus, Ohio) made it 82-47 with 1:58 to play in the contest.

Senior guard Dylan Penn (Evansville) — the team’s leading scorer at 16 points per game — was 8 for 12 from the field and finished with 18 points, 11 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals and 3 blocked shots. Senior forward Ethan Claycomb (Vincennes) and senior guard CJ Fleming (Cincinnati) finished with 15 points apiece. Both drained three 3-pointers in the win.

Betz, a senior, was 2 for 2 from the field and had 7 rebounds and 6 assists for the Knights, who shot 50.7 percent from the floor (34 for 67) and out-rebounded the Eagles 37-22.

Asbury (4-6) got 13 points from junior Nick Fort and 12 from sophomore John Shoulders in the loss.

Bellarmine hosts NAIA Midway (Ky.) on Friday at 7 p.m. The game is at Freedom Hall, can be seen on ESPN Plus or heard at 93.9 The Ville.

By GREG MENGELT

There have been some good games so far. Some fantastic finishes. (Shout out, Big Boy Dobbs!). Some stellar matchups.

But there haven’t been any heavily-anticipated local slates anything like the one for Friday.

First, New Albany (2-2) takes on Floyd Central (2-0) for Floyd County Supremacy (for now). The Highlanders appear to be the early Hoosier Hills and sectional favorites, but the Bulldogs did just hang with No. 1 Zionsville, so at this point the winner is anyone’s guess. It’s still very early, but the winner takes a big step toward the HHC championship and the title of early sectional favorite (whether the coaches like it or not).

Jeffersonville (1-1) goes to Seymour (3-1) in its Hoosier Hills Conference opener. That can usually be chalked up as an easy win for the Red Devils, even in the Owls’ place. Not this year. Seymour is coming off a win at Franklin and looks like a formidable foe. As for the Devils, they looked anything but formidable in Saturday’s loss to a very good Cincinnati Walnut Hills team. Whether Will Lovings-Watts returns this weekend or not, Jeff has to play better than that to be seen as the team to beat in Southern Indiana as it was predicted to be before the season began.

It might be an early knock-out game, as far as the HHC race is concerned. There’s a similar situation in the Mid-Southern Conference on Friday night.

Last year, North Harrison (3-0) won the league title by beating Silver Creek (2-1) in the regular season. Of course, the Dragons had the last laugh with a hard-fought sectional victory over the Cougars and eventually a place on center stage as 3A state champions at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

Despite losing Langdon Hatton, the Cougars have looked every bit as strong as Silver Creek in the first couple weeks of the season. But can they win in Sellersburg? That will be interesting to find out.

No doubt Silver Creek-North Harrison is the Game of the Night in the MSC. The programs have earned that respect over the last handful of years. But perhaps the most interesting game is Scottsburg (3-0) at Brownstown Central (2-0). The Dragons and Cougars are the favorites, but the winner of this one certainly emerges as a serious contender to the MSC crown. I’m not sure anyone thought the Warriors would be in the race. Probably not Brownstown either, but certainly not Scottsburg. The two teams were 20-25 combined last season.

A big game in Class A pits Rock Creek (1-1) against Christian Academy (1-1). There doesn’t appear to be a significant favorite in the local Class A sectional. (Borden (2-2) has probably looked the best so far. New Washington (1-1) has a ton of potential. We don’t expect Lanesville (0-4) to continue being winless and South Central (1-2) is no slouch.) On Friday, the Warriors and Lions have a chance to make a statement that the winner belongs in the conversation.

Clarksville (2-1) and Charlestown (2-3) face off in an often-played rivalry that goes back a century. Borden has a chance to take control of the SAC with a win over South Central. Providence (3-0) puts its unblemished mark on the line against Lanesville. Also, Henryville (1-3) visits Austin (0-3) and Eastern (2-1) hosts Crawford County (0-4).

There are intriguing matchups everywhere. Pick your spot. It’s going to be a great Friday night wherever you choose to go.

