Valley Ends Whitko's Season

July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.

By Jen Gibson, Times-Union Sports Writer-

AKRON -ÊWhen Tippecanoe Valley played Whitko in the regular season, the Vikings narrowly escaped with a 59-57 overtime win.

The first game of the Tippecanoe Valley Sectional was a different story as Valley won 52-40.

After several ties in the first quarter, the Vikings took a 13-11 lead heading into the second. Monica Sands hit two free throws early in the second to tie the score at 13, but that was as close as the Wildcats got.

Lynette Wilcox and Rebekah Parker hit baskets to increase the lead to 18-13, but Sands hit a shot to cut the lead back down to three, 18-15. A three-pointer and a free throw by Sherise Denney and two more free throws by Wilcox made the advantage 24-15.

Sands, who was Whitko's only scorer in the second quarter, finished the frame with two free throws and a put-back basket to make the score 24-19 at the half.

"We let Monica Sands get the ball in the post too much in the first half," said Valley coach Gary Teel. "I think both teams were a bit jittery at the beginning. It's the sectional, it's sudden death."

Valley continued the assault in the third frame. Tabitha Pratt and Parker hit three-pointers to build a 30-19 advantage early in the third.

However, Whitko steadly chipped away at the Viking lead through the rest of the third. Christa Badskey hit a three-pointer with 1:10 showing on the clock, and Teri Walter followed it with a steal. Then Angela Trump hit a basket to cut Valley's lead to 38-33 going into the fourth frame.

Pratt outscored Whitko 6-2 in the opening minutes of the fourth to restore Valley's lead. The Wildcats pulled to within six, 46-40, with 3:00 left, but that was as close as they got.

At the 1:34 mark, Sands, a senior, was called for her fifth foul. As she left the court with tears in her eyes, fans from both Whitko and Tippecanoe Valley gave her a standing ovation. She finished with a double-double, 19 points and 14 rebounds.

"I think our defensive press took its toll in the second half," said Teel. "After consistent pressure, it started to take them out of rhythm at the end of the game."

"Our intensity didn't seem to be there tonight," said Whitko coach Mike Sands. "We just lacked the intensity to come back. We did not react to passes. It just wasn't there."

Sands' 19 points led all scorers in the game, but three Valley players finished in double figures. Pratt and Parker chipped in 14 points each, while Lynette Wilcox had 12.

Whitko finishes the season 7-14, while Valley improves to 12-9. The Vikings will face No. 7 (3A) Plymouth (17-4) Friday at 6 p.m. Plymouth defeated Mishawaka Marian 59-27 to advance to play Valley.

TIPPECANOE VALLEY 52 WHITKO 42

Whitko 11 8 14 7 - 40

Valley 13 11 14 14 - 52

Whitko FG FT R S Pts.

Sands 6-9 7-10 14 0 19

Walter 2-10 0-0 3 3 6

C. Cripe 0-0 0-0 0 0 0

Hatton 0-1 0-0 1 0 0

Sellers 0-0 0-0 0 0 0

Jersey 0-0 0-0 0 0 0

Badskey 1-3 0-0 2 0 3

Warner 1-6 0-2 6 0 2

Trump 1-12 5-6 5 1 7

Rowland 0-1 0-0 2 0 0

Wendel 1-2 0-2 1 0 3

J. Rowland 0-0 0-0 0 0 0

M. Cripe 0-0 0-0 0 0 0

Totals 12-44 12-19 36 4 40

Valley FG FT R S Pts.

