MOORESVILLE
Kevin Stuckmeyer is no stranger to long winning streaks.
Difficult as it might be to believe, the 16-game wave of success being surfed by his Center Grove squad falls down the list for the seventh-year coach.
Down, as in third.
The Trojans, the state’s second-ranked team, shook off a poor shooting performance to power past Bloomington South, 47-20, on Tuesday in the first round of the Class 4A Mooresville Sectional.
It wasn’t pretty, but this time of year it doesn’t have to be.
“Bloomington South and coach (Larry) Winters do a phenomenal job of running their stuff and making it the game that they want,” said Stuckmeyer, whose team (23-1) returns here for a Friday night semifinal against Greenwood (6-16).
“And when you get into a sectional atmosphere, teams are a little more focused on what they need to do. We would all admit that wasn’t our best executed game, but that’s not unusual for a first game of the sectional.”
The 16 consecutive wins rank behind the 18 straight the Trojans manufactured both last season and during Stuckmeyer’s second season (2018-19).
Senior guard Audrey Annee delivered four 3-point baskets on the way to a game-high 19 points for Center Grove. Senior center Rachel Wirts finished with 13 points and led all rebounders with 13 as the Trojans dominated the glass for a 31-18 win in that department.
The Trojans finished shooting 17 of 47 from the floor (36.2%), which still bested what the Panthers were able to do (6 of 30, 20%). Bloomington South (12-11), which lost at home to Center Grove on Dec. 7, 55-24, was led in scoring by sophomore Audrey Craft with seven points.
A sluggish first half didn’t see a point scored until Wirts hit the second of two free throws at 4:54 of the opening quarter. Center Grove jumped out to a 9-0 lead early, but the Panthers matched the Trojans the remainder of the half for a 17-8 score at intermission.
Bloomington South committed nine turnovers over the first eight minutes alone, and had 14 by half. CG countered with 7 of 27 shooting from the floor (25.9%).
The Trojans got their collective footing the final two quarters, outscoring Bloomington South 15-10 in the third and owning a 15-2 upper hand in the fourth. Far from Center Grove’s best performance, but no one emphasizes style points come the postseason.
“I feel like having adversity like that, and being able to get through it shows our strength,” Annee said. “If we do keep winning, and if that happens later in the season, we know we can come out of it.
“We came out after halftime a lot stronger. Just knowing we’re strong, even when we’re not at our best. I think it was more mental, and nerves coming into the first game. It was just about calming down and playing more composed.”
