Tiger Boys Pull Off Upset, Topple #5 Valpo 57-51
January 23, 2022 at 8:40 p.m.
Tiger Boys Pull Off Upset, Topple #5 Valpo 57-51
By Chip Davenport-
The trio of Jaxson Gould (23 points), Judah Simfukwe (20 points), and Drew Heckaman (10 Points) contributed almost all the scoring while the duo of Theo Katris (9 rebounds, 3 assists), and Russ Winchester (7 rebounds, 5 assists) each blocked one shot, and rounded out the scoring with two points apiece.
The Tigers opened the first period with an 11-10 lead, then increased their advantage to 27-19 at halftime, and 41-33 after three periods.
The Vikings, however, shifted momentum in their favor opening the final period with a 7-2 run to trail Warsaw 43-40, then followed their initial run with another surge to move within two points of the Tigers, 47-45 when Valpo’s 6’7” junior wing Mason Jones’s drilled a 3-point basket with 2:33 remaining in the contest.
All eyes were on how the one-two punch of Gould and Simfukwe would respond to Valpo’s comeback effort, but it was the Tigers’ Heckaman who was the catalyst for the game’s final momentum shift. The 6’3” junior hit two free throws with 1:23 left on the clock, then immediately intercepted Valparaiso’s ensuing inbound pass for a high-altitude layup over the outstretched arms of Valpo’s 6’7” Jones.
Heckaman’s quick four points stretched Warsaw’s lead to 51-45, and each team treaded baskets in their way to the 57-51 Tiger victory.
Warsaw’s defense forced the state-ranked Vikings to hit a paltry 38% from the field on 18 of 47 attempts. They hit at the same 38% clip beyond the arc (8 of 21). Valparaiso hit each of their seven attempts from the charity stripe, testimony to how effective the guests would have been if more of their shots from the field were uncontested.
The Vikings (14-3) were led by Jones’s 19 points, Michael Flynn’s 11 points, and Blaine Dalton’s 8 points. Jones also grabbed 7 caroms for the guests.
Warsaw hit 23 of 27 (49%) from the field, 2 of 11 from 3-point range (18%) and survived a rough night at the charity stripe (9 of 16, 56%). The victors won the battle of the boards 32-25 and committed 10 turnovers compared to the Vikings’ 15 miscues.
Warsaw’s junior varsity squad vanquished the Vikings 48-27 behind the scoring of Luke Bricker (17 points), Luke Yeager (8 points), Austin Polk and Matt Mulligan (6 points each). Freshman Trai Davis grabbed 10 rebounds for the Tigers.
Warsaw (10-5, 3-1 in the Northern Lakes Conference) travels to Class 3A top-ranked NorthWood (15-1, 4-0) Friday at 7:45 p.m. followed by their next home game, Saturday at 7:30 p.m. versus Elkhart.
The trio of Jaxson Gould (23 points), Judah Simfukwe (20 points), and Drew Heckaman (10 Points) contributed almost all the scoring while the duo of Theo Katris (9 rebounds, 3 assists), and Russ Winchester (7 rebounds, 5 assists) each blocked one shot, and rounded out the scoring with two points apiece.
The Tigers opened the first period with an 11-10 lead, then increased their advantage to 27-19 at halftime, and 41-33 after three periods.
The Vikings, however, shifted momentum in their favor opening the final period with a 7-2 run to trail Warsaw 43-40, then followed their initial run with another surge to move within two points of the Tigers, 47-45 when Valpo’s 6’7” junior wing Mason Jones’s drilled a 3-point basket with 2:33 remaining in the contest.
All eyes were on how the one-two punch of Gould and Simfukwe would respond to Valpo’s comeback effort, but it was the Tigers’ Heckaman who was the catalyst for the game’s final momentum shift. The 6’3” junior hit two free throws with 1:23 left on the clock, then immediately intercepted Valparaiso’s ensuing inbound pass for a high-altitude layup over the outstretched arms of Valpo’s 6’7” Jones.
Heckaman’s quick four points stretched Warsaw’s lead to 51-45, and each team treaded baskets in their way to the 57-51 Tiger victory.
Warsaw’s defense forced the state-ranked Vikings to hit a paltry 38% from the field on 18 of 47 attempts. They hit at the same 38% clip beyond the arc (8 of 21). Valparaiso hit each of their seven attempts from the charity stripe, testimony to how effective the guests would have been if more of their shots from the field were uncontested.
The Vikings (14-3) were led by Jones’s 19 points, Michael Flynn’s 11 points, and Blaine Dalton’s 8 points. Jones also grabbed 7 caroms for the guests.
Warsaw hit 23 of 27 (49%) from the field, 2 of 11 from 3-point range (18%) and survived a rough night at the charity stripe (9 of 16, 56%). The victors won the battle of the boards 32-25 and committed 10 turnovers compared to the Vikings’ 15 miscues.
Warsaw’s junior varsity squad vanquished the Vikings 48-27 behind the scoring of Luke Bricker (17 points), Luke Yeager (8 points), Austin Polk and Matt Mulligan (6 points each). Freshman Trai Davis grabbed 10 rebounds for the Tigers.
Warsaw (10-5, 3-1 in the Northern Lakes Conference) travels to Class 3A top-ranked NorthWood (15-1, 4-0) Friday at 7:45 p.m. followed by their next home game, Saturday at 7:30 p.m. versus Elkhart.
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