Bloomington South Panthers hit every basket in 4th quarter for 68–56 win over Martinsville

At halftime, the Bloomington High School South boys basketball team held the lead over Martinsville by just one point. Both teams knew there would be a strong second-half push and plenty of chances at both ends.

But halfway through the third quarter, it seemed that Bloomington South’s adjustments were more effective. The Panthers stretched their advantage to 41-33. Yet, the Artesians fought back and were only down four points heading into the fourth quarter.

South had eight minutes left to hold onto the lead and win its second game in two days. And the Panthers did just that. South outscored Martinsville 24-16 in the fourth quarter, courtesy of a 12-for-12 performance from the line, to defeat the Artesians 68-56 at home Saturday.

Even though it was cold outside, the Panthers were hot from the floor and the free throw line. South finished the contest shooting 60% from the field and 14 for 17 at the charity stripe. The Panthers knocked down six 3-pointers throughout the game, including four in the second half.

Senior guard Jack Clark (21 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists) had a team-high 21 points, while shooting 75% from the field and knocking down four 3-pointers. Junior wing Duncan Combs (16 points, 3 rebounds, 7 assists) contributed 16 points and 7 assists. Senior guard Max Surdam (16 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists, 3 steals) also had 16 points to go along with a crucial 8-for-8 performance from the free throw line in the fourth quarter.

Bloomington South’s defense was just enough to hold off a 31-point performance from Martinsville senior guard Grady Gardner (31 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist). But the Artesians did not get another double-digit performance from anyone besides Gardner. As a team, Martinsville went 47% from the field and made eight 3-pointers, but 14 turnovers hurt the team’s effectiveness.

And the turnovers started in the first quarter; however, both teams made mistakes. Six turnovers were committed in the first 8 minutes, three from each team.

It was a physical and back-and-forth affair throughout the opening quarter, but Martinsville was ahead 15-13 when the buzzer sounded. The Artesians started the game with a 3-pointer from junior guard Carson Robertson (8 points, 2 rebounds) and made two more treys in the first quarter.

However, Martinsville gave up four offensive rebounds to Bloomington South, and the Panthers took advantage. They finished the first quarter with four more shots than the Artesians and knocked down 46% of them.

Even though South was down, they had momentum that carried into the second quarter. This time, the Panthers hit their shots. Eight out of their 13 attempts went into the basket, including a 3-pointer by Surdam that opened the second quarter to give South a 16-15 edge.

Bloomington South was able to extend its lead to five points after a 2-pointer by Combs, but Martinsville answered with an 8-0 scoring run. That run still didn’t shake South’s confidence. The Panthers were able to make some shots just before halftime, including buckets from Clark and senior forward Matt Tierney (2 points, 3 rebounds), that gave South a 31-30 advantage heading into the break.

Early in the second half, the Panthers lead blossomed into an eight-point advantage. However, Martinsville responded with five points from Gardner and a 2-pointer by sophomore guard Lucas Toloday.

South was finally making mistakes, including producing four turnovers, but the team was also forcing Martinsville to play sloppily. The Panthers made 56% of their shots in the third quarter and held the Artesians to a 3-for-8 performance. Even through the mistakes, a 3-pointer from Clark gave South a 44-40 lead heading into the final quarter.

With a neck-and-neck at the start of the fourth quarter, for the rest of the game Bloomington South managed to do the one thing that every basketball team dreams of—not to miss a single shot. The Panthers went 5 for 5 from the field, and 12 for 12 from the free throw line in the final eight minutes.

In the final quarter, both teams only produced one turnover, but Martinsville’s 42% shooting hurt the Artesians. After a 2-pointer from Combs, South extended its lead to 56-46 before Martinsville started to foul.

It could’ve been a chance for the visiting team to get back into the game, but South’s efficient shooting from the line left little room for error from Martinsville. The made free throws extended South’s lead and helped give the Panthers a 68-56 win.

Bloomington South (11-4, 2-0 Conference Indiana) now gets some much-needed rest before playing Conference Indiana foe Terre Haute South Vigo on Friday (Jan. 30). Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

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