Valley Steals Win From Warsaw
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
While it wasn't the best offensive performance of his high school career, a key defensive play by Chad Hoffer helped Tippecanoe Valley's varsity boys basketball team escape Warsaw with a 63-59 win in Wednesday's season opener.
With Valley clinging to a 61-59 lead, the host Tigers tried inbounding the ball with 3.2 seconds remaining in the game, needing to go the length of the court.
The 6-foot-2 Hoffer, guarding the baseline, intercepted the inbound pass, collected the ball and drove to the basket and was fouled.
He hit both free throws and the Vikings left Warsaw with their second consecutive win in the Tiger Den.
Hoffer, who scored just four points in the first half, finished the game with 14 points. He was 4 of 16 from the field and 5 of 7 from the free throw line. He also pulled down six rebounds, dished out six assists and made three steals, the last of which helped put the game away.
"He's the type of kid that'll step up with a lot of confidence and make a big play," Valley coach Bill Patrick said of Hoffer. "He was down on himself because he missed a few shots. That steal was big. Warsaw's a good team. Tommy Reinholt is a load. We couldn't find an answer for him."
Reinholt led all scorers with 21 points, hitting 8 of 12 field goal attempts and 5 of 10 free throws. He also pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds.
"Tommy Reinholt played a great game, 21 points and 11 rebounds," said Warsaw coach Doug Ogle. "Ben Truman played 32 minutes and had one turnover. It's a starting point. We're disappointed we lost. We lost to a good team. Our inexperience showed a couple times."
Despite losing seven players, including four starters, from last year's sectional championship team, Warsaw was able to score 20 points in both the first and third quarters.
The second and fourth quarters were a different story, as the Tigers couldn't finish either half with the same offensive success they started it with.
A Reinholt field goal with 5:17 to play in the first half gave Warsaw a nine-point lead at 26-17.
Valley outscored the the Tigers 9-2 the rest of the half and tied the game at 31-all when senior Adam Nelson made a three-pointer with 6:03 to play in the third.
"I thought Warsaw got a little tired," said Patrick. "And fouls hurt both teams. I'm proud of the way our kids battled. We got down nine and they could have folded but they came back and battled."
The Vikings trailed after every quarter but the fourth, as Warsaw led 20-15 after one quarter of play, 28-26 at halftime and 48-45 after three quarters.
Valley started the fourth quarter with a 7-0 run and led the rest of the game.
Warsaw got within one, 60-59, when senior Eric Blanton hit two free throws with 45 seconds remaining in the game.
Hoffer then scored the final three points of the game from the free throw line, hitting the second of a two-shot foul with 3.2 seconds left and both shots with half a second on the clock after he stole the inbound pass and was fouled.
Valley was whistled for 20 fouls and starters Jerrod Parker and Shane Salyer - the Vikings' two post players fouled out - while the Tigers were whistled for 22 fouls and freshman starting center Justin Clemens fouled out.
The Vikings hit 15 of 26 free throws while Warsaw converted 13 of 23 charity tosses.
Nelson and Kevin Kindig led Valley with 15 points each, while Hoffer added 14, Parker scored eight, Salyer chipped in with seven and Steve Tillman scored four.
All of Nelson's points came from beyond the three-point arc, as he finished the game 5 of 8 from long range.
"Nelson shot the ball well," said Ogle. "We let him go too many times."
To go with Reinholt's double-double, the Tigers got 11 points from senior Steve Lemasters and 10 points from Truman. Blanton scored seven points and pulled down five rebounds while Clemens scored six points and sophomore Ryne Robinson scored four points and pulled down four rebounds.
The Tigers lead the overall series 23-5. The teams last played in the Tiger Den in 2000 - ironically on Nov. 22 - and Cody New hit a pair of free throws in the waning seconds to give Valley a 59-56 win.
The teams didn't play again until Warsaw beat the host Vikings 54-44 last year in Akron.
The Tigers will be in action again Saturday when they host Columbia City, while Valley hosts Wabash Tuesday.
T. VALLEY 63, WARSAW 59
Valley 15 11 19 18 - 63
Warsaw 20 8 20 11 - 59
Valley FG FT R S Pts.
* Hoffer 4-16 5-7 6 3 14
* Salyer 2-4 3-5 1 0 7
* Parker 4-6 0-0 3 0 8
* Kindig 5-7 5-10 9 2 15
* Nelson 5-10 0-2 2 0 15
Scherzer 0-0 0-0 0 0 0
Tillman 1-3 2-2 3 0 4
Team 0-0 0-0 3 0 0
Totals 21-46 15-26 27 5 63
Warsaw FG FT R S Pts.
* Clemens 3-4 0-1 2 0 6
* Truman 4-11 1-2 3 2 10
* Reinholt 8-12 5-10 11 2 21
* Blanton 2-4 2-3 5 0 7
* Lemasters 3-9 3-5 3 2 11
Robinson 1-2 2-2 4 0 4
Waikel 0-0 0-0 2 0 0
Harman 0-0 0-0 0 0 0
Team 0-0 0-0 3 0 0
Totals 21-42 13-23 33 6 59
Three-point goals - Valley 6-14 (Nelson 5-8, Hoffer 1-6), Warsaw 4-10 (Lemasters 2-4, Truman 1-4, Blanton 1-2). Turnovers - Valley 8, Warsaw 10. Fouls - Valley 20, Warsaw 22. Fouled out - Salyer, Parker, Clemens.
