MIDDLETOWN — For the fourth straight year, Eastern Hancock opened girls basketball sectional play against Irvington Prep Academy.
For the fourth straight year, the results were the same.
Behind a 16-0 run to start the game and a 23-0 run to end it, Eastern Hancock defeated IPA 78-6 in a first-round game of Class 2A Sectional 42, at Shenandoah High School, on Tuesday.
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The Royals held the Ravens without a field goal until the 3:41 mark of third quarter and had a stretch of 26 straight points during the middle two periods.
“Our goal was not to play any different than we have all year,” Eastern Hancock coach Shari Doud said. “We wanted to set the tone and I think we did that.”
Ten players scored and four players scored in double figures. Off the bench, Skyla Smith led the way with 15 points. Jocelyn Duncan and Chloe O’Neal each scored 12. Jenna Smith added 10 points.
“I thought we played well and fought hard,” Duncan said. “We did everything we had to do.”
Duncan helped lead the charge early. After O’Neal had the game’s opening bucket, Duncan scored off a steal and added a layup off another Irvington Prep turnover. It was quickly 6-0, just 53 seconds into the contest. The Royals were 3 for 3 from the field and forced the Ravens to call a quick timeout.
Eastern led 18-1 after the first quarter, aided by seven Irvington Prep turnovers. The Royals held the Ravens scoreless in the fourth quarter.
“We’ve been a strong man-to-man defensive team this year,” Doud said.
The 72-point margin was one of the biggest margins of victory of the last four tournament meetings between the teams. In 2016, the Royals beat the Ravens by 73, 81-8.
Eastern Hancock improved to 13-10 with the win. Irvington Prep finishes the season at 2-16.
The competition will get immensely tougher in Friday’s semifinal contest when the Royals take on second-ranked Triton Central (21-1).
“They are No. 2 in the state for a reason,” Doud said. “Like everyone else that has played them, you’ll go in with a game plan and hope it works in your favor.
“This time of year all teams are capable beating one another. It’s a new season.”
The Royals and Tigers are familiar foes, too. In the 2016 sectional , Triton edged Eastern Hancock 36-34 in the championship game. In 2017, after losing to the Tigers, 52-35, in the regular season, the Royals avenged the loss with a 57-50 victory to claim the program’s second sectional title. Earlier this season, on Nov. 10, the Tigers won 65-45.
“We have to focus on the little things in preparing for Friday,” Duncan said. “We’ll have to work harder.”
Tip-off for the semifinal game at Shenandoah High School is slated for 7:30 p.m. It is the second of two contests. Host Shenandoah, a 62-25 winner against Knightstown on Tuesday, will take on Indianapolis Howe at 6 p.m.
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Eastern Hancock 78, Irvington Prep Academy 6
Eastern Hancock;18;22;23;15;—;78
Irvington Prep Academy;1;1;4;0;—;6
Eastern Hancock (13-10): Skyla Smith 7 1-4 15, Jocelyn Duncan 6 0-1 12, Chloe O’Neal 5 2-2 12, Jenna Smith 4 2-4 10, Alyson Spaulding 4 0-0 8, Haley Best 2 0-0 5, Bella Witte 2 1-4 5, Lili Hunt 2 1-2 5, Delaney Collins 2 0-2 4, Caroline Stapleton 0 2-4 2. Totals: 34 9-23 78.
Irvington Prep Academy (2-16): Jennifer Hallquist 1 0-0 2, Faith Mannix 0 2-4 2, Corina Campbell 0 1-6 1, Mikayla Shaver 0 1-2 1, Lindsay Tyler 0 0-1 0. Totals: 1 4-13 6.
3-point goals: Eastern Hancock 1 (Best).
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