Raider boys clinch ORVC share
PHOTO BY BETH SCHMALTZ
South Ripley sophomore Blake Gunter goes up to the bucket while classmate Eli Gilpin watches on during Saturday’s win over Greensburg. Gilpin led all scorers with 30 points and Gunter poured in 18 points to give the Raiders their 17th win of the season.
South Ripley boys basketball has now won five-straight games and reached the 17-win mark after a decisive weekend sweep of Rising Sun and Greensburg.
With Friday’s 63-39 win against Rising Sun, the Raiders clinched at least a share of the Ohio River Valley Conference championship. South Ripley followed it up with an impressive 66-52 road win on Saturday at Greensburg.
On a night where the Versailles community celebrated the 1961 sectional championship New Marion team and the 1981 regional championship South Ripley team, the Raiders busted loose from an early 14-14 tie and dominated Rising Sun (7-15, 2-4 ORVC) the rest of the way. The green and white especially did that in the second half with back-to-back runs of 16-9 and 18-8 which stretched out what had been a seven-point halftime lead.
South Ripley spread the wealth as seven players hit the score column. Drew Volz canned 12 of his team-high 18 points in the second half and that was followed by 11 points apiece from Dylan Jessee and Eli Gilpin. Bryson Sipples followed with eight points.
Rising Sun was limited in terms of offense as no player scored in double figures. DJ Williams led the Shiners with nine points.
Each team featured a prolific scoring performance in Saturday’s contest at Greensburg but South Ripley had a bit more backup and consistent offense. The Raiders trailed 15-12 after the first eight minutes but a 17-9 run ensued and South Ripley’s offense put together 20 points in the third quarter to get out in front by double figures. A 17-15 advantage in the fourth period allowed the margin to stretch out before the eventual 66-52 final.
After not scoring in the first quarter, Gilpin went off in the final three frames for the Raiders and finished with 30 points. Of the 30 points, not only were 24 points scored in the second half but also 24 points came from the three-point line as eight triples seemed to do the trick and cement Gilpin’s spot among the upper realm of single-game three-point performances in school history.
Gilpin, a sophomore, was joined in double figures by classmate Blake Gunter who had not played on Friday night. Gunter finished with 18 points and scored 13 of those points in the first half. Volz was next in line for South Ripley at eight points.
Greensburg (10-13) got 30 points from Jacoby Miller -24 points in the first three quarters- but no other Pirate scored more than seven points. Max Buening added those seven points.
South Ripley (17-5, 5-0 ORVC) can clinch the outright ORVC title at home this Friday when they will host Jac-Cen-Del in the regular season finale. It will also be Senior Night for the Raiders.
FRIDAY’S BOYS BASKETBALL GAME
at South Ripley
SOUTH RIPLEY 63, RISING SUN 39
RS – 14. 8. 9. 8. – 39
SR – 14. 15. 16. 18. – 63
RISING SUN (7-15, 2-4 ORVC) – DJ Williams 9, CT Berkley 7, Deriance Pitts 6, Weston Cumberworth 6, Landon Simpson 6, Trey Elliott 5, Cooper Merica 0, Ryan Wallace 0, Carson Wilson 0, Owen Markland 0.
SOUTH RIPLEY (16-5, 5-0 ORVC) – Drew Volz 18, Dylan Jessee 11, Eli Gilpin 11, Bryson Sipples 8, Landon Werner 6, Mason Bascom 6, Brogan Buchanan 3, Abe Speer 0, Ethan Schmaltz 0, Shawn Riehle 0, Keeton Miller 0.
3-Point Goals – RS 6 (Cumberworth 2, Simpson 2, Williams 1, Elliott 1), SR 8 (Jessee 2, Bascom 2, Buchanan 1, Gilpin 1). Total Fouls – RS 8, SR 12. Free Throws – RS 3-3, SR 11-13. Fouled Out – None.
SATURDAY’S BOYS BASKETBALL GAME
at Greensburg
SOUTH RIPLEY 66, GREENSBURG 52
SR – 12. 17. 20. 17. – 66
GB – 15. 9. 13. 15. – 52
SOUTH RIPLEY (17-5) – Eli Gilpin 30, Blake Gunter 18, Drew Volz 8, Dylan Jessee 6. Bryson Sipples 2, Mason Bascom 2, Abe Speer 0, Brogan Buchanan 0, Landon Werner 0, Shawn Riehle 0, Bode Block 0.
GREENSBURG (10-13) – Jacoby Miller 30, Max Buening 7, Ethan Smith 5, Hayden Ramsey 4, Logan Simpson 3, Zayden Miller 2, Jonah Hellmich 1, Wyatt Yake 0, Bryson Chilton 0, Jagger Thompson 0, Adam Powers 0, Carson Kendall 0.
3-Point Goals – SR 11 (Gilpin 8, Jessee 1, Gunter 1), GB 7 (J.Miller 6, Smith 1). Total Fouls – SR 12, GB 6. Free Throws – SR 5-6, GB 9-13. Fouled Out – None.