Kindig 1-2 0-0 3 0 2

Doud 0-0 0-0 0 0 0

Rosenstiel 1-1 0-0 2 0 2

Shafer 0-2 0-0 0 0 0

Denny 1-1 1-2 3 1 4

Wilcox 4-10 4-4 5 1 12

Ra. Parker 0-0 0-0 0 0 0

Pratt 4-13 3-4 6 4 14

Green 0-0 0-0 0 0 0

Re. Parker 5-9 2-5 5 1 12

Prater 3-5 0-3 4 3 6

Clauson 1-1 0-0 0 0 2

Totals 18-44 10-20 30 10 52

Three-point goals -ÊWhitko 4-14 (Walter 2-8, Badskey 1-2, Warner 0-1, Trump 0-1, Wendel 1-2), Valley Shafer 0-1, Denny 1-1, Pratt 3-8, Re. Parker 2-3). Fouls - Whitko 18, Valley 16. Fouled out -ÊSands. Turnovers -ÊWhitko 23, Valley 13.

OTHER FIRST-ROUND GAME:

No. 7 PLYMOUTH 59, MISHAWAKA MARIAN 27

Plymouth (17-5) scoring -ÊBenge 4 0-1 9, Blackburn 6 1-3 14, Houin 5 3-4 13, Cox 2 0-0 5, Swihart 3 2-2 8, Bunton 2 0-0 4, VanVactor 1 1-1 3, Craig 1 0-0 3. Totals 24 7-11 59.

Mishawaka Marian (10-11) scoring -ÊGoepfrich 0 2-2 2, Creachbaum 3 2-2 10, Dvorak 2 0-0 5, Williams 2 1-3 5, Sisk 0 1-2 1, Bella 1 0-0 2, McNamara 0 2-4 2. Totals 8 8-13 27.

Plymouth 10 12 25 12 - 59

M. Marian 8 9 4 6 - 27

Three-point goals - Plymouth 4 (Benge, Blackburn, Cox, Craig), Marian 3 (Creachbaum, Dvorak).

TIPPECANOE VALLEY 3A SECTIONAL

Tuesday games

Tippecanoe Valley 52, Whitko 40

No. 7 Plymouth 59, Mishawaka Marian 27

Friday games

6 p.m. -ÊNo. 7 Plymouth (17-5) vs. Tippecanoe Valley (12-9)

7:30 p.m. -ÊNo. 6 Rochester (19-1) vs. Culver Girls Academy (1-19)

Saturday

7:30 p.m. - championship [[In-content Ad]]

AKRON -ÊWhen Tippecanoe Valley played Whitko in the regular season, the Vikings narrowly escaped with a 59-57 overtime win.

The first game of the Tippecanoe Valley Sectional was a different story as Valley won 52-40.

After several ties in the first quarter, the Vikings took a 13-11 lead heading into the second. Monica Sands hit two free throws early in the second to tie the score at 13, but that was as close as the Wildcats got.

Lynette Wilcox and Rebekah Parker hit baskets to increase the lead to 18-13, but Sands hit a shot to cut the lead back down to three, 18-15. A three-pointer and a free throw by Sherise Denney and two more free throws by Wilcox made the advantage 24-15.

Sands, who was Whitko's only scorer in the second quarter, finished the frame with two free throws and a put-back basket to make the score 24-19 at the half.

"We let Monica Sands get the ball in the post too much in the first half," said Valley coach Gary Teel. "I think both teams were a bit jittery at the beginning. It's the sectional, it's sudden death."

Valley continued the assault in the third frame. Tabitha Pratt and Parker hit three-pointers to build a 30-19 advantage early in the third.

However, Whitko steadly chipped away at the Viking lead through the rest of the third. Christa Badskey hit a three-pointer with 1:10 showing on the clock, and Teri Walter followed it with a steal. Then Angela Trump hit a basket to cut Valley's lead to 38-33 going into the fourth frame.

Pratt outscored Whitko 6-2 in the opening minutes of the fourth to restore Valley's lead. The Wildcats pulled to within six, 46-40, with 3:00 left, but that was as close as they got.

At the 1:34 mark, Sands, a senior, was called for her fifth foul. As she left the court with tears in her eyes, fans from both Whitko and Tippecanoe Valley gave her a standing ovation. She finished with a double-double, 19 points and 14 rebounds.

"I think our defensive press took its toll in the second half," said Teel. "After consistent pressure, it started to take them out of rhythm at the end of the game."

