By GREG MENGELT

Despite playing with a hip injury — and missing a couple days of practice because of it — New Albany senior Josten Carter had one of his best performances of the season, lifting the Bulldogs’ 69-58 win at Silver Creek on Saturday afternoon.

Carter finished with a game-high 26 points and put the Bulldogs ahead for good when he missed a free throw, rebounded his own miss and converted a 3-point play to put the Bulldogs ahead 51-49 in his Hoosier Hills Hoops Boys’ Performance of the Week.

Carter scored 12 points in the second quarter when the Bulldogs held a 22-11 advantage against the 2-time defending state champion Dragons.

“He got going,” Silver Creek coach Brandon Hoffman told the News and Tribune. “He’s a handful when he starts going downhill … with his length and the way he can change directions. He was really good tonight.”

Carter and the 10-8 Bulldogs hosts arch-rival Jeffersonville (5-9) on Wednesday evening.

WEEK’S TOP PERFORMANCES
• Dakota Capps, Clarksville: The Generals senior put up 15 points as the Generals knocked off Salem 59-56 on Friday.
• Hayden Cutter, Scottsburg: The Warriors senior forward had a game-high 22 points in Saturday’s 80-47 win at Salem.
• Jake Helton, Charlestown: Helton put up 25 points on 9 of 13 shooting, including making five of his seven 3-point attempts in the Pirates’ 78-61 win over Austin on Friday. Helton also had five assists, five rebounds and three steals in the victory.
• Cade Jones, Eastern: The senior guard had 20 points, six rebounds, two assists and a steal in the Musketeers’ 46-42 loss to Corydon Central on Friday.
• Mason Jones, Borden: Jones had 10 points, eight rebounds and eight assists in the Braves’ 56-47 triumph over West Washington on Thursday.
• Casey Kaelin, Providence: Kaelin finished with 14 points, five rebounds, two assists and a steal and played stellar defense as the Pioneers knocked off New Albany 51-36 on Friday. “He stepped up to make some key plays both early and late in the game,” Providence head coach Ryan Miller said.
• Will Lovings-Watts, Jeffersonville: Lovings-Watts scored 20 points and hit the game-winning shot at the buzzer in the Red Devils’ 44-42 win over BNL on Thursday.
• Brady Moore, Floyd Central: Moore scored a game-high 18 points as the Highlanders blew past Madison 67-28 on Friday evening.
• Kasym Nash, Borden: Nash knocked down six 3-pointers and finished with 20 points, five rebounds and a steal in the Braves’ win over West Washington.
• Ethan Oakley, North Harrison: Oakley had a huge night Saturday in the Cougars’ 67-22 win over Crawford County with 14 points, 12 rebounds and four assists.
• Zach Stricker, Silver Creek: The senior forward went 7 for 12 from the field, including 4 of 6 from behind the 3-point arc, for 20 points in the Dragons’ 69-58 loss to New Albany on Saturday. He also had three rebounds.
• Austin Vaughn, Corydon Central: Vaughn, a junior, had 21 points, 10 rebounds and an assist in the Panthers’ 89-71 win at Austin on Thursday.