BELL CITY — In a game that tested St. Vincent’s patience, the Indians found their rhythm when it mattered most.
After a sluggish second quarter and a tight first half, St. Vincent used a decisive third-quarter surge to pull away for a 56-45 win over Bell City on Feb. 20. The victory improved the Indians to 20-6 and extended their winning streak to three games heading into district play, while Bell City fell to 15-11.
“It was a grinding type game,” St. Vincent coach Bruce Valleroy said. “The first quarter was kind of back and forth, and then the second quarter, we scored the first basket and didn’t score again until the last possession. Our defense really stepped up and played really well.”
St. Vincent led 14-13 after the first quarter but managed just five points in the second, matching Bell City’s output in a defensive stalemate. The Indians still carried a narrow 19-18 lead into halftime.
The turning point came in the third quarter.
St. Vincent erupted for 21 points while holding Bell City to 10, creating separation that the Cubs couldn’t overcome. The Indians’ defense continued to limit Bell City’s opportunities, and their offense began to capitalize on open looks.
“We just talked at halftime and thought we didn’t need to make many adjustments,” Valleroy said. “Just keep doing what we’re doing, and hopefully the ball will go in the basket. And it did.”
Case Huber and Max Wheeler led the balanced attack with 18 points each, while Colden Prost added 17 points, 5 assists and 5 rebounds. Clay Ellis contributed 3 points, and Cain Clifton added 1 as St. Vincent shot 46.2 percent from the field and scored 38 points in the paint.
Bell City was led by Blake Jarrell with 14 points and Juan Hernandez with 9.
St. Vincent built its lead to as many as 17 points in the second half before Bell City trimmed the margin late, but the outcome was never seriously in doubt.
As the top seed in the Class 2, District 4 tournament, the Indians received a first-round bye and will open postseason play Feb. 26 at Meadow Heights.
ST. VINCENT 71, MEADOW HEIGHTS 57
PATTON — With a potential district opponent on the other side, St. Vincent made sure to send a message.
Behind a huge first half from Max Wheeler and balanced scoring throughout the lineup, the Indians pulled away for a 71-57 win over host Meadow Heights on Feb. 19.
The game was tight early, with Meadow Heights holding a 16-14 lead after the first quarter. St. Vincent responded in a big way in the second, erupting for 28 points to take a 44-33 halftime advantage — a stretch that ultimately proved decisive.
“Meadow Heights was kind of a back-and-forth game to start with,” said St. Vincent coach Bruce Valleroy. “But we scored 30 points in the second quarter and kind of had our way offensively at times.”
Wheeler led the charge, finishing with 32 points, including 26 in the first half alone. He also added 12 rebounds to anchor the Indians inside.
Colden Prost added 17 points and filled the stat sheet with 13 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals, while Case Huber contributed 11 points and 8 assists. Clay Ellis chipped in 5 points, and Cain Clifton added 3.
Meadow Heights was led by Mason Mayfield with 28 points and Kamden Hays with 21, but St. Vincent’s defense made both work for their production.
“I thought we played a very good defensive game with them,” Valleroy said. “They’ve got two kids that can really score, and they had to work for it.”
The Indians maintained control throughout the second half, never allowing Meadow Heights to get closer than eight points while continuing to attack the basket.
“We had good balanced scoring and made some adjustments,” Valleroy said. “Whenever you score 71 points, you’re doing something right.”
With districts approaching, the win provided both momentum and a reminder of what the Indians can do when their offense and defense come together.
ST. VINCENT 69, HILLSBORO 59
HILLSBORO — St. Vincent proved it could go on the road and beat one of the area’s top large-school programs. Behind balanced scoring and a strong second half, the Class 3 Indians — who won the small school division of the Jefferson County Athletic Association — knocked off Class 5 Hillsboro 69-59 on Feb. 16, earning a quality win over the large school conference champions.
“It was a good night,” St. Vincent coach Bruce Valleroy said. “We played well and beat a good Hillsboro team. They won the large school division of our conference. So anytime you can beat a larger school and especially a team like that, that was awesome.”
Hillsboro led 13-10 after the first quarter, but St. Vincent responded in the second, outscoring the Hawks 16-8 to take a 26-21 lead into halftime. The Indians created separation in the third quarter, putting together their best stretch of the night with 23 points to extend the advantage to 49-35.
Hillsboro made one final push in the fourth, scoring 24 points, but St. Vincent answered with 20 of its own to secure the win.
Max Wheeler led the Indians with 29 points and 10 rebounds, while Colden Prost added 18 points, seven assists and seven steals. Liam Nations contributed eight points, and Case Huber finished with seven as St. Vincent shot 48.1 percent from the field and controlled key stretches of the game.
Defense and efficiency helped St. Vincent build its lead. The Indians held Hillsboro to 39.7 percent shooting and forced 19 turnovers, turning those opportunities into key baskets.