GAME OF THE NIGHT
NEW ALBANY (2-2, 0-0 HHC) AT FLOYD CENTRAL (2-0, 0-0)
• Time: 7:30 p.m.
• Location: Joe Hinton Court, Floyd Central H.S. (6575 Old Vincennes Rd., Floyds Knobs)
• Coaches:
New Albany — Jim Shannon (431-129 in 24th season at New Albany, 596-268 in 38th season overall)
Floyd Central — Todd Sturgeon (124-40 in eighth season at Floyd Central)
• Most recent game:
New Albany — Lost to Zionsville 63-56, OT (Dec. 4)
Floyd Central — Defeated Evansville Harrison 64-60, OT (River City Showcase, University of Southern Indiana, Evansville, Dec. 4)
• Last 20 years: New Albany 24-4. The two teams have split the last 6 meetings.
• Most recent meeting: Dec. 11, 2020 — At New Albany 43, Floyd Central 39.
• News & notes: This game — along with Jeffersonville at Seymour and Columbus East at BNL being played simultaneously — is the first game of the Hoosier Hills Conference season. … The Bulldogs trailed Harrison by 13 points in the first half before rallying for their second win of the season. Jayden Thompson’s steal and Josten Carter’s free throw with 6.2 seconds left was the difference. Carter scored 18 of his game-high 22 points in the second half of Friday’s victory. … 1997 New Albany graduate Chad Hunter was one of 18 players named to the Indiana Hall of Fame Silver Anniversary team Tuesday. … The Highlanders won in overtime Saturday after 7-footer Wesley Celichowski scored as time expired to force the extra session. The desperation play came off a perfect inbounds pass from Max Tripure to Celichowski, who scored 6 of his 17 points in overtime.
• John Harrell prediction: Floyd Central 56, New Albany 48.
• Outlook: All evidence points to a close game. All evidence points to the Highlanders winner. We’ll go that way, The homecourt advantage has swayed us.
• Greg’s pick: Floyd Central 61, New Albany 56.

NORTH HARRISON (3-0, 1-0 MSC) AT SILVER CREEK (2-1, 1-0)
• Time: 7:30 p.m.
• Location: Silver Creek H.S. (557 Renz Ave., Sellersburg)
• Coaches:
North Harrison — Lou Lefevre (39-10 in third season at North Harrison, 304-90 in 18th season overall)
Silver Creek — Brandon Hoffman (203-74 in 12th season at Silver Creek)
• Rankings:
North Harrison — No. 5 AP (Class 3A).
Silver Creek — No. 7 AP (Class 3A).
• Most recent game:
North Harrison — Defeated Corydon Central 65-41 (Dec. 3)
Silver Creek — Lost at Columbus North 52-35 (Dec. 3)
• Last 20 years: Silver Creek 19-6. The Dragons have won 10 of the last 11 against North Harrison.
• Most recent meeting: March 5 — Silver Creek 44, North Harrison 41 (Class 3A Charlestown Sectional semifinal)
• News & notes: The Cougars and Dragons played twice last year with both teams winning once. North Harrison won at home on Dec. 11 on its way to the MSC title. Of course, the Dragons won in the sectional semifinal en route to a state championships. … Logan McIntire (24) and Kaleb Kellems (21) combined for 45 points in the Cougars’ 65-41 win over Corydon Central in the Big Cat Classic on Friday. … 1997 Silver Creek graduate Matt Renn was one of 18 players named to the Indiana Hall of Fame Silver Anniversary team Tuesday.
• John Harrell prediction: Silver Creek 52, North Harrison 48.
• Outlook: North Harrison may have the better team … even on the road.
• Greg’s pick: North Harrison 50, Silver Creek 48.

