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| Shelbyville senior Riley Achenbach drives to the basket during the 2013 Shelby Shootout at William L. Garrett Gymnasium. On Thursday, Achenbach was one of four seniors to play their final home game for the Golden Bears. (File photo) |
Golden Bears close out home schedule with 53-36 win over Delta
By Jeff Brown
Sports editor
Riley Achenbach's final game at William L. Garrett Gymnasium included a game-high 15-point performance, a much-desired conference win over Delta, balloons, a laundry basket full of presents, plenty of tears and a prom date.
Now that's a pretty good haul.
The Shelbyville senior led the Golden Bears to a 53-36 win over Delta Thursday. She scored 14 of her points in the first half, including swishing a three-pointer from the top of the key just before the first-half horn sounded.
That gave Shelbyville a 37-18 lead and it never looked back. The Golden Bears (7-11, 2-4 Hoosier Heritage Conference) have won five of their last eight, with all five wins coming at home.
"It was an awesome Senior Night," said Shelbyville coach Scott Larrabee. "I couldn't be happier for this group of seniors. I am so proud of our improvement as a team and that's led by those seniors."
The seven wins ties a program high over the last seven seasons.
Finding an eighth win will be difficult. Shelbyville closes out its regular season schedule Monday at Class 2A, No. 9 Triton Central (11-5) and Tuesday at Franklin (10-9). By then, the program also will know its road through the very competitive Bloomington South Sectional.
The end is near for Achenbachand fellow seniors Allyson Conner, Bree Elrod and Taylor Pierce. Success has been fleeting for the program during their time in uniform but that doesn't make reaching the end any easier.
"We're having fun and that's all that really matters," said Achenbach, adorned in a pink feather boa and matching tiara.
Late in the fourth quarter, Achenbach was the only senior left on the court. Freshman Cora Reinhart crouched down at the scorer's table waiting for Shelbyville's leading scorer to make her second free-throw attempt.
She missed and extended her time on Frank Barnes Court a few seconds longer until she committed a foul.That's when the tears really started flowing.
Achenbach and Reinhart shared a long embrace near midcourt — a senior leaving and a freshman stepping in.
"I thought I was ready for the emotions to hit me," said Achenbach, who admitted she was even crying before the game.
The win, though, made it easier to smile and wipe away the tears during the traditional postgame reading of senior speeches by Shelbyville junior Betsy Suarez.
Achenbach opened the game with a 3-pointer to stake Shelbyville to an early lead. Delta (5-9, 1-4 HHC) recovered to lead on three separate occasions in the first quarter but a 7-0 run by the Golden Bears closed out the scoring and secured a 15-10 lead.
While Delta won the first-half rebounding battle, Shelbyville's defense still limited the Eagles to just 23 percent shooting.
"(Defense) was the No. 1 thing we talked about at halftime, and in timeouts and in between quarters," stressed Larrabee.
The second quarter was one of Shelbyville's best all season. The Golden Bears shot 70 percent from the field, made 6-of-9 free throws and committed just two turnovers.
Pierce and Conner drilled 3s early in the third quarter just to make sure the Eagles had no designs on a comeback.
Elrod was the only senior not to score. The softball standout was 0-for-2 from the field in the fourth quarter and had a steal.
Achenbach finished with 15 points, six rebounds and two assists. Pierce had 11 points, eight rebounds and two assists. And Conner added nine points, three rebounds and two assists.
At the conclusion of the game, five seniors, including manager Hannah Collier, were introduced to the crowd.
Achenbach was last. She hugged her fellow seniors as the emotion of the moment poured out of her. And once Suarez finished reading Riley's senior speech, she told her to turn around. When she did, she saw Blake Miller standing near midcourt with a big sign that had "Prom?" written on it.
Miller got a hug too.
Now that's a pretty good haul.
The Shelbyville senior led the Golden Bears to a 53-36 win over Delta Thursday. She scored 14 of her points in the first half, including swishing a three-pointer from the top of the key just before the first-half horn sounded.
That gave Shelbyville a 37-18 lead and it never looked back. The Golden Bears (7-11, 2-4 Hoosier Heritage Conference) have won five of their last eight, with all five wins coming at home.
The seven wins ties a program high over the last seven seasons.
Finding an eighth win will be difficult. Shelbyville closes out its regular season schedule Monday at Class 2A, No. 9 Triton Central (11-5) and Tuesday at Franklin (10-9). By then, the program also will know its road through the very competitive Bloomington South Sectional.
The end is near for Achenbachand fellow seniors Allyson Conner, Bree Elrod and Taylor Pierce. Success has been fleeting for the program during their time in uniform but that doesn't make reaching the end any easier.
"We're having fun and that's all that really matters," said Achenbach, adorned in a pink feather boa and matching tiara.
Late in the fourth quarter, Achenbach was the only senior left on the court. Freshman Cora Reinhart crouched down at the scorer's table waiting for Shelbyville's leading scorer to make her second free-throw attempt.
She missed and extended her time on Frank Barnes Court a few seconds longer until she committed a foul.That's when the tears really started flowing.
Achenbach and Reinhart shared a long embrace near midcourt — a senior leaving and a freshman stepping in.
"I thought I was ready for the emotions to hit me," said Achenbach, who admitted she was even crying before the game.
The win, though, made it easier to smile and wipe away the tears during the traditional postgame reading of senior speeches by Shelbyville junior Betsy Suarez.
Achenbach opened the game with a 3-pointer to stake Shelbyville to an early lead. Delta (5-9, 1-4 HHC) recovered to lead on three separate occasions in the first quarter but a 7-0 run by the Golden Bears closed out the scoring and secured a 15-10 lead.
While Delta won the first-half rebounding battle, Shelbyville's defense still limited the Eagles to just 23 percent shooting.
"(Defense) was the No. 1 thing we talked about at halftime, and in timeouts and in between quarters," stressed Larrabee.
The second quarter was one of Shelbyville's best all season. The Golden Bears shot 70 percent from the field, made 6-of-9 free throws and committed just two turnovers.
Pierce and Conner drilled 3s early in the third quarter just to make sure the Eagles had no designs on a comeback.
Elrod was the only senior not to score. The softball standout was 0-for-2 from the field in the fourth quarter and had a steal.
Achenbach finished with 15 points, six rebounds and two assists. Pierce had 11 points, eight rebounds and two assists. And Conner added nine points, three rebounds and two assists.
At the conclusion of the game, five seniors, including manager Hannah Collier, were introduced to the crowd.
Achenbach was last. She hugged her fellow seniors as the emotion of the moment poured out of her. And once Suarez finished reading Riley's senior speech, she told her to turn around. When she did, she saw Blake Miller standing near midcourt with a big sign that had "Prom?" written on it.
Miller got a hug too.
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