Boys Basketball Results: Feb. 28
WAWASEE 56, TIPPECANOE VALLEY 36
Wawasee closed out the regular season with a convincing win in what might be a Sectional 21 preview at the Teepee Friday night.
The Warriors knocked down 6-of-10 shots during an 18-6 first period and would never relinquish the lead. All told, the home team finished at a 20-of-43 (46.5 percent) clip from the floor for the night and had three players in double figures.
Keaton Dukes put up 17 points with nine rebounds and two blocked shots, Ethan Hardy scored 14 points with eight rebounds, and Austin Miller put up 13 points with five assists. Kam Salazar chipped in five points with a game-high six assists and three steals. The Warriors shared the ball for 17 assists on their 20 made shots. They finish the regular season at 13-9, the most wins by the program since the 13-12 2014-15 season.
Tanner Trippiedi led Valley with 22 points, and Braden Shepherd scored seven points with five rebounds and two assists and closed the regular season at 9-13.
Friday’s game could represent a sectional preview. The Vikings will play Lakeland in the first game of the NorthWood Sectional Tuesday night at 7 p.m., and, should they advance, they’d play Wawasee again in a tournament semifinal rematch, scheduled for 7:30 p.m. next Friday.
Also Friday, Wawasee’s JV won, 54-42. The JV Warriors also benefitted from a balanced scoresheet that saw Peyton Felger and Collin Roberson put up 12 points apiece — Roberson finishing with a double-double of 10 rebounds — while Gavin Hunziker scored 10.
Brendyn Stump scored 18 to lead the JV Vikings, and Cooper Walls added eight.
TRITON 63, KNOX 45
Triton finished out the regular season with its second straight win over visiting Hoosier North Athletic Conference foe Knox at the Trench Friday.
The Trojans fell behind 13-5 after one quarter and still trailed by a slim, 20-19 margin at the half but converted 15-of-23 (65.2 percent) shots from the floor while holding the Redskins to 7-of-27 (25.9 percent) shooting during a dominant, 44-25 second half.
Tyson Yates poured in 23 points on 8-of-15 shooting from the floor and 7-of-9 shooting from the line, while Ahston Oviedo scored 13, and Quentin Amsden put up 12. Tyler Heckaman chipped in nine points with six rebounds in the win, 4-3 in the HNAC, even with Knox and behind a three-way tie at the top between LaVille, Pioneer and North Judson.
Knox got 15 points from Cade Short, 13 from Gunner Wagner and 10 points with nine rebounds from Zac Rose. Both teams closed the regular season with identical 12-10 and 4-3 HNAC marks.
Triton’s JV also rallied to the win, 32-24. Lucas Cabrera scored 11 points with eight rebounds, and Bruce Johnson finished with 10 points, six rebounds and six steals. Knox’s JV was led by Owen Binkley’s eight points.
The Sectional 50 host Trojans will open tournament play Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. opposite West Central. The winner advances to play LaCrossed in Friday’s early semifinal.
NORTHWOOD 61, ELKHART CENTRAL 59
The Panthers closed out the regular season at on their home floor at The Pit with a win over a solid Elkhart Central squad.
‘Wood used a 26-16 second frame to grab its biggest lead of the night at 35-26 but would need every bit of it to hold off the Blue Blazers in a back-and-forth contest that featured seven lead changes and six ties. Ben Vincent played his usual all-around game and finished with 18 points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals, and Brock Flickinger chipped in 11 points with two assists for the Panthers, who closed the regular season at 16-6 with their third straight win.
Luke Tech scored a game-high 19 points, while Donovan Johnson scored 15, and Isaiah Stewart finished with 10 for Central, which was out-scored 22-11 off the bench. The Blazers close the regular season at 8-12 despite some quality wins and some close losses to tough teams.
NorthWood drew one of three byes at the Class 3-A Sectional 21 tournament and will open the tourney with a semifinal against West Noble back at the Panther Pit next Friday at 6 p.m.
CARROLL 58, WARSAW 44
The Tigers played a very good Carroll Charger team close through three quarters, but then fell behind early in the fourth quarter en route to their third straight loss.
Brock Poe led all scorers with 15 points, while Blake Marsh and Keagan Larsh added eight and six, respectively. Jackson Dawson grabbed five rebounds and dished out three assists to lead the Tigers in both categories.
Cody Burkey finished with 12 points, Ryan Preston added 11, and Richie Gross and Raymond Vollmer scored nine apiece in a balanced scoring effort by the Chargers, who used a 22-11 fourth period to put their guests away.
Warsaw’s junior varsity did close its season with a win, 36-26, meanwhile. Jaxson Gould powered the JV Tigers with team-highs of 16 points, four rebounds, three assists and two steals. Carroll’s JV got eight points from Keegan Rhoad.
Warsaw closes the regular season at 11-9 and will open up sectional play next Wednesday at North Side gym in Elkhart versus Goshen at approximately 7:30 p.m.