JEFFERSONVILLE (1-1, 0-0 HHC) AT SEYMOUR (3-1, 0-0)
• Time: 7:30 p.m.
• Location: Lloyd E. Scott Gymnasium, Seymour H.S. (1350 W. Second St., Seymour)
• Coaches:
Jeffersonville — Andrew Grantz (16-8 in second season at Jeffersonville, 104-50 in seventh season overall)
Seymour — Kirk Manns (21-28 in third season at Seymour)
• Rankings:
Jeffersonville — No. 15 IBCA (single class); No. 17 AP (Class 4A).
• Most recent game:
Jeffersonville — Lost to Walnut Hills (Ohio) 74-50 (BodyArmor Showcase, Charlestown, Dec. 4)
Seymour — Won at Franklin 57-47 (Dec. 4)
• Last 20 years: Jeffersonville 24-3. The Red Devils have a 6-game winning streak vs. Seymour.
• Most recent meeting: Feb. 9 — At Jeffersonville 64, Seymour 46.
• News & notes: This game — along with New Albany at Floyd Central and Columbus East at BNL being played simultaneously — is the first game of the Hoosier Hills Conference season. … The Red Devils dropped from No. 12 to No. 15 in the latest single-class coaches poll. … Eli Meyer scored 12 points and Landon Fitch added 11 in the Owls’ 57-47 win over Franklin last Saturday. Marcus Brooks scored 23 points for the Owls in their big 56-46 win over Franklin on Nov. 27. … Manns played four seasons at Michigan State, scoring 1,212 points for the Spartans.
• John Harrell prediction: Jeffersonville 61, Seymour 52.
• Outlook: Seymour may be pretty darn good. The Owls are a double-overtime loss from being unbeaten against a solid schedule. With or without Will Lovings-Watts, Jeff’s going to have to be at its best to win this one. That’s rarely been the case when the Red Devils visit Seymour.
• Greg’s pick: Jeffersonville 59, Seymour 54.

SCOTTSBURG (3-0, 3-0 MSC) AT BROWNSTOWN CENTRAL (2-0, 1-0)
• Time: 7:30 p.m.
• Location: Brownstown Central H.S. (500 N. Elm St., Brownstown)
• Coaches:
Scottsburg — Eric Richardson (9-18 in second season at Scottsburg)
Brownstown — Dave Benter (405-153 in 24th season at Brownstown)
• Rankings:
Brownstown — No. 11 AP (Class 3A).
• Most recent game:
Scottsburg — Won at Charlestown 63-27 (Dec. 3)
Brownstown — Won at Seymour 62-55, OT (Dec. 3)
• Last 20 years: Brownstown Central 19-2. The Braves have won 12 of the last 13 against Scottsburg.
• Most recent meeting: Dec. 11, 2020 — Brownstown 59, at Scottsburg 57.
• News & notes: There have been 6 MSC games played. Scottsburg has won 3 of them. How’s that for a fast start in conference play? … Of course, Brownstown is one of four unbeaten MSC teams, along with North Harrison and Silver Creek, who also play Friday night, and the Warriors. Big night in the MSC, to say the least. … The Warriors had 5 players with at least 8 points in their 36-point win over Charlestown. Sophomore Kody Clancy and senior Hayden Cutter scored 12 apiece and freshman Colby Hall had 11 in the victory. … Scottsburg allowed 9 points in the first quarter against Charlestown. That was the most the Pirates scored against the Warriors in any quarter. … Jack Benter scored 36 points in the Braves’ 62-55 overtime victory over rival Seymour on Dec. 3.
• John Harrell prediction: Brownstown 59, Scottsburg 50.
• Outlook: If Scottsburg wins this one, the Warriors are a serious Mid-Southern Conference contender. Few teams have come away with a win at Brownstown and not at least contended for the conference title the past 20 years.
• Greg’s pick: Brownstown 70, Scottsburg 62.

