Center Grove’s Ella Hobson takes a shot in the paint during Tuesday’s sectional game against Greenwood.
Sam Findley | For the Daily Journal
BLOOMINGTON
Momentum travels well if you’re ninth-ranked Center Grove.
After finishing the regular season with 14 consecutive victories, the Trojans remained true to form in defeating Greenwood, 56-26, in a Class 4A sectional at Bloomington South.
Tuesday night’s first-round matchup, the second meeting between the teams in eight days, was basically decided early with four of Center Grove’s first five baskets being 3-pointers.
“That always helps when you make shots. It makes the game a lot easier when you do that,” Trojans coach Kevin Stuckmeyer said. “We had a good start against them last week, but we didn’t necessarily shoot it well. We kind of flipped that script to start tonight.”
Center Grove’s customary scoring balance was on display yet again, with junior wing Audrey Annee tallying a game-high 14 points. Senior guard Ella Hobson and junior post Rachel Wirts added eight apiece, while Savanna Bischoff and sophomore Lilly Bischoff had seven each.
Wirts led the way on the glass with five rebounds.
Next for Center Grove (19-4) is a date with Bloomington North (17-6) in Friday’s second semifinal, which is expected to start at 7:30 p.m. The Trojans and Cougars haven’t met since the final game of the 2014-15 regular season.
“(Bloomington North) is very skilled at every position, and they have three or four players who can score really well,” Stuckmeyer said. “It’s going to take a better effort from us defensively. They’re pretty good offensively, and we weren’t perfect tonight defensively. Part of that is Greenwood.”
Counting the postseason, Center Grove has won six of the last seven games it’s played at Bloomington South.
The Trojans took a 27-8 halftime lead following a two-quarter span in which they knocked down six 3-pointers, including four of their first five baskets to race to a 14-1 lead.
All nine of Annee’s points prior to intermission were from deep; Center Grove was in control, 19-2, through one quarter, eventually leading by as many as 23 points after senior backup guard Lindsey Walker delivered a trey from the right wing at 1:18 of the second.
Greenwood finished the opening half having converted just two of 11 field goal attempts.
The Woodmen, however, played a much better second half, nearly matching the Trojans during the third stanza.
Senior guard Lily Howe finished her career at Greenwood by leading her team with nine points. Classmate and forward Ella Stivers contributed seven and matched Wirts for game rebounding honors with five.
“These situations are always tough,” Woodmen coach Justin Bennett said. “Center Grove has always been a really good team, but in the second half we just decided, hey, we’re going to play possession by possession and see if we can claw back into it.
“I love the fight we showed in the second half.”
The night’s first game featured the host Panthers taking on Mooresville, two of the sectional’s four teams with winning records.
Mooresville junior guard Emma McGinley flipped in a short rebound basket with 2 seconds remaining for a thrilling 50-49 win, which puts the Pioneers (18-6) in Friday night’s 6 p.m. semifinal against winless Martinsville, a team they throttled, 51-17, in the regular season.
