Eastern Hancock head coach Aaron Spaulding talks with his starting five moments before the tip-off against Clarksville Providence for the IHSAA Class 2A boys basketball semistate championship at Seymour High School, Saturday, March 19, 2022.
Tom Russo | The Daily Reporter
SEYMOUR — There was no way the Eastern Hancock players were going to slip past their family, friends and fans on Saturday night.
Despite coming up short against Class 2A Providence, 41-33, in the Seymour Semistate title game, countless supporters, alumni and young, future Royals gathered outside the Eastern Hancock locker room inside Lloyd E. Scott Gymnasium.
As each Eastern Hancock player walked out of the Royals’ locker room, some distraught, the dense awaiting crowd applauded and cheered.
For the small-town, close-knit community, their 14 rostered Royals that reached the boys basketball program’s first semistate since 2003 were heroes, even in defeat.
“It’s awesome to know that our fans are honestly some of the best fans I’ve ever seen. It’s awesome to know they’re always going to support us,” Eastern Hancock senior Landon O’Neal remarked before he was greeted by a litany of hugs and pats on the back from those that made the roughly, 76-mile drive from Charlottesville. “I’m really proud. I’ve been wanting to do this ever since I was little. To actually get here is crazy, but I just really wish we would have came through for one more game.”
If an onlooker had missed the game’s 32 minutes, they might have assumed the 2A No. 9 Royals (22-6) had won their 10th consecutive contest based on the support showered upon them after the final horn sounded.
The Royals battled back from an early 7-0 deficit and led Providence (20-6) at halftime 20-19. Eastern Hancock dug in and carried a 30-25 advantage into the fourth quarter — maintaining control until the final 1 minute, 41 seconds as Providence flipped a 33-32 disadvantage into a decisive 9-0 run.
The Royals were out rebounded but won the turnover battle. Unfortunately, their high-powered offense scuffled in the game’s final eight minutes, being held without a field goal at 0-for-12 from the field as quality shot, after quality shot, continously rimmed out, time after time.
“We didn’t get them to fall, but that’s how we live and, I guess, that’s how we died. We were all right there, but they made some plays that we didn’t,” Eastern Hancock head coach Aaron Spaulding said.
“I’m proud of all of them. There’s nobody that I’m not. Obviously, this wasn’t anybody’s fault. We won as a team all the way through, and we lost as a team. Some people made plays. Sometimes, we didn’t make plays, like any other game. We did some good things and we did some bad things.”
The good came in the form of nine straight victories, a sectional title — the program’s first since 2008 — a regional crown, a single-season record 22 wins overall and a wave of loyal blue and white that soared deep into the upper deck seats Saturday.
The attendance was so overwhelming for the venue’s concessions that popcorn and water were sold out before halftime of the 2A semistate title game.
The Royals players noticed their fans’ screams, chants and battle cries throughout the night. They wanted nothing more than to make their faithful proud.
“When we came out, man, that crowd was electric. It fired me up. It fired the team up. We were ready to play. I just can’t thank everybody enough, who traveled to be here and watch us. We really appreciated it,” Eastern Hancock senior Cyrus Burton said.
“It’s crazy to have your whole community behind you,” Royals senior Cole Rainbolt added. “You just hear them cheering you on. You can’t thank them enough. I love the team. I love everything about the Eastern Hancock community. Couldn’t ask for anything better.”
The only piece missing was the W, another net cut down in the team’s honor, a shot at the State Finals in Indianapolis and one more victory to add to the seniors’ run at 64 over the past four years.
“It’s frustrating, but it all has to be in perspective, though. Right now, it’s frustrating. You want to be that. You want to do that, but this is a ride these kids will remember. It’s frustrating, but it’s a game. We just came up short today,” Aaron Spaulding said.
Part of the result was misfortune. Another was a Providence team that focused primarily on defense against a team they openly were concerned about.
Winning its fourth regional overall and third in the past 10 years, Providence came into the game averaging more than 50 points per contest. The Royals held them under that mark.
Providence also knew the Royals could put up more than 60 points in a heartbeat. Eastern Hancock had broken the 60-point mark 15 times this season.
“That’s a heck of a team in Eastern Hancock. Their shooting ability is phenomenal. They have several guys that are awesome off the bounce and with the 3-point shot. They’re a really tough guard. We were confident coming into the game because we’ve faced such good competition, but we’ve never faced a team that shoots the ball like those guys,” Providence head coach Ryan Miller said.
“They can flat out shoot it. They distribute and they handle. They’re a very challenging team to play, and we knew we wanted to set the pace. We didn’t want to run with them, and fortunately, we stepped up the defensive pressure.”
The Pioneers’ defense was a factor, but so were the near-makes. The Royals forced four Pioneer turnovers in the fourth quarter with nine overall in the second half.
But at 0-for-5 to start the fourth quarter — with all five attempts popping out just before finding the bottom of the nylon — the Royals had to accept what they couldn’t control. As painful as it unfolded.
“That’s how basketball is. It stinks that it was on our end and we weren’t making shots and they were making plays, but that’s just how the game works. I wish it would have went the other way,” O’Neal said. “It’s really just knowing I’ll never play with these guys again. It’s really hard. There will be nothing like this season of Eastern Hancock basketball.”
If there is, the seniors swear to be in the stands to witness it, just like the abundant pressence of Royals boys basketball alumni occupying the stands behind the Eastern Hancock bench the entire game on Saturday.
“We all love each other and we just love to play the game. We just want to win. That’s what we tried to go out there and do,” Burton said. “Unfortunately, we didn’t get the job done, but it really just showed the toughness of our team and how much we love to play. I hope someone comes in and wins state. That’s all I care about.”