CHRISTIAN ACADEMY (1-1) AT ROCK CREEK (1-1)
• Time: 7:30 p.m.
• Location: Rock Creek Gymnasium, Rock Creek Academy (8000 Diefenbach Ln., Sellersburg)
• Coaches:
CAI — Hayden Casey (10-18 in second season at CAI)
Rock Creek — Chris Brown (349-282 in 26th season at Rock Creek)
• Most recent game:
CAI — Won at Portland Christian 95-67 (Nov. 29)
Rock Creek — Lost to Jennings County 55-48 (Dec. 4)
• Last 20 years: Christian Academy 15-9. The Warriors have won 6 straight in the series.
• Most recent meeting: March 2 — Christian Academy 62, Rock Creek 49 (Class A Borden Sectional first round)
• News & notes: Rock Creek coach Chris Brown can reach 350 career wins tonight. He would be one of only 30 active coaches to achieve that milestone. … The Warriors and Lions played twice last year with the Warriors winning the regular-season game by 3 and the sectional showdown by 13. … CAI hasn’t played a game in 11 days, thanks to a postponements. … The Lions trailed 4A Jennings County by just 2 points, 41-39, through 3 quarters of their 55-48 defeat on Saturday.
• John Harrell prediction: Rock Creek 68, Christian Academy 52.
• Outlook: It seems both of these teams are really good. Both are capable of winning the Class A sectional at the end of the year. Man, there are a ton of big games tonight.
• Greg’s pick: Rock Creek 70, Christian Academy 66.

CLARKSVILLE (2-1) AT CHARLESTOWN (2-3)
• Time: 7:30 p.m.
• Location: Charlestown Sports Arena, Charlestown H.S. (1 Pirate Place, Charlestown)
• Coaches:
Clarksville — Kyle Hankins (2-1 in first season at Clarksville)
Charlestown — Matt Lynch (2-3 in first season at Charlestown, 71-53 in sixth season overall)
• Most recent game:
Clarksville — Defeated Crawford County 55-47 (Dec. 4)
Charlestown — Won at Henryville 34-33, OT (Dec. 7)
• Last 20 years: Clarksville 21-12. The Generals have won the last 3 vs. Charlestown.
• Most recent meeting: Dec. 29, 2020 — Clarksville 75, Charlestown 61 (Silver Creek Holiday Tournament semifinal).
• News & notes: Dakota Capps had a team-high 18 points in the Generals’ 55-47 win over Crawford County on Saturday. Clarksville outscored the Wolfpack 16-6 in the third quarter of the win. … The Generals’ game against Southwestern has been moved to Dec. 14. The game will be played at Clarksville with a JV start time of 6 p.m.
• John Harrell prediction: Clarksville 56, Charlestown 45.
• Outlook: Clarksville looks like the better team early, but we wouldn’t be surprised at all if Lynch turns the Pirates into a respectable bunch by the end of the year.
• Greg’s pick: Clarksville 65, Charlestown 56.

BORDEN (2-2, 1-0 SAC) AT SOUTH CENTRAL (1-2, 0-0)
• Time: 7:30 p.m.
• Location: South Central H.S. Main Gym (6675 E. Hwy. 11 S.E., Elizabeth)
• Coaches:
Borden — Doc Nash (206-151 in 16th season at Borden)
South Central — Greg Robinson (174-170 in 16th season at South Central, 196-233 in 20th season overall)
• Most recent game:
Borden — Lost to Providence 47-45 (Dec. 4)
South Central — Lost at Holy Cross (Ky.) 73-49 (Nov. 30)
• Last 20 years: Borden 18-7. South Central has won 2 of the last 3 vs. the Braves.
• Most recent meeting: Dec. 11, 2020 — At Borden 70, South Central 52.
• News & notes: Borden currently owns the only 2021-22 SAC victory. The Braves will have played four of their five conference games by Jan. 7. … The Braves are the first SAC team to pick up a conference win this season … and it was a big one. Borden held defending conference champion Lanesville to 28 percent shooting in the 22-point victory. … There were only 10 total free throws in Lanesville’s loss to Borden. The Braves were 4 for 6.. … Borden will face West Washington in the first round of the Washington County Invitational at Salem on Dec. 17. Eastern will face the host Lions in the other semifinal. The winners and losers will meet Dec. 18 in the championship and consolation games.
• John Harrell prediction: Borden 56, South Central 50.
• Outlook: Borden appear to be the SAC’s best team at the point, but South Central certainly won’t make it easy.
• Greg’s pick: Borden 59, South Central 51.

