By GREG MENGELT

It’s hard to have too impressive of a week when you’re the defending state champions. Wins are expected.

But the week 6-0 and reigning 3A state champion Silver Creek had last week was remarkable.

The Dragons took down rival Charlestown 54-37 on Tuesday, four days after the Pirates (4-2) beat North Harrison by 25 points. Two nights later, Silver Creek defeated its first of two Hoosier Hills Conference powers, Jeffersonville, 41-37. It was the Red Devils’ first loss of the season after starting 5-0.

That win was followed by a 64-39 triumph over New Albany (4-3) on Saturday. Not included in last week’s accomplishments but still noteworthy is a 69-40 victory over Corydon Central on Monday. The Panthers were 7-0 heading into the big Mid-Southern Conference showdown.

Like most coaches, Silver Creek’s 12th-year head coach Scott Schoen isn’t satisfied.

“The team is playing well as of today,” Schoen said. “But we still have another gear we need to get to. Execution needs to be cleaner and we have to rebound the basketball at a high pace.”

The Dragons now face North Harrison (4-2) on Wednesday as their schedule continues to throw tests at them. Also up soon are Bowling Green (Ky.), Evansville North, Louisville Central, Bedford North Lawrence (6-0) and Hammond Noll’s Hoops 4 Pink Tournament before the New Year.

“We are off to a great start, but we know we have a schedule, conference and sectional that are extremely difficult,” Schoen said.

By GREG MENGELT

Junior guard Emily Cissell scored 40 of Borden’s 61 points in the Braves’ 61-44 victory over Crothersville on Tuesday night.

The 40-point performance is a Borden record.

Cissell went 14 for 26 from the floor and knocked down 10 of his 19 3-pointers. Her 10 3s is also a program record. She helped the Braves outscored Crothersville 37-18 in the second half to improve to 3-1 on the season. Cissell also had 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals in the win.

“Emily did an amazing job of knocking down open shots,” Borden coach Matt Vick said. “She is what makes our team go offensively because she can shoot it and see the floor for open teammates.”

Borden, which is now 3-2, hosts Shawe Memorial this evening.

OTHER GIRLS’ TOP PERFORMERS

Rylan Byars, Rock Creek: Byars averaged 10 points per game as the Lions went 3-1 last week.

La’Kyra Johnson, Jeffersonville: Johnson, a sophomore, led Jeffersonville in scoring twice last week with 14 in a 65-25 win over Providence and 10 points in the Red Devils’ loss at Bedford North Lawrence on Saturday. She had 3 points in a loss against Silver Creek, but Jeff coach Missy Voyles said Johnson was a defensive presence against the Dragons’ Kynidi Striverson. “A solid performance all week on both ends of the floor for La’Kyra,” Voyles said.

Nevaeh McWilliams, Rock Creek: McWilliams scored 35 points in three games as the Lions went 2-1 last week. She finished with 16 points in a 44-30 win over Clarksville on Monday, 9 points in a Thursday’s upset of Borden and 12 in Saturday’s 57-46 loss to Springs Valley. “McWilliams had solid consistent play with some huge blocks over the past 3-game period,” Rock Creek coach Sara Nord said.’

Bailey Orme, Corydon: The Corydon junior finished with 22 points, including three 3-pointers, and had 5 assists and 3 steals in the Panthers’ 77-44 win over Paoli last Tuesday.

Ali Saunders, North Harrison: Saunders scored 30 points in the Lady Cats’ 64-60 road win over Scottsburg on Saturday.

Kynidi Striverson, Silver Creek: Striverson had a 23-point performance in Saturday’s 64-39 victory over New Albany.

By GREG MENGELT

Junior guard Emily Cissell scored 40 of Borden’s 61 points in the Braves’ 61-44 victory over Crothersville on Tuesday night.

The 40-point performance is a Borden record.

Cissell went 14 for 26 from the floor and knocked down 10 of his 19 3-pointers. Her 10 3s is also a program record. She helped the Braves outscored Crothersville 37-18 in the second half to improve to 3-1 on the season. Cissell also had 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals in the win.

