By Mike McGraw
Executive Director
SHELBYVILLE – Every high school basketball coach in Indiana will tell you that hitting free throws is one of the most critical aspects of the game. They will also tell you that is a hard lesson to teach their players.
Well, the next time one of them is trying, he should have his players talk to the Danville Warriors. Late heroics from the charity stripe in both the Warriors’ Regional 7 games March 13 at Shelbyville sent top-ranked Danville to the Southport Semistate this coming weekend.
First, it was senior guard Jordan Weidner sinking two free throws with five seconds remaining to allow Danville to slip past Brebeuf, 47-46, in the opening round. Then, Mr. Basketball candidate 6’10” center Travis Carroll did the same with just over four seconds left to ice a title victory over highly regarded No. 3 Mt. Vernon (Fortville), 47-43.
Weidner’s morning heroics had to seem like redemption for the Warrior backcourt ace. He, along with the entire perimeter attack of Danville (25-1), had struggled mightily all game versus Brebeuf. Danville trailed most of the game and, had it not been for 25 points and nine rebounds from Carroll, the Warriors would have been hopelessly out of the contest.
Nonetheless, Weidner made two huge plays to help determine the outcome. The first came at the end of the third quarter when he hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to tie the game at 36 heading into the final period.
It appeared early in the fourth quarter as though Danville had finally wrested control of the game, and the Warriors crept to a 43-38 advantage. It didn’t last, however, as Brebeuf (14-9) came roaring back to take a 46-45 lead in the final minute. In fact, the Braves had a chance to effectively seal the victory when they stepped to the charity stripe for two tosses with 11 seconds remaining.
They missed both shots, setting up Weidner’s game-winning free throws at the other end.
The title tilt was the battle folks had been anticipating since midseason, and it did not disappoint. It did, however, take the direct opposite trend from Danville’s morning contest.
Against Mt. Vernon (22-3), it was the Warriors who seemed consistently on the edge of blowing the game open. They opened a seven-point 16-9 advantage midway through the second quarter, but then failed to score the remainder of the half.
That trend of building a substantial lead only to see it disappear would repeat itself twice in the second half. The final comeback by Mt. Vernon, which had advanced by ousting No. 7 Greensburg (20-3) in a horrid-shooting opener, occurred in the game’s final minute and was spearheaded by senior forward Daniel Turner.
He scored two buckets while P.J. Hubert added two points to draw the Marauders within two in the final seconds before Carroll ended the suspense. Turner led the Marauders with 20 points in the championship game.
Danville will open the action Saturday at venerable Southport Fieldhouse versus sixth-ranked Washington (21-3), a 55-47 Regional 8 champion over No. 11 Boonville on its home floor. The matchup will center around the centers as 6’10” junior Cody Zeller, the last of three tall drinks of water from Daviess County, should battle Carroll in a post showdown for the ages.
7. Shelbyville Regional
Game 1 – 3A #3 Mt. Vernon (Fortville) 45, 3A #7 Greensburg 30
Game 2 – 3A #1 Danville 47, Brebeuf 46
Championship – 3A #1 Danville 47, 3A #3 Mt. Vernon (Fortville) 43
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