Stainton Forbes the difference in Butler boys basketball’s win over Indiana at tip-off tourney

December 06, 2024 Last Updated: December 06, 2024 11:16 PM Sports

FREEPORT — In a game that featured 13 lead changes and eight ties through the first three quarters, somebody had to be a difference-maker.

Enter Stainton Forbes.

Butler’s junior guard scored 17 of his game-high 28 points in the fourth quarter Friday night in leading the Golden Tornado to a 72-66 win over Indiana in the boys portion of the Freeport Tip-Off Basketball Tournament.

Forbes contributed nine rebounds in the win as well.

Butler's Stainton Forbes (4) attempts a layup against Indiana in a boys basketball game during the Freeport Tip-Off Tournament on Friday, Dec. 6, 2024, at Freeport Middle School. Jared Todhunter / Special to the Butler Eagle

“Stainton begins a game with so much energy that sometimes he goes too fast. It can take him a while to settle in,” Butler coach Matt Clement said. “He made a big difference in that fourth quarter, for sure, but it takes everybody else doing their job to allow that to happen.”

The Tornado (3-0) trailed 53-49 entering the final quarter. A Forbes trey, followed by an Ayden Andrews layup and a slam dunk by Forbes, jump-started an 11-0 Butler run to begin the final period.

When the Little Indians received consecutive layups from Stanford Webb to pull within 60-57, Forbes connected on three more treys in the next two minutes to help the Tornado open up a 69-59 lead with two minutes to go. Butler was not threatened again the rest of the way.

“I was feeling a little out of it in the first half,” Forbes admitted. “The coaches settled me down and made me focus. Then, the shots just started going in.”

“We knew what Butler had in him,” Indiana coach Andrew Lansberry said of Forbes. “His talent stood out on film. He took over in that last quarter. He showed he can game when his team needs it.”

Tayt Lucas netted 19 points, including five treys, for Butler. Andrew Gettinger contributed seven points, six rebounds and four assists.

The Tornado led 33-32 at halftime, but a 12-0 Indiana run opened up a 48-43 Indians lead late in the third quarter before Butler rallied.

“Our defense tightened up after that,” Clement said of the Indiana run. “They were getting some easy buckets on drives to the hoop, and we started taking that away from them.”

Aaron Webb paced Indiana (2-1) with 18 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and three steals. Stanford Webb had 15 points and five boards. Darius Webb came off the bench to score 17 points.

Aaron and Darius Webb are only sophomores.

“We fought hard against a good opponent tonight and I’m encouraged by our start this year,” Lansberry said. “We’ve got three seniors in our lineup and our goal is to turn around the fortunes of Indiana basketball. This program is 22-77 over the past five years.”

Clement said Butler went to a 1-3-1 zone Friday, “the defense we’ve practiced the least, but we did a nice job with it tonight.”

INDIANA 66

Stanford Webb 6-16 0-0 15, Mark Collinger 6-7 0-0 12, Jaden Petrovich 1-1 0-0 2, Aaron Webb 8-16 1-2 18, Dominic Kowchuck 1-7 0-0 2, Will Olsen 0-5 0-0 0, Darius Webb 8-9 1-1 17. Totals: 30-61 2-3 66.

BUTLER 72

Ayden Andrews 3-9 0-0 7. Jace Gratzmiller 1-1 0-0 2, Stainton Forbes 10-16 4-5 28, Tayt Lucas 7-17 0-0 19, Andrew Gettinger 1-8 5-6 7, Mavrik Clment 1-4 0-2 3, Kyle Casteel 2-4 1-2 6. Totals: 25-59 10-15 72.

Indiana 17 15 21 13 — 66

Butler 14 19 16 23 — 72

3-point goals: Indiana 4 (S.Webb 3, A.Webb), Butler 12 (Andrews, Forbes 5, Lucas 5, Clement)