“Emily did an amazing job of knocking down open shots,” Borden coach Matt Vick said. “She is what makes our team go offensively because she can shoot it and see the floor for open teammates.”

Borden, which is now 3-2, hosts Shawe Memorial this evening.

By GREG MENGELT

Langford — a former New Albany and Indiana University star — put up 10 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals and an assists for the Celtics, who outscored the 1-16 Rockets 34-16 in the third quarter to pull away. Langford was 4 for 9 from the floor, including 2 for 4 from behind the 3-point arc in the win.

It was Langford’s best scoring night since he went for 12 on Nov. 4 against Miami.

The Celtics (10-8), who have now won 6 of their last 8 games, were again led by Jayson Tatum, who went for 30 points for the fourth straight game. He’s scored at least 20 in 9 games in a row.

Jaylen Brown, who played for the first time since Nov. 4 due to a hamstring injury, added 19 and Dennis Schroder scored 18 points off the Boston bench.

No Rockets starter scored more than 9 points. Aaron Brooks had a team-best 19 points for Houston, which has dropped 15 games in a row.

Langford and the Celtics will go for five in a row Wednesday night when they host the Brooklyn Nets (13-5). That game will air on ESPN at 7:30 p.m.

By GREG MENGELT

It’s safe to say Bellarmine knows what it’s like to play against the nation’s best teams.

For the third time this season, the Knights faced one of the current top 3 — Gonzaga, UCLA and Purdue — in the latest college basketball polls. On Monday, it was UCLA that handed Bellarmine a 75-62 defeat. The Knights are now 0-5.

The game was part of the Empire Classic at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

After losses to Gonzaga and UCLA, the Knights will face Central Michigan (1-3) at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the final round in Vegas. That game can be seen on ESPN Plus.

Senior guard Dylan Penn led Bellarmine with 19 pints, 8 rebounds and 6 assists Monday. Former Providence star Juston Betz contributed 4 points, 5 rebounds and 2 steals for Bellarmine, which was a perfect 13 of 13 at the line in the loss.

UCLA (5-0) was led by freshman guard Peyton Watson, who went 9 for 12 with a career-high 19 points for the Bruins, who assisted on 23 of their 33 buckets. All-American candidate Johnny Juzang had 13 points and 4 assists.

The No. 2 Bruins will take on No. 1 Gonzaga at 10 p.m. Tuesday on ESPN. It’s the 43rd time No. 1 has faced No. 2. The last time was No. 2 Kentucky’s 69-62 win over No. 1 Michigan State on Nov. 5, 2019. The last time UCLA played in a No. 1 vs. No. 2 game was Jan. 19, 1974 when the Bruins beat No. 1 Notre Dame 94-75. Gonzaga has never participated in a No. 1 vs. No. 2 contest.

By GREG MENGELT

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — Jeffersonville graduate Tre Coleman had 6 points, an assist and a blocked shot Monday against South Dakota State, but his Wolfpack dropped their fourth straight game, 102-75, to upstart South Dakota State in the Crossover Classic at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D.

Coleman, a sophomore, went 2 for 6 from the floor, 1 for 4 from the 3-point line and made his only free throw attempt for the 1-4 Wolfpack.

Junior forward Warren Washington led Nevada with a season-high 20 points and 6 rebounds.

South Dakota State — a potential Cinderella team in March — got 24 points from senior forward Doug Wilson, 21 from sophomore guard Baylor Scheierman and a double-double of 18 points and 10 boards from junior forward Matt Dentlinger. Dentlinger also had 5 assists and a pair of steals.

Nevada will look to end its losing streak at 4 p.m. Tuesday against George Mason (4-2). The Patriots dropped a tough decision, 77-74 to Washington in the opening round of the tournament. The Wolfpack will then take on Washington (3-2) at 4 p.m. Wednesday.

Every game of the Crossover Classic can be seen on ESPN Plus.