CC falls as Holland hits for 32

Corydon Central’s boys basketball team showed plenty of moxie in last Thursday night’s Mid-Southern Conference battle against Austin.
Despite a double-digit deficit in the third period, the Panthers rallied to within three points on several occasions and had several opportunities to tie the game.
Jeremy Holland, a 6-8 senior forward for Austin, almost always had an answer, however, as he pumped in 32 points, grabbed nine rebounds, and blocked four shots in his team’s 58-54 victory.
Holland hit 13 of 20 shots and nailed four of five three-point tries.
Corydon, which came into the contest having won three of its previous four outings, was able to double-up the Eagles in the final two minutes of the opening period, 16-8.
Holland and Donnie Chambers closed out the scoring in the first to trim the Panthers’ lead to 16-12.
Josh Stepro had a quick score to start the second period for Corydon, but the basket shrank to pea-size the next five minutes for the Panthers.
Holland hit a couple of threes and a jumper, Josh Smith had a deuce, and Nathan Coomer hit a couple of free throws to spur Austin out front, 24-18.
Corydon’s Ryan Herndon, who had a season-high 19 points, buried a three to slow the bleeding. After a deuce and a free throw by Coomer, Lucas Taylor hit another three to keep the Panthers (4-13, 2-6) close at the half, 27-24.
The Eagles (16-3, 6-1) didn’t let up in the third frame, getting 12 more points from Holland and extending their lead by five, 44-36.
Herndon and Calvin Saulman sandwiched a couple of threes around a basket by Holland to trim the deficit to four, 46-42, to start the final period.
After a three-ball by Coomer and a score by Chambers, Corydon’s Matt Key got into the score book with a deuce of his own.
Holland knocked down his final jumper of the night at the 2:38 mark as Austin went into a stall.
Herndon broke the scoring famine with a trey and Eric Haub had a three-point play to bring the hosts to 53-50.
Coomer hit two of four frees he’d attempt in the final 45 seconds, Stepro had another basket, followed by Coomer’s second two freebies.
Herndon sank two free throws with 20 seconds left, and a few seconds later Corydon attempted an off-balance three that was off the mark.
Corydon, which also got 12 points from Taylor and six apiece from Billy Saulman and Calvin Saulman, was 21 of 34 for the game and hit 7 of 15 tries from 3-point territory. The Panthers, who were barely out-rebounded, 27-23, coughed up the ball 26 times while forcing just 15 Austin miscues.
The Eagles hit 20 of 51 shots and were 6-14 on threes. The visitors won the game at the line, dropping in 12 of 19 tries.
Corydon Central wraps up its Mid-Southern Conference slate this Friday night when it travels to Silver Creek (7-9).
Austin and Brownstown remain atop the league standings with one loss apiece.
Scottsburg and Silver Creek are tied for third with two losses each.
Next Tuesday night, the Panthers wrap up their road schedule with a date at Christian Academy of Indiana (1-19).