For the Daily Journal
All the Greenwood boys basketball team needed was four solid quarters.
That’s something the Woodmen have been having trouble with for most of the season — but not Tuesday night, when were not only solid, but assertive and patient, and it paid off with an impressive 56-50 win over visiting Beech Grove.
Greenwood (2-5) was hoping to salvage a win during the final game of its four-game home stand.
“Our guys responded,” Greenwood coach Joe Bradburn said. “We went to a little different tempo and tried to slow them down a bit and I think that worked in our favor. They were coming off some emotion.”
Beech Grove was playing with heavy hearts as this was the Hornets’ first game since the death of their longtime coach Matt English, who passed away on Dec. 10.
Bradburn also tweaked his starting lineup and did a little juggling with it during the game, but he seemed to find the right combination of players at key times.
Beech Grove started running the ball, hoping to tire or confuse the Woodmen, but Greenwood held firm and did some running of its own in the second quarter. The Hornets led at halftime, 23-22.
Greenwood continued to do the one important thing that it had done in the first half and that was dictate the pace of the game.
The Woodmen kept the Hornets from trying to break back into a running game and displayed patience, something they had been lacking in previous contests.
“Two things happened,” Bradburn said. “I thought defensively we set a tone and kept the ball in front of us for the most part and were able to get back into the half court. Offensively, we did a better job of not turning the ball over.”
Greenwood held a one-point lead heading into the fourth and didn’t panic or get flustered. In fact, it was the Hornets who seemed troubled as they could not get into any run of points.
Taking over in the fourth for the Woodmen was junior Bryce Hoffman, who scored 8 of his 16 points in the quarter. Also helping was senior T.J. Price, who also had a big quarter with nine points.
Price scored five straight for the Woodmen at one point.
Beech Grove’s Josh Copenhaver hit a 3 with 45 seconds left to pull the Hornets within four, 52-48, but again, the Woodmen didn’t panic and sealed the game with free throws by Hoffman.
Besides Hoffman’s 16, Price was the other Woodman in double figures with 11.
“I’m very pleased overall with a lot of guys tonight,” said Bradburn.
Up next for the Woodmen is at trip to Center Grove on Dec. 27.
