GREENFIELD — It was Senior Night and History-Making Night for Greenfield-Central’s boys basketball team.
In the home and regular-season finale, the Cougars recognized their two seniors — Jacob Hinton and Braden Robertson — prior to the game, and then proceeded to do what they’ve been accustomed to doing in their first 21 games, win.
The Cougars led from start to finish, got to running-clock rules [a 35-point lead] by the 2-minute mark of the third quarter and defeated Perry Meridian 68-23 at Dellen Automotive Gymnasium Wednesday.
Greenfield-Central set school records for wins in a season and winning streak (22) and wrapped up the 2023-24 regular season 22-0, the only undefeated team in the state. The win extended their regular-season winning streak to 40.
The 22 wins are one more than the 2022-23 team, which finished 21-2.
Three starters and six players graduated from last year’s team, including one of the program’s all-time greats in Dylan Moles, the school’s all-time leader in 3-pointers and a member of the 1,000-point club.
Head coach Luke Meredith wasn’t sure what he was going to have this season. He knew junior Braylon Mullins — one of the most highly-touted players in his class — would be back, but other than Robertson, the other returning starter, and Hinton one of the first subs off the bench, most of the roster had little to no varsity experience.
“I would have never thought we were going 22-0,” Robertson said. “I don’t think anybody looking outside in would see that from us. We’ve got a special group, but it all matters next week.”
Mullins, Robertson and Hinton were joined in the starting lineup by Boston Willard and Dallas Freeman. Off the bench, the Cougars have had solid contributions from Cooper Robertson and Brady Johnson.
“We lost so much [to graduation] I really didn’t know what we would have,” Meredith said. “This group, they’re winners and they’re special. They’ve been special in their preparation. They’ve been special in their culture. They’ve been special in their togetherness. They do everything right, on the court, off the court … getting it done academically, and just showing up every single day and working hard.
“They’re a special group and a pleasure to coach them. It’s not me, it’s them.”
On Wednesday, Mullins — a 6-5 junior with multiple Division-I offers — had a team-high 24 points. He had 19 in the first half, hitting 8 of 9 field-goal attempts in the first two quarters, including 3 of 3 from 3-point range.
Freeman finished with 17 points. He hit his last five shots of the game and had 11 third-quarter points.
Greenfield-Central scored the game’s first 13 points. Mullins opened it from an assist by Willard, who leads the team with a 4.8 assists per game average and is second to Mullins in scoring, averaging 11.6 per game.
Mullins followed with back-to-back treys. Willard scored off a turnover and Mullins added his third first-quarter trey for a 13-0 advantage.
Mullins and Freeman each had second-quarter dunks to help build the lead to 33-12 at half.
The Cougars hit 10 of 12 shots in the third quarter, including 6 of 8 from 3-point range.
“We definitely had some big shoes to fill,” Hinton, who will play football next season at West Point, said of following last year’s 21-win team. “This team, everyone fills their role and everyone knows their job. There’s no selfishness.”
Greenfield-Central is ranked No. 6 in the state, both in the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association poll and the Associated Press Class 4A poll.
The rankings, unbeaten season and records are nice, but the Cougars want the one thing that has slipped their grasp, a sectional title. They haven’t won one since a Class 3A title in 1998 at Shelbyville.
A year ago, in a battle of state-ranked teams, Greenfield-Central’s then-record-setting season ended with a loss to Anderson in the opening game of the sectional. The Indians knocked G-C out in 2022, also.
The IHSAA drew a G-C/Anderson rematch for a quarterfinal round game, at G-C, Wednesday. Anderson has another strong team this year, too. The Indians are 17-5.
“They’ve put us out two years in a row, hopefully the third time’s the charm,” Hinton said.
The seven-team field is loaded again this year. Greenfield-Central, New Palestine, and Richmond are all state-ranked. Anderson is receiving votes and Mt. Vernon, with the return of sophomore guard Luke Ertel, is coming off a 22-point win against New Palestine on Tuesday and has gone 4-0 since Ertel has returned to the lineup. Pendleton Heights has lost to all of the team’s in the tournament, but all have been by five points or less.
“I just told the kids [after the game], we’re 0-0,” Meredith said, on the focus shifting to next week’s sectional tournament.
“It definitely feels great,” Hinton said of the conference title and unbeaten season. “I’m really happy and proud of my teammates on going 22-0. It’s great to be a part of, but my eyes are focused on that sectional championship.”
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Greenfield-Central 68, Perry Meridian 23
Perry Meridian;5;7;8;3;—;23
Greenfield-Central;15;18;26;9;—;68
Perry Meridian (4-18): Colton Phillips 0 0-0 0, Braydon Hohlt 0 0-0 0, Anthony Towns 0 0-0 0, Bryce Mathis 3 2-2 9, JoJo Brewer 2 0-0 6, Ric Moreira 0 0-0 0, Nique Ingram 1 0-0 3, B.J. Sibanda 2 0-0 5, Zion Jordan 0 0-0 0, Colton Barker 0 0-0 0, Ryan Terrell 0 0-0 0, Brady Cox 0 0-0 0. Totals: 8 2-2 23.
Greenfield-Central (22-0): Dallas Freeman 6 2-2 17, Braden Robertson 2 1-2 6, Jacob Hinton 2 0-0 4, Braylon Mullins 10 0-0 24, Boston Willard 2 0-0 5, Cooper Robertson 2 0-0 4, Brady Johnson 2 0-0 5, Tucker Brown 1 0-0 3, Blake Evans 0 0-0 0, Gavin Markus 0 0-0 0, Clay Mullins 0 0-0 0, Isaac Roberts 0 0-0 0. Totals: 27 3-4 68.
3-point goals: Perry Meridian 5 (Sibanda 2, Brewer 2, Mathis). Greenfield-Central 11 (B. Mullins 4, Freeman 3, B. Robertson, Willard, Johnson, Brown).
