Wawasee Gets Past Tippecanoe Valley 58-51
February 27, 2021 at 3:33 a.m.
Wawasee Gets Past Tippecanoe Valley 58-51
By Chip Davenport-
Wawasee trailed 26-23 early in the third quarter when things fell apart for the Vikings. Junior guard Caden Welty had four steals in the period with defensive help from junior Keaton Dukes (two steals), and senior Kameron Salazar (one steal). Valley’s poor passing resulted in a disastrous 16-2 third quarter where they squandered a 26-21 halftime lead, trailing instead 37-28 heading into the final period.
Two straight three-point baskets by Dukes in a 57-second span in the fourth quarter gave Wawasee its greatest lead, 48-35 at the 3:25 mark.
Valley attempted to literally hack away at the baker’s dozen deficit, moving closer to trail 54-48 with 17.1 seconds left on Brendyn Stump’s trey. Valley’s hopes were unfortunately dashed when the Warriors sealed their 58-51 win with two successful trips to the charity stripe. In fact, Wawasee’s final ten points in the contest were scored from the free throw line.
The Vikings raced ahead 9-2 as 6’5” junior center Dawson Perkins scored flustered the guests with six of those points. Two triples from 5’10” sophomore guard Paul Leasure contributed to Valley’s 12-8 first quarter lead.
Valley’s Leasure and Wawasee’s Dukes scored eight points each in the second frame, and the Vikings widened their halftime lead to 26-21 on Leasure’s buzzer-beating three-point bank shot.
Dukes’s 16 second half points led to a game-high 27 to lead the way for the Warriors. Weldy added nine points followed by Salazar and Collin Roberson (six points apiece).
Leasure’s 22 points and Perkins’s effort (15 points, five blocked shots) led Tippecanoe Valley’s offensive effort. Riley Shepherd and Stump added five points apiece.
Wawasee finishes the season with an 11-11 overall record while valley slips to 7-15. The two teams will open the Class 3A Sectional 21 Tuesday night at West Noble High School in Ligonier. Tip-off is 7:00 p.m.
Wawasee trailed 26-23 early in the third quarter when things fell apart for the Vikings. Junior guard Caden Welty had four steals in the period with defensive help from junior Keaton Dukes (two steals), and senior Kameron Salazar (one steal). Valley’s poor passing resulted in a disastrous 16-2 third quarter where they squandered a 26-21 halftime lead, trailing instead 37-28 heading into the final period.
Two straight three-point baskets by Dukes in a 57-second span in the fourth quarter gave Wawasee its greatest lead, 48-35 at the 3:25 mark.
Valley attempted to literally hack away at the baker’s dozen deficit, moving closer to trail 54-48 with 17.1 seconds left on Brendyn Stump’s trey. Valley’s hopes were unfortunately dashed when the Warriors sealed their 58-51 win with two successful trips to the charity stripe. In fact, Wawasee’s final ten points in the contest were scored from the free throw line.
The Vikings raced ahead 9-2 as 6’5” junior center Dawson Perkins scored flustered the guests with six of those points. Two triples from 5’10” sophomore guard Paul Leasure contributed to Valley’s 12-8 first quarter lead.
Valley’s Leasure and Wawasee’s Dukes scored eight points each in the second frame, and the Vikings widened their halftime lead to 26-21 on Leasure’s buzzer-beating three-point bank shot.
Dukes’s 16 second half points led to a game-high 27 to lead the way for the Warriors. Weldy added nine points followed by Salazar and Collin Roberson (six points apiece).
Leasure’s 22 points and Perkins’s effort (15 points, five blocked shots) led Tippecanoe Valley’s offensive effort. Riley Shepherd and Stump added five points apiece.
Wawasee finishes the season with an 11-11 overall record while valley slips to 7-15. The two teams will open the Class 3A Sectional 21 Tuesday night at West Noble High School in Ligonier. Tip-off is 7:00 p.m.
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