Friday, June 22, 2001
Indiana seeks to sweep by Ky.
The Associated Press
INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana boys and girls have no lack of motivation for Saturday night's conclusion of their annual basketball rivalry against their counterparts from Kentucky.
Kentucky ended five-game losing streaks in both games at Owensboro, Ky., last week and is in position to score its first sweep of all four games in the series since the girls were added to it in 1976.
Kentucky's girls won 86-83 the boys won 103-90. Now the rivalry switches to Conseco Fieldhouse Saturday, with Kentucky's boys seeking their first sweep since 1986. Indiana's girls, which had built a 26-24 advantage by winning 14 of the previous 16 games, want to avoid being swept for the first time since 1991.
Indiana Miss Basketball Shyra Ely of Indianapolis Ben Davis struggled last week, hitting just 5-for-14 shots. Her misses included three potential game-tying shots in the final minute. If that wasn't enough motivation for improvement, Ely said comments by some Kentucky players implying that the University of Tennessee-bound player wasn't worthy of the Miss Basketball honor has made her more intent in preparing for their second meeting.
“That got me really fired up,' said Ely, who read the comments in Kentucky newspapers. “I really don't go for trash talking. They did me a favor and they didn't do themselves any good at all.”
Ely tuned up for the rematch Wednesday night with 21 points, 16 rebounds and four assists in the All-Stars' 89-74 victory over the junior All-Stars in an exhibition game.
“Shyra is a little pumped up,”' said All-Stars coach Bruce Dockery of Evansville Memorial. “There was some things said that she wasn't really pleased with. She's ready to play.”
Ely, who won the Naismith Award as the nation's top high school player and led Ben Davis to the state Class 4A championship, credits Kentucky for its victory.
“They went into it thinking they were the underdogs,' she said. “They had something to prove and they outhustled us.”
Meanwhile, Indiana's boys have been hearing about the need to share the ball more this week. Indiana coach J.R. Holmes of Bloomington South wasn't happy his team had only 13 assists on 31 baskets, while being outrebounded 55-40 and committing 20 turnovers that were converted into 30 points.
“We know we didn't play as a team in Kentucky,” said Michigan State recruit Chris Hill of Lawrence North. “We need to focus better. ... We were having fun and stuff. I don't know if we were ready. I think Kentucky was more focused and consequently, they played better than us.”
Kentucky's boys had six players in double figures. Louisville recruit Larry O'Bannon led the way with 23 points. Western Kentucky-bound Patrick Sparks of Muhlenberg North, had 15 points, nine assists and eight steals.
Notre Dame-bound Chris Thomas of Indianapolis Pike topped Indiana with 24 points.
“We've heard from a lot of people lately who've told us we can't lose to them twice,” Hill said. “And we're going to do everything in our power to not let that happen.
“The whole time we were in Kentucky we heard a lot of talk. They were saying they were good enough to beat us twice.”
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Indiana seeks to sweep by Ky.
