(Batesville, IN) — Liam Rogers delivered a masterclass performance, pouring in 29 points to lead the East Central Trojans to a stunning 68-64 upset victory over No. 7-ranked Batesville on Saturday afternoon at the Dog Pound.
The win not only snapped Batesville’s three-game winning streak but also forced a share of the Eastern Indiana Athletic Conference title, denying the Bulldogs their first outright championship under head coach Aaron Garrett.
Rogers was unstoppable throughout, hitting four three-pointers and converting seven of seven free throws. The junior guard, who had scored just seven points in the teams’ first meeting in December, completely turned the tables on the highly-touted Bulldogs (17-3, 6-1 EIAC).
“They put a two-three zone in,” Garrett said after the loss. “It was a loose zone, a higher zone, and we just stood, where the ball got passed and stopped. Against the zone, you’re cutting, you’re getting into the gaps, you’re making ball fakes, fake a pass to make a pass, and we never… And as you saw in the beginning of the second half, once we just really hammered it at halftime, as far as getting into the gap, you saw all kinds of things start to open up. But then we were in scramble mode because we could never get the lead back.”
East Central (9-11, 5-1 EIAC) used a devastating second-quarter surge to seize control. After trailing 14-10 following the first quarter, the Trojans outscored Batesville 21-14 in the second frame to take a 31-28 halftime advantage. The visitors never relinquished the lead thereafter.
Keaton Beck added 12 points for the Trojans, while Cole Reynolds chipped in nine. East Central’s biggest weapon proved to be their composure at the free-throw line, converting 20 of 24 attempts (83.3%) in crucial moments down the stretch.
“We’re not gonna be able to control officials in a sectional game,” Garrett said, clearly frustrated with several late calls that went against his team. “You’re not gonna control calls, right? And, and we knew about how good a bona fide player Rogers was, and we’re miscommunicating on, on screens and switches, where our screener’s not talking and bumping him as he’s coming off screen.”
Batesville was led by Kamryn Holcomb’s 24 points, including five three-pointers. James Hughes finished with 19 points, hitting three triples of his own, but picked up his fourth foul midway through the fourth quarter, limiting his effectiveness down the stretch. Brayden Maple contributed nine points before fouling out with 14 seconds remaining.
The Bulldogs, who had defeated East Central 68-51 in their December 20 meeting, struggled to find offensive rhythm for much of the contest. After connecting on six of their first seven three-point attempts in the opening quarter, Batesville went ice-cold, finishing just 13-of-34 from beyond the arc (38.2%) for the game.
“They got an opportunity to win their section, they probably don’t have much of one,” Garrett said of East Central’s season outlook compared to his own team’s championship aspirations. “This was their season in terms of how we were a target. And guess what’s gonna happen in sectional? We’ll also be a target. Are we gonna wilt, or are we going to respond instead of react and play the way we’re supposed to play and get some of those tough stops, and then on the other end, get some of those tough scores?”
East Central head coach Tyler Theising employed multiple defensive looks—shifting between a two-three zone, a one-three-one, and man-to-man—that kept the Bulldogs off-balance throughout. The Trojans also took care of the basketball, committing just eight turnovers compared to Batesville’s 10.
The Trojans’ victory means East Central still has a chance to claim at least a share of the EIAC title. They sit at 5-1 in conference play with one game remaining—against Greensburg on February 27. Batesville, meanwhile, has completed its conference schedule at 6-1.
For Batesville, the loss served as a wake-up call with sectional play looming.
“We don’t lose in this program, we learn,” Garrett said. “We either win or we learn, and this group’s got a lot of learning to do Monday in terms of these last two weeks.”
The Bulldogs will look to rebound when they host Jennings County on Friday night in their final home game of the regular season before traveling to face ranked Shelbyville on February 26. Both of those games will be heard on 103.9 FM and the WRBI App.
East Central will host Ryle (Ohio) on Tuesday before traveling to Greenfield-Central on February 20, setting up their regular-season finale against Greensburg that could determine the conference champion.