(Milan, IN) — On a night when Milan High School honored the 40th anniversary of “Hoosiers,” one of the greatest sports movies ever made, Scout Gray delivered a performance befitting the occasion.
The South Dearborn junior poured in a game-high 19 points, including a perfect 6-for-6 from the free-throw line in the fourth quarter, to lead the Knights to a 59-51 non-conference victory over Milan on Saturday night at the historic gymnasium known as “The Teepee.”
The win improved first-year coach Brad Moorhead’s Knights to 13-5 on the season, bouncing back from a 61-42 loss at South Ripley the previous night. Milan fell to 9-8 despite a spirited effort from junior Micah Norman, who scored 15 points but remains 13 points shy of breaking the school’s all-time scoring record.
For one night, Milan’s Indians became the Hickory Huskers, wearing special burgundy-and-white uniforms modeled after the fictional team from the 1986 film. The movie, considered by many as the best sports movie of all time, immortalized Milan’s improbable 1954 state championship — when a school with just 161 students defeated powerhouse Muncie Central High School (enrollment 1,662) by a score of 32-30 at Butler Fieldhouse.
Roland Cutter, who wore No. 32 for the 1954 champions, attended Saturday’s game and was recognized at halftime, one of the dwindling number of survivors from that legendary squad.
Tyler Christian added 17 points for the Knights, while Mason Lane chipped in 12, including two crucial three-pointers. South Dearborn, a member of the Eastern Indiana Athletic Conference, controlled the game throughout, leading 16-10 after the first quarter, 30-22 at halftime, and 42-35 entering the final period.
Before the game, Moorhead emphasized the importance of moving past Friday’s loss at South Ripley.
“Sometimes you just don’t play well,” Moorhead said. “And unfortunately, in the second half last night, we just didn’t play very well. But what we’ve been talking about since I’ve had the guys with me today is short-term memory. Can’t do anything to change it, and you got a really important game to come to Milan and try to win tonight.”
The Knights’ deliberate offensive approach frustrated Milan’s defense early, though the Indians found their shooting touch from beyond the arc in the second half, finishing 5-for-20 from three-point range. Ben Knowlton led Milan with 11 points, while Ethan Clark added nine and Gabe Riehle contributed six.
After the game, Moorhead praised Gray’s ability to deliver in clutch moments.
“You always want somebody as a coach who wants the ball in their hands when the game’s on the line, and Scout’s that guy for us right now,” Moorhead said.
Milan coach Matt Pickerill, in his fourth season, saw his team’s four-game winning streak snapped. The Indians, members of the Ohio River Valley Conference, had won all four previous games on the road before returning home for Saturday’s contest.
South Dearborn dominated the turnover battle, committing just four for the game compared to Milan’s eight. Both teams shot 43 percent from the field (20-for-47), but the Knights’ 61 percent free-throw shooting (14-for-23) proved superior to Milan’s 40 percent (6-for-15).
South Dearborn will next travel to Harrison, Ohio, on Wednesday. Milan returns to action Tuesday when it hosts Waldron, giving Norman another opportunity to break the school’s career scoring record in front of the home crowd. You can also hear that game on 103.9 FM and the WRBI App.
On Saturday night, in uniforms that bridged past and present, Milan reminded everyone why basketball in Indiana will always be more than just a game.