"Our intensity didn't seem to be there tonight," said Whitko coach Mike Sands. "We just lacked the intensity to come back. We did not react to passes. It just wasn't there."

Sands' 19 points led all scorers in the game, but three Valley players finished in double figures. Pratt and Parker chipped in 14 points each, while Lynette Wilcox had 12.

Whitko finishes the season 7-14, while Valley improves to 12-9. The Vikings will face No. 7 (3A) Plymouth (17-4) Friday at 6 p.m. Plymouth defeated Mishawaka Marian 59-27 to advance to play Valley.

TIPPECANOE VALLEY 52 WHITKO 42

Whitko 11 8 14 7 - 40

Valley 13 11 14 14 - 52

Whitko FG FT R S Pts.

Sands 6-9 7-10 14 0 19

Walter 2-10 0-0 3 3 6

C. Cripe 0-0 0-0 0 0 0

Hatton 0-1 0-0 1 0 0

Sellers 0-0 0-0 0 0 0

Jersey 0-0 0-0 0 0 0

Badskey 1-3 0-0 2 0 3

Warner 1-6 0-2 6 0 2

Trump 1-12 5-6 5 1 7

Rowland 0-1 0-0 2 0 0

Wendel 1-2 0-2 1 0 3

J. Rowland 0-0 0-0 0 0 0

M. Cripe 0-0 0-0 0 0 0

Totals 12-44 12-19 36 4 40

Valley FG FT R S Pts.

Kindig 1-2 0-0 3 0 2

Doud 0-0 0-0 0 0 0

Rosenstiel 1-1 0-0 2 0 2

Shafer 0-2 0-0 0 0 0

Denny 1-1 1-2 3 1 4

Wilcox 4-10 4-4 5 1 12

Ra. Parker 0-0 0-0 0 0 0

Pratt 4-13 3-4 6 4 14

Green 0-0 0-0 0 0 0

Re. Parker 5-9 2-5 5 1 12

Prater 3-5 0-3 4 3 6

Clauson 1-1 0-0 0 0 2

Totals 18-44 10-20 30 10 52

Three-point goals -ÊWhitko 4-14 (Walter 2-8, Badskey 1-2, Warner 0-1, Trump 0-1, Wendel 1-2), Valley Shafer 0-1, Denny 1-1, Pratt 3-8, Re. Parker 2-3). Fouls - Whitko 18, Valley 16. Fouled out -ÊSands. Turnovers -ÊWhitko 23, Valley 13.

OTHER FIRST-ROUND GAME:

No. 7 PLYMOUTH 59, MISHAWAKA MARIAN 27

Plymouth (17-5) scoring -ÊBenge 4 0-1 9, Blackburn 6 1-3 14, Houin 5 3-4 13, Cox 2 0-0 5, Swihart 3 2-2 8, Bunton 2 0-0 4, VanVactor 1 1-1 3, Craig 1 0-0 3. Totals 24 7-11 59.

Mishawaka Marian (10-11) scoring -ÊGoepfrich 0 2-2 2, Creachbaum 3 2-2 10, Dvorak 2 0-0 5, Williams 2 1-3 5, Sisk 0 1-2 1, Bella 1 0-0 2, McNamara 0 2-4 2. Totals 8 8-13 27.

Plymouth 10 12 25 12 - 59

M. Marian 8 9 4 6 - 27

Three-point goals - Plymouth 4 (Benge, Blackburn, Cox, Craig), Marian 3 (Creachbaum, Dvorak).

TIPPECANOE VALLEY 3A SECTIONAL

Tuesday games

Tippecanoe Valley 52, Whitko 40

No. 7 Plymouth 59, Mishawaka Marian 27

Friday games

6 p.m. -ÊNo. 7 Plymouth (17-5) vs. Tippecanoe Valley (12-9)

7:30 p.m. -ÊNo. 6 Rochester (19-1) vs. Culver Girls Academy (1-19)

Saturday

7:30 p.m. - championship [[In-content Ad]]

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