Boys sectionals: Southport gets edge in overtime

Beating the same team three times in a season is never easy, especially when its your fiercest rival and the season on the line.

Did that kind of pressure mount on the Southport boys basketball team this week?

"I didn't sleep for three nights leading up to the game," coach Kyle Simpson said half kiddingly after the game.

Perry Meridian gave the Cardinals plenty of reason to be apprehensive. Southport allowed a 7-point lead to slip away in the final 1:30 of regulation, but escaped with a 57-54 win in overtime of the Class 4A sectional opener at Ben Davis.

Southport (14-7) will to play Decatur Central in the sectional semifinals at 6 p.m. Friday.

In the other quarterfinal, Ben Davis (11-8) outlasted Northwest 64-55 in a game that was closer than anticipated. The Giants will play Friday against Pike.

Southport's win, meanwhile, came down to the final moments. Southport sophomore center Joey Brunk gave his team a 55-54 lead inside a minute to play in overtime. The Cardinals then turned to defense, as Brunk blocked a shot and senior guard Tim Jewell added a steal in the final 18 seconds.

Jewell gave the Cardinals a 57-54 lead with a pair of free throws with 10 seconds remaining, and Perry Meridian junior guard Curtis Green missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer that could have forced a second overtime.

"I just lost 25 pounds and aged five years," Simpson said.

"I told the guys this was going to be the toughest game they ever played," he added. "Playing a team a third time in a month and a half is never easy. We knew we would get their best shot."

Southport, shooting for its first sectional title since 2000, beat the Falcons 61-52 on Jan. 14 and 71-57 on Feb. 7. Perry Meridian finishes its season 13-7.

"We knew this was going to be hard," said Southport junior guard Malik Bennett, who scored nine points and added five assists. "We needed to play aggressive. It was a big win. Last year, we didn't have any crowd come to games, and this year our fans are loving it."

The win adds to an already impressive season for the Cardinals, who finished 1-19 last year. They clinched the Conference Indiana title last month with a win over the Falcons.

The Falcons didn't go quietly, though. Trailing 48-41 with 1:18 to play, junior forward Dylan Windler hit a 3 to cut the Cardinals' lead to 4.

Trailing 50-46 with 17 seconds remaining, Perry Meridian senior guard Curtis Green banked in a 3-pointer to cut the lead to 1.

After a Southport turnover, Green made 1-of-2 from the free throw line with 3 seconds left to tie the score at 50. A Bennett 3-pointer at the buzzer fell just short to force overtime.

"We've done a decent job the past couple weeks, but everything we had been doing kind of went out the window," Simpson said of allowing Perry Meridian back in the game. "

The Falcons led 21-12 midway through the second quarter and 26-20 at halftime, but the Cardinals used a 23-12 run to take a 35-33 lead after three quarters.

"We did a good job of matching up in the fourth quarter to give us a chance," Perry Meridian coach Brent Keck said. "We've made a lot of progress from the first two games, but (Southport) has a lot of talent."

Brunk and freshman guard Paul Scruggs each had 16 points and 10 rebounds for the Cardinals.

Green finished with 20 points for Perry Meridian.

In the Ben Davis game, senior forward Michael Beaty paced the Giants with 27 points, while sophomore guard Brian Warren led the Pioneers (4-15) with 27.

"We made some bad decisions, but we're happy to advance," Ben Davis coach Mark James said.