PROVIDENCE (3-0) AT LANESVILLE (0-4)
• Time: 7:30 p.m.
• Location: Lanesville H.S. (2725 Crestview Ave. N.E., Lanesville)
• Coaches:
Providence — Ryan Miller (33-16 in third season at Providence)
Lanesville — Mikel Miller (287-213 in 22nd season at Lanesville)
• Rankings:
Providence — No. 19 AP (Class 2A).
• Most recent game:
Providence — Won at Borden 47-45 (Dec. 4)
Lanesville — Lost at Paoli 60-33 (Dec. 4)
• Last 20 years: Providence 6-0.
• Most recent meeting: Dec. 11, 2020 — At Providence 52, Lanesville 31.
• News & notes: Providence outscored Borden 17-13 in the fourth quarter to pull out the victory. … Jack Crosby scored nine points to lead the Eagles in scoring in Friday’s 52-30 SAC loss to Borden. All nine Crosby points came on a trio of 3-pointers. … The Eagles shot just 28 percent from the floor in the defeat. … There were only 10 total free throws in Lanesville’s loss to Borden. The Eagles were 3 for 4.
• John Harrell prediction: Providence 58, Lanesville 37.
• Outlook: It was a rough weekend for Lanesville. Providence isn’t going to be any less rough.
• Greg’s pick: Providence 60, Lanesville 40.

HENRYVILLE (1-3) AT AUSTIN (0-3)
• Time: 7:30 p.m.
• Location: Rigel Gymnasium (401 S. Hwy. 31, Austin)
• Coaches:
Henryville — Jared Hill (92-79 in eighth season at Henryville)
Austin — Randy Edwards (35-65 in fifth season at Austin)
• Most recent game:
Henryville — Lost to Charlestown 34-33, OT (Dec. 7)
Austin — Lost to Providence 60-40 (Dec. 3)
• Last 20 years: 11-11. Henryville has won 5 of the last 6 in the series.
• Most recent meeting: Dec. 11, 2020 — At Henryville 58, Austin 53.
• News & notes: Henryville was outscored 3-2 in Tuesday’s overtime session against Charlestown. … Layton Walton had 14 points to lead Henryville in Tuesday’s loss.
• John Harrell prediction: Henryville 52, Austin 51.
• Outlook: The teams are a combined 1-6, but this will almost certainly be one of the most competitive games of the night.
• Greg’s pick: Austin 62, Henryville 58.

CRAWFORD COUNTY (0-4) AT EASTERN (2-1)
• Time: 7:30 p.m.
• Location: Eastern H.S. (1100 N. Eastern School Rd., Pekin)
• Coaches:
Crawford County — Jerry Hanger Jr. (3-21 in second season at Crawford County)
Eastern — Chandler Prible (14-14 in second season at Eastern)
• Most recent game:
Crawford County — Lost at Clarksville 55-47 (Dec. 4)
Eastern — Defeated West Washington 59-46 (Dec. 3)
• Last 20 years: Crawford County 14-5. The Wolpack have won the last 4 against Eastern.
• Most recent meeting: Dec. 11, 2020 — At Crawford County 68, Eastern 58.
• News & notes: Cade Jones had 17 points, 9 rebounds and a pair of assists in Eastern’s win over West Washington on Dec. 3. Jacob Cherry had a double-double of 15 points and 11 boards and Kaiden Temple had a well-rounded game with 8 points, 7 assists and 4 boards. … Eastern will face the host Lions in the first round of the Washington County Invitational at Salem on Dec. 17. Borden will face West Washington in the other semifinal. The winners and losers will meet Dec. 18 in the championship and consolation games.
• John Harrell prediction: Eastern 61, Crawford County 48.
• Outlook: Eastern was a bit unexpectedly stunned at Scottsburg, but this is a good Musketeer team. They’re going to win a lot of games.
• Greg’s pick: Eastern 69, Crawford County 57.

