By Jeff Washburn
jconline.com
INDIANAPOLIS – This is not a typical Indiana All-Star boys basketball team.
Instead of slam dunks, no-look passes, and ESPN highlight clips, this Indiana team featured tenacious defense, rebounding, and lots of effort June 13 in a 78-65 victory against the Kentucky All-Stars in front of 5,775 fans at Conseco Fieldhouse.
Trailing 37-35 at halftime, West Lafayette coach David Wood’s team outscored Kentucky 23-3 during the first 7:37 of the second half, seizing a 58-40 lead.
With help from Purdue recruits D.J. Byrd (seven points, five rebounds) and Patrick Bade (two points, three rebounds), Indiana limited Kentucky to 37-percent field goal shooting (25 of 68) and was +11 in the all-important rebounding and turnover categories.
How unselfish is this Indiana All-Star team? Bloomington South’s Jordan Hulls, Rochester’s Bruce Grimm Jr., and Tipton’s Derek Elston – the Nos. 1-3 Mr. Basketball vote-getters – were a collective 2 of 14 from the field, yet Indiana won by 13 points.
“The second half was a lot more cohesive for us,” Wood said. ‘We really committed to going inside in the second half. In the first half, we took 38 field goal attempts, and 20 of them were threes. If you are making that, it looks good.
‘But when you are 4 for 20 from threes, it makes you look like a team that has been together for only a week. Our transition defense in the first half was poor. We did a much better job in the second half stopping dribble penetration and rebounding on the defensive end.”
Indianapolis Cathedral's Errick Peck led Indiana with 16 points and 12 rebounds, and Batesville's Colt Ryan added 12 points. Matt Kenney of Mooresville had 11 points.
The Indiana boys have won 18 of 21 meetings, but this victory was all about defense and rebounding, coupled with excellent team play.
“We dominated the boards (30-18) in the second half, and obviously we went inside to Errick Peck,” Wood said. “He was outstanding all night. In the first half, we were not very good in (playing together). We didn’t share the ball at all.
“We talked about that at halftime, and in the second half we had a bunch of guys who shared the ball. They were willing to make the extra pass. Our team looked totally different in the second half.”
Byrd, who sank a 3-pointer with 10:17 remaining to give Indiana a 61-47 lead, enjoyed the way this team played together.
“We knew we had to step it up on defense,” Byrd said. “My goal was not to let (Kentucky Mr. Basketball) Jon Hood get very many touches. In the second half, we really stepped it up with defense and rebounding. We turned it around pretty quick.”
Byrd said Purdue coach Matt Painter would have enjoyed Indiana’s second half.
“He would have liked the second half a lot,” Byrd said. “Had we hit some more shots, it turns into a 30-point victory. We were working hard on defense. Definitely, defense and rebounding won it.”
While Bade played only eight minutes, he was all smiles.
“Coach Painter absolutely would have loved the defense and the hustle by everybody,” Bade said. “We started playing team ball, which helps. We started getting it inside, which I thought broke open the game.
“Errick Peck had an excellent game. Any time you can get a double-double and rebound the way he does ... He is just an awesome player. He is really helping us. We really moved the ball well. We’ve been practicing together and bonding well. That has helped us get this team together.”
Hood led Kentucky with 20 points.
