Spartans move to 3-0 in EIAC games with a win over Greensburg

GREENSBURG- Two of the top EIAC teams went head-to-head last night. Connersville came in with a record of 6-3 and 2-0 in EIAC games and the Pirates also came in at 6-3, but they were 1-0 in conference games. The Spartans won the regular season matchup between the two teams last season 43-41. The Pirates got a little revenge in the first round of the sectionals, knocking off Kerry Brown’s Spartans 39-36.

The first quarter was a low scoring affair with Ki Dyer scoring the first five-points for Greensburg, Connersville got a basket from Braxton Myers and another from Lucas Barron and the Bucs led 5-4 after the first quarter. The second period started in the Spartans favor with Brayden Pearson hitting from deep and Barron scoring from inside putting Connersville up 9-5. The Pirates then went on a 5-2 run and pulled back within one of CHS. Gavin Pearson got a basket for the Spartans to put his team back up by three. The Bucs then got Jeter Edwards on the board and Dyer hit from outside putting Greensburg up 15-13. The period ended with Barron hitting a three pointer for CHS and Dyer matching it with another outside shot giving the Pirates the lead at the half 18-16.

The second half began with the Spartans tying the game with two Barron freebies then they took the lead with a James Williams field goal. The Bucs got two free throws from Edwards then Connersville went on a 6-0 run going up 26-20. Dyer got a two-point basket, but CHS got two points from Josh Williams and another two from Blaine Hornsby giving Connersville an eight-point advantage. The Bucs finished the third period with Addison Barnes-Pettitt and Edwards scoring to bring GCHS back within four as the period ended with the score 30-26 in Connersville’s favor. B. Pearson started the fourth quarter with his second three pointer of the night pushing the lead to seven. Over the next four minutes the Spartans scoring came from the foul line with G. Person, Myers, and Jo. Williams all going two of two from the stripe. Dyer then hit three shots in a row for the Bucs and the game was back to a two-point affair with Connersville up 39-37. Ja. Williams scored for CHS then Edwards hit from deep for the Pirates, and the score was 41-40 with 1:30 left to play. The defenses from both teams stepped up and the final bucket came as the game ended with Myers laying in an easy basket to give Connersville a 43-40 EIAC win.

The win moved the Spartans record to 7-4 and are atop the EIAC at 3-0. They have another tough matchup on their hand tonight when they take on New Castle (7-5) at 7:30. The Pirates record falls to 6-4 and they will face off against Shelbyville (4-7) this evening in Greensburg at 7:30pm.