By GREG MENGELT

Everyone expected Salem to be here. The Lions have been one of the best 3A teams in the state for the better part of a half-decade. They’re loaded with experienced talent. Few doubted Salem (6-2) would play a huge role in the Mid-Southern Conference race and the Class 3A landscape throughout the 2021-22 season.

Most thought Corydon Central and junior star Ava Weber to make strides this season, but few probably expected the Panthers to be 10-1 and a contender in the MSC race and a serious threat to the eighth-ranked Lions in Friday’s Hoosier Hills Hoops Game of the Night.

“This is a big game against a quality conference and potential sectional opponent,” Salem ninth-year head coach Jerry Hickey said. “Corydon is off to a great start this season and has one of the best players in the conference is Ava Weber. It’s probably going to take one loss or fewer to win our tough conference, so this is an important matchup for both teams.”

Weber hasn’t disappointed this season. She’s averaging 19.9 points, 8 rebounds, 3.4 steals and 2.7 points. She’s simply been one of Southern Indiana’s top players.

Weber has also gotten plenty of help from a solid core of teammates.

“Our girls continue to play hard and get better each day,” second-year Corydon head coach Josh Conrad said. “We continue to get better defensively but still have areas to improve. Offensively, it has been great to see several players contributing in different games.”

Led by five talented, experienced seniors, Salem has picked up where it has left off the past four years … all 20-plus win seasons, by the way. (This year will be seven straight winning seasons under Hickey.) The Lions have losses against Jennings County and Brownsburg — both very good 4A programs — but they’ve outscored their MSC opponents 112-61 so far. That includes a 61-28 thrashing of Brownstown Central on Tuesday.

“Salem is a very good basketball team with very experienced players,’ Conrad said. “They have played in big time basketball games. They do great job on both ends of the court and will be another strong test for us and our ability to compete at a high level.”

GAME OF THE NIGHT
SALEM (6-2, 2-0) AT CORYDON CENTRAL (10-1, 3-1)
• Time: 7:30 p.m.
• Location: Corydon Central H.S. (375 Country Club Rd., Corydon)
• Coaches:
Salem — Jerry Hickey (143-67 in ninth season at Salem)
Corydon Central — Josh Conrad (20-12 in second season at Corydon Central, 139-105 in 11th season overall)
• Rankings:
Salem — No. 8 AP (Class 3A).
• Computer-based Sagarin Ratings:
Salem — No. 61, No. 13 Class 3A
Corydon Central — No. 56, No. 12 Class 3A
• Most recent game:
Salem — Defeated Brownstown Central 61-28 (Dec. 7)
Corydon Central — Won at Austin 58-37 (Dec. 8)
• Last 20 years: Corydon Central 16-9. Salem has won the last 6 in the series.
• Most recent meeting: Feb. 2 — Salem 77, Corydon Central 63 (Class 3A Madison Sectional first round)
• News & notes: Salem beat Corydon twice last year by a combined 47 points. However, the Panthers turned a 33-point loss to the Lions on Dec. 11 into a 14-point loss in the opening round of the sectional on Feb. 2. … Salem senior Abigail Ratts scored 22 points and was perfect from the field in the Lions’ 61-28 victory over Brownstown Central on Tuesday. Kaylea Klinglesmith added 14 points for Salem. … The Panthers are 10-1. Last year, they went 10-11 and were 6-5 through 11 games. Last year, Corydon went 4-4 in conference play. This year, it is 3-1 heading into Friday’s game against Salem.
• John Harrell prediction: Salem 51, Corydon Central 48.
• Sagarin projection: Corydon Central by 5.
• Outlook: Salem has dominated the Panthers over the past few years. That probably won’t be the case this year, but we believe the Lions are probably still the better team … even on the road. (We think.)
• Greg’s pick: Salem 67, Corydon Central 60.