By Jeff Hodge
Contributing Writer
SHELBYVILLE – As the boys basketball season winds down, so does the storied career of retiring Shelbyville coach Harry Larrabee.
In the first game played in the state’s now-last domed high school structure, Larrabee had seven points and six assists as a sophomore in the Golden Bears’ 77-70 December 1967 win over Richmond. That started an Indiana All-Star career that took Larrabee to many storied arenas as both a player and coach, including playing at Pauley Pavilion and coaching at Rupp Arena.
On Feb. 20, Larrabee was back in what’s now William L. Garrett Gymnasium for one of the last times as the Golden Bears played host to Hoosier Heritage Conference for Delta.
The Class 3A No. 15 visitor was not very gracious. The Eagles (15-4 overall, 6-1 in conference play) shot 48 percent (24 of 50) while holding the Golden Bears to just 31 percent (12 of 38), using a suffocating defense to make it nearly impossible for the Golden Bears to get any good looks at the bucket in a 52-29 win.
Larrabee’s Golden Bears (9-9, 3-3) have been struggling since mid-December to get out of the 40s, and they hit a season low with 29 points tonight. Even the two junior varsity teams that played prior to this game scored more points than Shelbyville.
Delta was led by all-everything junior Logan Young, who had a game-high 18 points. Senior Skyler Case added 11 points for the Eagles, who remain a half-game up on 3A sixth-ranked Mt. Vernon (Fortville) in league play and who travel Feb. 24 at Wapahani (15-2).
Shelbyville was led by senior guard Garrett Abner, who had to work to get free for any kind of look at the bucket in scoring 17 points and grabbing five rebounds. The Golden Bears will host New Palestine (5-12) Feb. 21 in what will be Larrabee’s final home hurrah unless Shelbyville can advance to the regional round of the state tournament, where one of four 3A sites will be hosted by the Golden Bears.
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