LYNN, Ind. – After 10 years at Muncie Central, Matt Fine returned to his alma mater in a big way Friday.
A Winchester graduate, Fine made his Winchester head coaching debut with a 70-38 victory over Randolph Southern.
The Falcons were dominant on the boards, reigning Tri-Eastern Conference Player of the Year Kiante Enis had another exciting performance, and Fine improved his overall career record to 159-80, and a perfect 1-0 with Winchester.
“I told the radio that I stayed at home yesterday, Thanksgiving was just my immediate family and my mother-in-law and drove those guys crazy with being nervous about the game and then had it at my mom’s today and drove them crazy about being nervous for the game,” Fine said. “That’s just how I am, I was really just pleased of how we came out with a sense of urgency, playing with purpose on both ends of the floor, got off to a great start … and that was a great team defensive effort.”
Winchester out-rebounded Randolph Southern 34-20 and did not allow a Rebel rebound until almost a minute into the second quarter when Nick Dunham pulled down a missed free throw by Enis.
On the other side of the court, Alan Brutchen was well on a way to a double-double, scoring seven points and pulling down eight of his game-high 11 rebounds in the first half. However, foul trouble limited the senior to just a free throw in the second half as he finished with eight.
“We spent like the entire week learning to box out and going hard to the paint, because when we scrimmaged, we messed up a lot and we didn’t box out, so our entire week was just focusing on boxing out, going hard to the paint and trying to get that rebound,” Brutchen said.
Dunham and Logan Ward each had a basket in the first half for Southern, but Winchester ended the frame on a 12-0 run to lead 18-4.
The Falcons scored the first nine points of the second frame to make it 29-4 and Winchester’s lead grew to 40 points.
Winchester led 38-11 at halftime and 54-16 after three quarters.
Enis scored 17 points, 12 of them in the first half, while Michael Georgi finished with 13, Joe Webb had 11, Tristen Henchonsix, Elias Gates and Austin Lawrence each had four and Jordan Key two.
Enis added six rebounds, while Georgi and Gates each had four.
Ward led Southern with 12 points and Dunham had six rebounds.
Winchester hosts Delta on Tuesday and Southern hosts Union City next Friday.
“It’s a great game,” Enis said. “Especially with a new coach, get the team going, we’ve got a lot of new players playing up on varsity and we’re excited to see how the season goes.”