For The Tribune
MEDORA
The Medora boys basketball team celebrated senior night in style Saturday by taking a 12-7 lead after one quarter and also outscoring Cannelton in each of the other three periods to roll to a 59-40 win.
Prior to the game, all the Medora senior athletes, along with their parents, were introduced.
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“It was nice to send the seniors out right,” Hornets coach Michael Leitzman said. “Getting the seniors a win is always good. Our senior class has done a lot for us this year. They’ve been to practice every day, they’ve been battling for us, they’ve shown leadership, and it was good to get a win on senior night.”
The senior players are Kirk Stewart, Tristan Newcomb, Austin Fish and Kage Spence.
Leitzman said the leadership shown by guards Stewart and Jalen Beesley was a key to the win.
Beesley opened Medora’s scoring with a 3-pointer, and he had six points in the first quarter to help his team to a 12-7 lead.
Beesley stayed hot in the second period with seven points, while Chase Booker and Brandon Moore both contributed five points in the quarter to help the Hornets to a 29-14 lead at the break.
Booker had four baskets and six rebounds in the third quarter when the Hornet extended their lead to 45-29.
“I thought our guard play was very good,” Leitzman said. “Cannelton played a 2-3 zone, and I thought our guards did a great job of attacking gaps, getting in the paint and they made the right passes, made the right plays out of it. They did a really good job of attacking.”
Beesley led Medora (6-12) in scoring with 15 points, Booker scored 13 and Stewart had 10.
Medora (6-12) will travel to Indianapolis on Friday to play Indiana School for the Deaf.
Medora shot 25-for-60 from the floor to 15-for-30 for Cannelton.
“Kirk Stewart had 12 assists and Jalen Beesley was also very aggressive,” Leitzman said. “Whenever our guards are aggressive it opens everything else up for the rest of our guys. We were patient, we were aggressive, we attacked gaps, and got everybody involved. When you do that it shows on offense.”
Two other keys for the Hornets were turnovers and rebounds. Medora held a 27-18 advantage in rebounds, and the Hornets had 9 turnovers to 19 for the Bulldogs.
Leitzman felt the Hornets’ defense was solid.
“Defensively, when we did what we were supposed to do, when we didn’t gamble, when we slid our feet like we were supposed to and didn’t reach, we did a great job of containing them, and made them turn it over,” he said. “We tried to speed the game up too much at times, and that’s how they scored a majority of their points. We’ve got to shore that up this week and make sure we focus on our defensive principles.”
Booker led the Hornets in rebounds at seven.
“Our rebounding was the best it’s been all year,” Leitzman said. “We did a good job rebounding, and pushing the basketball. We had 17 offensive rebounds tonight. That’s the most we’ve had in the last three games, so that’s great job of crashing the glass, and having our guards be safeties and get back in case they did get transition offense the other way.”
Bryce Garrett was the high scorer for Cannelton (1-17) with 16 points.
Medora (6-12) will travel to Indianapolis on Friday to play Indiana School for the Deaf.