Greensburg — The North Decatur boys basketball team endured its toughest weekend of competition this season, hosting a pair of Eastern Indiana Athletic Conference teams. Outside of Greensburg, Class 3A Batesville and Class 4A East Central provided the Chargers their most legitimate adversaries.

The Chargers fell to its second EIAC opponent in two nights Saturday as visiting East Central won 64-46. The Trojans set the tone early, leading North 20-5 after the first eight minutes. North took a one-point edge in the second quarter, but trailed 33-19 at the break. East Central pulled further away after three quarters with a 16-12 edge, leading 49-33. A 3-pointer by freshman Zach Johnson highlighted the third quarter.

Freshman Andrew Hocker led the fourth quarter with a score. Senior John Hammersmith, assisted by junior Brock Ricke, scored to cut it to 14 at 49-35, but foul trouble prevented the Chargers from completing a comeback.

The Chargers shot a perfect 11-for-11 from the foul line and made five 3-pointers.

Hammersmith led North with 16 points. He shot 2-for-2 from the line and a pair of triples. Hocker followed with seven points (2-for-2, one triple). Senior Kevin Geis added six points (2-for-2), and senior Jason Kirchhoff scored five (one 3). Junior Josh Weintraut (2-for-2) scored four, freshman Dayne Lecher added a late 3-point play, and senior Dylan Koors shot 2-for-2 for his two points.

North’s junior varsity squad fell to the Trojans 37-23 in the first game. The visitors led 11-9 after the first quarter and 20-12 at the half. The Trojans took the third quarter 13-2, but North edged them 9-4 in the final period.

Freshman Evan Wallpe led his team with 11 points. Freshmen Arek Holloway and Donovan Meyer each added five, while sophomore Brian Williamson chipped in two.



Chargers fall to Bulldogs

North began the weekend with a 66-55 loss to Batesville, ranked sixth in this week’s Associated Press Class 3A poll.

John Hammersmith led North with 21 points, including 4-for-5 from the foul line. Dayne Lecher followed with 11 points, while freshman Zach Johnson scored eight, including a pair of 3-pointers. Jason Kirchhoff and junior Brock Ricke each scored six. Kirchhoff hit 4-for-4 from the foul line. Andrew Hocker chipped in three points.

Head coach Kyle Nobbe credited his team for finding Hammersmith as a consistent go-to threat.

“I thought our kids did a good job of playing through him,” said Nobbe. Despite stretches where Nobbe thought his team played well, too many mental lapses and turnovers resulted in a loss.

“Against a good team like Batesville, you cannot have mental lapses,” he said. “They took advantage of that. They pressure the ball, have length and rebound well.”

North shot 10-for-14 from the line and made five triples.

Sophomore Bryan Hoeing led Batesville with 21 points, while senior Mike Hoeing added 11.

The North junior varsity team fell 38-22 in the first game. Evan Wallpe scored eight points to lead North, while Donovan Meyer scored seven. Sophomore Austin Brown scored three, while Arek Holloway and Brian Williamson each added two.

North, now 3-11, hosts two more games this weekend and will try to snap its five-game skid. The Chargers play EIAC team Franklin County Friday and Knightstown Saturday.

Contact Nick Gonnella at (812) 663-3111, x7003