NEW PALESTINE – Class 3A, No. 6 Shelbyville erased a 12-point deficit over the final four minutes Friday to earn a 64-59 Hoosier Heritage Conference win at New Palestine.
The Dragons (10-10, 4-2 HHC) led 55-43 after Will Davison scored on a reverse layin with 4:46 to go. The Golden Bears scored 15 of the next 17 points in less than three minutes to take a 58-57 lead with 90 seconds on the clock.
Davison sank a 12-footer to get New Palestine the lead again. Mar Nicholson converted at the other end to get Shelbyville up 60-59 with 43 seconds left.
After a New Palestine miss, Nicholson was fouled and sent to the free-throw line. The senior missed both but Brody Runnebohm found his way to the rebound miss and scored to extend the lead to 62-59.
Davison missed a three-pointer and Caden Claxton added two free throws to get Shelbyville head coach John Hartnett his first ever win over New Palestine.
“I can’t even tell you the feelings going through the lockerroom after this game,” said Hartnett. The Golden Bears had lost eight straight to New Palestine dating back to their last win on Feb. 10, 2017. “That is a big confidence booster for us. The biggest thing I am proud of is being down 11 points with five-and-a-half (minutes) to go and we all made eye contact and thought if we string some stops together and hit some big shots, we will win this game. And they made it happen.”
For the second time this season, the Shelbyville High School cheerleaders celebrated with a Golden Bear reaching a career scoring milestone.
With Nicholson’s first basket of the third quarter, he became the 12th Golden Bear to surpass 1,000 career points and the 44th overall in Shelby County boys basketball history.
Nicholson finished with 18 points, five assists and four rebounds. Claxton added 15 points and five rebounds. Runnebohm had 13 points and five assists.
Shelbyville (16-4, 4-2 HHC) got off to a good start, shooting 55% from the field in the first quarter to take a 16-9 lead.
Another lull in the second quarter gave New Palestine momentum. The Dragons used a 13-0 run to take a 25-18 lead.
The Golden Bears scored the final seven points to get the game tied at halftime.
Shelbyville held a 37-36 lead with just under three minutes left in the third quarter but the Dragons scored the final 10 points to lead 46-37 with eight minutes to go.
Two free throws by Eli Parrett and Davison’s score with 4:46 left got New Palestine its biggest lead of the game.
Gavin Reed answered with his second 3 inside of a minute to start the furious comeback. Claxton followed with a wing 3. Runnebohm scored while being fouled and added a free throw to slash the lead to 57-55. Runnebohm hit a corner 3 and Shelbyville was back in the lead.
After hitting just 3 of 8 from beyond the arc in the first three quarters, the Golden Bears hit five 3s in the game’s final six minutes to get the road victory.
“The guys executed well down the stretch,” said Hartnett. “I will say this until I am red in the face, I am so proud of these guys.”
Davison led New Palestine with 17 points and six rebounds. Parrett had 13 and Sam Hirschy scored 12 points (11 in the third quarter) and grabbed eight rebounds.
The two teams could meet again in early March at Greenwood in Sectional 28.
New Palestine’s junior varsity team remained unbeaten this season with a 69-50 win over the Golden Bears. Kade Stephens led the Dragons with 28 points.
Eli Davis and Austin Martzall each scored 12 points for Shelbyville. Bram Kolkmeier finished with 11.
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