AKRON - Those who attended Tippecanoe Valley's boys basketball game in the first round of the sectional a year ago, a game in which the Vikings fell 111-107 in double overtime to Peru, left saying they would not soon forget that game.

Those who attended Valley's confrontation with Peru Tuesday night on the Vikings' home floor might be saying the same thing.

It won't be because these two teams went double overtime, or because Valley coach Bill Patrick inched ever so closer to his elusive 500th coaching victory.

This game, a 100-80 Peru victory, will be remembered, especially by Patrick, for a technical foul charged to the Valley bench near the five-minute mark of the first quarter.

"I felt the kids gave up after that technical," said Patrick, who was looking for win No. 496. "In all the years I've been coaching, that was the absolute worst call. They guy (referee) has his back to the bench, somebody in the stands says something, and he calls a technical. Only a very poor official would call a technical not looking at the bench. If that's the case, we could stick someone behind the opposing bench and have them yell all night."

Before Tuesday, no team coached by Patrick in his 31 years had ever allowed 100 points on its home court. It was only the second time a Patrick-coached team allowed 100 points in a regulation game. The other time came at Warsaw in 1991.

After a Steve Smiley free throw from the technical made the score 9-6 in Peru's favor, the Vikings weren't that close again, and trailed 27-14 the end of one quarter.

Smiley scored the game's first three points on one of the Tigers' 11 three-pointers, but Valley's Brandon Eaton tied the game with one of his three first-half treys. An Eaton field goal and free throw at the 6:10 mark gave the Vikings their only lead of the game at 6-3.

Eaton, who scored 40 points in a double-overtime loss to Warsaw in the season opener, led all scorers with his career-high 41-point outburst. For the game, Eaton was 10 of 15 from the field with six three-pointers, 15 of 15 at the charity stripe, pulled down four rebounds and made four steals.

Brandon's brother, freshman Trey Eaton, chipped in 19 points and 10 rebounds. Senior Dax Snyder was the only other Viking in double figures with 10.

"I thought we got a great game from Brandon," said Patrick. "And Trey played pretty well for a freshman."

The loss drops Valley's overall season record to 3-2.

Peru, which ups its record to 5-0, was led by junior Brandon Jones' 27 points. Four other Tigers scored in double figures - Smiley (18), Michael Fuller (16), Brandon Appleton (13) and Zach Hunter (12).

Brandon Eaton brought the Vikings within 10, 27-17, at the 7:47 mark of the second stanza with another three, but treys by Hunter and Jones quickly pushed Peru's advantage to 33-17.

After two quarters of play, Peru led the Vikings 56-34. The elder Eaton accounted for 22 of those points.

While Valley's offense was looking for a complement to Brandon Eaton in the first half, Peru's offense benefited from 13 Viking turnovers. For the game Valley turned the ball over 27 times.

"We had too many turnovers," said Patrick. "We had two or three lob passes. We did things we knew we couldn't do but we did it anyway. We weren't looking down court."

After trailing 56-34 at the half, Valley made a run in the second half. A rebound and bucket by Trey Eaton at the 5:40 mark of the third quarter brought the Vikings within 59-40. The younger Eaton scored 12 of his career-high 19 points in the third quarter. Brandon added eight of his 41 points in the third frame. The only other Viking points in the third quarter came from Snyder, a field goal at the 7:38 mark.

The Vikings were as close as 14 points once in the second half, and as close as 15 on two occasions in the second half.

"I thought we were competitive in the second half," said Patrick. "We played the way they (Peru) wanted us to. We didn't make them play defense. We did settle down and did some things with Trey down low, and we were able to kick it out to Brandon."

While Peru's starting guards (Jones, Appleton) combined for 40 points in the game, Valley's starting guard combination of junior Anthony Domenico and senior Noah Silveus combined for for three points. Domenico shot 1 of 5 from the field before fouling out. Silveus was 0 of 9 from the field and 1 of 2 from the charity stripe. The two also combined for two steals and two rebounds.

"Our guards struggled, for whatever particular reason," said Patrick. "They're much better than they showed tonight."

Brandon Eaton's sixth and final trey of the game brought Valley within 15, 86-71, with 3:56 remaining in the game, but Valley was outscored 14-9 in the last three minutes, accounting for the 20-point win.

Valley lost 80-62 to Peru in the regular season last year before the memorable sectional matchup. Last night Patrick was asked if there was a second meeting this year as well what might be in store.

"If we meet them in the tournament we'll beat them," said Patrick. "I honestly think if we play them later we'll beat them. We can score, we have to cut down our turnovers. They're (Peru) not used to playing defense. I certainly hope we get the opportunity. It could happen."

Valley (3-2) will be on the court Friday at 0-4 Wawasee. [[In-content Ad]]