Nick Gonnella
The Greensburg boys basketball team has reached a level the Pirates should be quite familiar with when they play in the Class 3A Shelbyville Regional semifinal Saturday against Mt. Vernon (Fortville).
The Pirates (20-2) are out to defend its Regional title, a quest that begins when they clash with Mt. Vernon Saturday at 10 a.m.
No. 7-ranked Greensburg and its 10 seniors are anxious to build on last week’s sectional title victory over cross-county rival Batesville. The Pirates knocked off the Bulldogs 49-48 in overtime on clutch 3-point shooting and senior Ty Miller's free throws.
The Marauders, 21-2 and ranked No. 3 in the state’s Top 10, topped Shelbyville 57-37 to win the Mt. Vernon sectional championship.
Mt. Vernon, among the larger Class 3A schools with a student enrollment of 1,121, is 10-1 against Class 4A teams and 9-0 against Class 3A. The Marauders’ other loss was to Class 2A Tipton Dec. 19.
Mt. Vernon boasts a big, athletic front court anchored by D’Armond Davis, a 6-foot-7 senior forward. He is pursuing a Division I college scholarship, and has received offers from Morehead State, IUPUI and Wisconsin-Green Bay, among others.
Two more seniors are headed to D-I schools. Daniel Turner (Wisconsin-Green Bay) and P.J. Hubert (IUPUI) have complemented Davis. Turner leads the team in scoring with 15.5 points per game, while Hubert leads the team in 3-pointers with 51 (44 percent shooting).
The Pirates counter with a quick, athletic, defensive press that has allowed just 45 points per game. Greensburg also thrives off a group of veterans who have played together since elementary school.
Greensburg’s squad is led by a quartet of scorers who have averaged around 10 points per game. Senior forward Greg Dougan has scored a team-high 255 points, averaging 11.59 per game (including the sectional tournament). Senior guard Shawn Burcham has averaged close to 11.5 points per game, while Ty Miller has averaged about 10.5 points. Point guard Adam Wilson averages close to 10 per game. The parity in scoring reflects the unselfishness the Pirates have displayed all season.
Wilson, Burcham and Greg Dougan hit key 3-pointers in the second half and in overtime to lift Greensburg to the sectional crown.
Seniors Andrew Dougan, Greg Dougan and Jacob Evans, three of Greensburg’s best inside players, provide the height for the Pirates at 6-foot-4 each.
The teams’ common foes are Shelbyville and Rushville. Greensburg defeated Shelbyville 64-58, while Mt. Vernon topped Shelbyville 99-82. Greensburg fell to Rushville 67-53 last month, while Mt. Vernon beat the Lions 80-54 in January.
Greensburg head coach Stacy Meyer is 54-36 in his fourth year at Greensburg and 112-92 in his ninth year overall.
Mt. Vernon is coached by Steve Lynch, who is 58-27 in his fourth year at the school.
