MEDORA — The Medora boys and girls basketball teams were both at home Monday night as the fans in attendance were treated to a trio of games featuring the girls varsity, boys junior varsity and boys varsity.
The girls game kicked off Monday’s events, and the game delivered.
Medora’s Jenna Bowers poured in a record-breaking performance, scoring 37 points, which is now the most points scored in a game in program history.
Four different girls had scored 35 in a single game, which was the previous record, but two free throws Bowers hit with six seconds to go gave her the new record.
Her final two points cut the deficit to just one point, but Bloomington Lighthouse went down and made two free throws to go back up three.
Aaralyn Hackney shot a 3-pointer at the buzzer, but she was fouled before going into a shooting motion. Hackney made the first free throw, and she intentionally missed the second with 0.6 seconds left, but a lane violation allowed the Lions to hold on for a 57-55 victory.
Medora held a 9-8 lead after the first quarter, but Lighthouse had a big second quarter to lead 29-18 at halftime.
In the third quarter, the Hornets turned things around. Bowers continued her scoring barrage, and Hackney hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to put Medora up 44-43 heading into the fourth.
“That was kind of the challenge I put to them at halftime,” head coach Roger Bane said. “We have to play 32 minutes, and we didn’t play the first 16. You have to sprint down the floor, you have to block out, you have to make good decisions on the shots. We did a better job moving around there in the second half.”
The Lions had the size advantage throughout the night and did most of their damage in the paint. It didn’t help that Medora’s Brelee Underwood and Peyton Spence both fouled out in the fourth quarter.
“They had a couple pretty good post players, and my kids just aren’t physical enough or big enough to play against them,” Bane said. “We just have to get more physical. We did a better job in the second half, but then my two post players fouled out.”
Bowers scored 19 of her points from the charity stripe, and the rest she got getting downhill and creating for herself.
“We were trying to screen high for her and let her move around and create,” Bane said. “That was the game plan. It worked out for us.”
Hackney added 11 points, Underwood had four and Spence scored three. Hackney had a 3-pointer with under a minute to go to tie the game, and it just rimmed out.
“When she took the shot there on the left side, I thought it was in,” Bane said. “The girls really listen well and try to do what I tell them to do. We’re just a little behind on the mechanics, but we’re all young. I have no seniors, so hopefully, this carries over to next year.”
The loss dropped Medora to 2-7 on the season, and this was the Hornets’ first game since Dec. 19. They’ll be back in action tonight at home against Columbus Christian and then again on Thursday at Clarksville.
“I’m hoping tomorrow night, we get 32 minutes,” Bane said. “Toward the end of the year, I hope we just keep seeing improvement. Our sectional is tough, there are some teams in there that are pretty good, but I hope we can compete by the time we get there.”
The boys JV game was just two quarters, which Bloomington Lighthouse won 31-24.
In the boys varsity game, the game was stopped with 2:57 left in the fourth quarter due to an injury to a Medora player that required medical attention.
Bloomington Lighthouse was leading 76-34 at the time of the stoppage.
Shepard Earl scored 16 points for the Hornets, Hudson Johnson had seven, Damian Salas had six and Braxton McCory had five.
Medora, now 3-5 this season, will host the Southern Roads Conference tournament this weekend, starting on Friday night.
The Hornets will take on Madison Christian on Friday night at 7:30 p.m. The winner of that game will play the winner of Pleasant View Christian and Seven Oaks Classical, who play first on Friday at 6 p.m. That game will take place on Saturday at 10:30 a.m. Cannelton, Columbus Christian and Bloomington Lighthouse will all be in action on Saturday, as well.