New Albany loses to No. 1 Bloomington South, 61-50

No. 1 Panthers prove too much
By Justin Sokeland • jsokeland@courier-journal.com • March 15, 2009

SEYMOUR, Ind. – The pairing, a No. 1 vs. No. 2 clash between undefeated boys’ basketball teams, might have been a fantasy for the fans who packed an 8,100-seat gymnasium to watch it, but reality was hard and brutal on New Albany.

Bloomington South, ranked No. 1 in the polls, was simply superior, proving it emphatically with a 61-50 victory over the No. 2 Bulldogs in the opening game of the Class 4-A regional yesterday morning at Seymour.

The Panthers, spurred by outstanding guard play, never trailed and cruised to a 22-point lead midway through the fourth quarter. Their balance, with five starters scoring in double figures, and their defensive toughness left little doubt to their status as one of the state’s elite teams.

Bloomington North confirmed that status further in last night’s regional final, routing Terre Haute South 66-39. The Panthers will take on Franklin Central (21-5), which surprised Lawrence North 49-36, in next Saturday’s semistate.

The battle lines, South’s perimeter against New Albany’s post power, were clearly defined, and the Panthers (23-0) won all the skirmishes. Their post players more than held their own, as junior center Erik Fromm scored a game-high 14 points, while their guards dictated tempo and the outcome.

“They have a great team without any weaknesses,” New Albany coach Jim Shannon said. “We couldn’t find one all week, and we watched nine games on film, watched them in person a couple of times. They’re very heady and scrappy.”

The Bulldogs (23-1) got only five points from their starting backcourt during the first three quarters and hit only 10 of 23 free throws, a total that included the front end of two one-and-one chances.

Despite the South advantages, despite hitting only 6 of 17 free throws in the first half, the Bulldogs were within striking range at 24-19 late in the second quarter. But a last-second three-pointer by South’s Jordan Hulls, an Indiana University signee, gave the Panthers momentum.

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