Jefferson-less Braves lose opener to Reitz

The Terre Haute South High School boys basketball team lost its season opener to Evansville Reitz 78-54 on Tuesday night despite a team-high 24 points from Leonard Wilson III, who went 9 for 12 from the field.

The Braves’ Maddox Woodcock also scored in double figures with 10 points, but they weren’t enough as the Panthers used a second-half surge to pull away.

The Panthers used double-digit scoring from Grayson Dease, who poured in 20 points, and a pair of 13-point performances from Preston Tolliver and Josiah Spanner to cruise to victory.

But it wasn’t a cruise from the start as the Braves held an 18-13 lead after one quarter of play.

It was a difference of 10 points in the second quarter as the Panthers cashed in 22 to the Braves’ 12 that ultimately gave them the edge before piling on another 22 in the third and then 21 in the fourth as the Braves struggled to keep pace.

Toward the end of the game, there were a couple of fast breaks from Evansville Reitz that the Braves weren’t able to keep up with.

It also wasn’t that the Braves weren’t getting opportunities, but a handful of shots didn’t fall.

One might say the rim was a bit bouncy for the Braves on Tuesday. Tim Swope, younger brother of former Indiana State player Isaiah Swope, tallied eight points for Evansville Reitz.

Ryan Turner served as acting head coach for the Braves as Braydon Jefferson wasn’t in the building. Terre Haute South principal Tim Herrin gave no comment on how long Jefferson will be away from the program.

EVANSVILLE REITZ (78) — Dease 7-13 4-6 20, Tolliver 6-11 0-2 13, Spanner 6-6 0-0 13, Begle 3-4 1-2 9, Swope 2-6 2-3 8, Jennings 3-5 1-2 7, Houchin 1-2 0-0 4, Holman 1-3 0-0 2, Bigham 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 29-39 FG, 8-15 FT, 78 TP.

TERRE HAUTE SOUTH (54) — Wilson III 9-12 0-0 24, Woodcock 6-11 0-2 10, T. Lewis 3-7 0-4 7, Sanders 3-5 1-3 7, Semmler 3-5 0-0 5, M. Lewis 1-4 1-2 3. Totals 25-44 FG, 2-11 FT, 54 TP.

Evansville Reitz 13 22 22 21 — 78

TH South 18 12 14 10 — 54

Rebounds — ER 18 (Dease 8, Tolliver 4), THS 14 (T. Lewis 7). Total fouls — Evansville Reitz 12, THS 15. Fouled out — None.

Next — Terre Haute South (0-1) will take on Decatur Central at 5:30 p.m. Saturday in the Gobbler Games at Greencastle. Evansville Reitz (1-0) will play host to Vincennes Lincoln on Dec. 5.

JV — Terre Haute South won 40-32. Ben Miller led Evansville Reitz with 10 while Josiah Riddle and McCabe Griese each had nine for Terre Haute South.