Jackson County’s Billy Allman guards a Lake County player as teammate Rob Smith looks on during the Special Olympics Indiana basketball state tournament Saturday at Pacers Athletic Center in Westfield.
Coach Jim Shepherd talks to the Jackson County Wildcats players, from left, Haley Hoener, Averie Brennan, Alysha Sandlin and Amanda Hamm during the Special Olympics Indiana basketball state tournament Sunday at Pacers Athletic Center in Westfield. Behind the players is coach Derrick Martin.
Jackson County’s Dale Hickman eyes the basket against Lake County during the Special Olympics Indiana basketball state tournament Saturday at Pacers Athletic Center in Westfield.
Jackson County’s Becky Klosterman smiles as she holds the gold medal she received for winning her division in the individual skills competition during the Special Olympics Indiana basketball state tournament Saturday at Pacers Athletic Center in Westfield.
Jackson County’s Owen Law participates in the shooting portion of the individual skills competition during the Special Olympics Indiana basketball state tournament Saturday at Pacers Athletic Center in Westfield.
Jackson County’s Elijah Noble, Dale Hickman and Billy Allman play defense against Lake County during the Special Olympics Indiana basketball state tournament Saturday at Pacers Athletic Center in Westfield.
WESTFIELD — The Special Olympics Indiana basketball season concluded over the weekend with the state tournament.
Men’s and women’s three-on-three, five-on-five and unified teams competed in the tournament that was conducted Saturday and Sunday at Pacers Athletic Center at Grand Park Sports Complex in Westfield. Plus, athletes competed in the individuals skills competition Saturday.
On the first day, Jackson County was represented by the men’s three-on-three Cyclones and two individual skills participants.
The Cyclones won their first game against the Lake County Hot Peppers 20-18 but lost in the championship to the Ripley-Ohio-Dearborn Counties Jaguars 20-8 to place second and earn silver medals in their division.
In the opener, Dale Hickman scored back-to-back baskets to give the Cyclones a 16-10 lead, and after the Hot Peppers evened the score, Billy Allman made a layup on an assist from Hickman for an 18-16 edge.
Lake County then answered to tie it up before Allman scored the winning basket on a putback.
Allman led the Cyclones with 12 points, and Hickman scored eight.
Against ROD, Jackson County scored the first four points of the game and later led 8-6 when Hickman recorded an assist on a basket by Elijah Noble. The Cyclones, however, didn’t score from there.
Allman finished with four points, and Hickman and Noble each had two.
They finished the season with an 11-3 record. The other member of the team was Rob Smith.
In skills, Becky Klosterman placed first in her division and earned a gold medal, and Owen Law placed third in his division and earned a bronze medal.
On Sunday, Jackson County was represented by the women’s three-on-three Wildcats.
They opened with a 20-12 loss to St. Joseph County and then defeated Marion County Northeast 20-10 to place third in their division and earn bronze medals.
In the first game, the Wildcats made it 4-4 on a basket by Amanda Hamm, but St. Joseph County scored the next six points and never gave up the lead.
Averie Brennan and Hamm each scored six points in the loss.
In the third-place game, Brennan scored the first eight points and Alysha Sandlin’s basket made it 10-0 before Marion County was able to score. The Wildcats maintained the lead the rest of the way.
Brennan led with 14 points, Sandlin had four and Hamm had two. The other member of the team was Haley Hoener.
The Wildcats finished the season with a 4-7 record.