JV - Warsaw 50, T. Valley 32
Valley - Josh Cooper 8, Devin Vogel 5, Anthony Tolson 5, Ross Miller 4, James Harrell 4, Jordan Boggs 2, Taylor Burkhart 2, Kyle Ritchey 2
Warsaw - Andy Conrad 15, Jesse Sharp 14, Chase Byerly 11, Taylor Long 6, Luke Holladay 4 [[In-content Ad]]
While it wasn't the best offensive performance of his high school career, a key defensive play by Chad Hoffer helped Tippecanoe Valley's varsity boys basketball team escape Warsaw with a 63-59 win in Wednesday's season opener.
With Valley clinging to a 61-59 lead, the host Tigers tried inbounding the ball with 3.2 seconds remaining in the game, needing to go the length of the court.
The 6-foot-2 Hoffer, guarding the baseline, intercepted the inbound pass, collected the ball and drove to the basket and was fouled.
He hit both free throws and the Vikings left Warsaw with their second consecutive win in the Tiger Den.
Hoffer, who scored just four points in the first half, finished the game with 14 points. He was 4 of 16 from the field and 5 of 7 from the free throw line. He also pulled down six rebounds, dished out six assists and made three steals, the last of which helped put the game away.
"He's the type of kid that'll step up with a lot of confidence and make a big play," Valley coach Bill Patrick said of Hoffer. "He was down on himself because he missed a few shots. That steal was big. Warsaw's a good team. Tommy Reinholt is a load. We couldn't find an answer for him."
Reinholt led all scorers with 21 points, hitting 8 of 12 field goal attempts and 5 of 10 free throws. He also pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds.
"Tommy Reinholt played a great game, 21 points and 11 rebounds," said Warsaw coach Doug Ogle. "Ben Truman played 32 minutes and had one turnover. It's a starting point. We're disappointed we lost. We lost to a good team. Our inexperience showed a couple times."
Despite losing seven players, including four starters, from last year's sectional championship team, Warsaw was able to score 20 points in both the first and third quarters.
The second and fourth quarters were a different story, as the Tigers couldn't finish either half with the same offensive success they started it with.
A Reinholt field goal with 5:17 to play in the first half gave Warsaw a nine-point lead at 26-17.
Valley outscored the the Tigers 9-2 the rest of the half and tied the game at 31-all when senior Adam Nelson made a three-pointer with 6:03 to play in the third.
"I thought Warsaw got a little tired," said Patrick. "And fouls hurt both teams. I'm proud of the way our kids battled. We got down nine and they could have folded but they came back and battled."
The Vikings trailed after every quarter but the fourth, as Warsaw led 20-15 after one quarter of play, 28-26 at halftime and 48-45 after three quarters.
Valley started the fourth quarter with a 7-0 run and led the rest of the game.
Warsaw got within one, 60-59, when senior Eric Blanton hit two free throws with 45 seconds remaining in the game.
Hoffer then scored the final three points of the game from the free throw line, hitting the second of a two-shot foul with 3.2 seconds left and both shots with half a second on the clock after he stole the inbound pass and was fouled.
Valley was whistled for 20 fouls and starters Jerrod Parker and Shane Salyer - the Vikings' two post players fouled out - while the Tigers were whistled for 22 fouls and freshman starting center Justin Clemens fouled out.
The Vikings hit 15 of 26 free throws while Warsaw converted 13 of 23 charity tosses.
Nelson and Kevin Kindig led Valley with 15 points each, while Hoffer added 14, Parker scored eight, Salyer chipped in with seven and Steve Tillman scored four.
All of Nelson's points came from beyond the three-point arc, as he finished the game 5 of 8 from long range.
"Nelson shot the ball well," said Ogle. "We let him go too many times."
To go with Reinholt's double-double, the Tigers got 11 points from senior Steve Lemasters and 10 points from Truman. Blanton scored seven points and pulled down five rebounds while Clemens scored six points and sophomore Ryne Robinson scored four points and pulled down four rebounds.
The Tigers lead the overall series 23-5. The teams last played in the Tiger Den in 2000 - ironically on Nov. 22 - and Cody New hit a pair of free throws in the waning seconds to give Valley a 59-56 win.
The teams didn't play again until Warsaw beat the host Vikings 54-44 last year in Akron.
The Tigers will be in action again Saturday when they host Columbia City, while Valley hosts Wabash Tuesday.
T. VALLEY 63, WARSAW 59
Valley 15 11 19 18 - 63
Warsaw 20 8 20 11 - 59
Valley FG FT R S Pts.
* Hoffer 4-16 5-7 6 3 14
* Salyer 2-4 3-5 1 0 7
* Parker 4-6 0-0 3 0 8
* Kindig 5-7 5-10 9 2 15
* Nelson 5-10 0-2 2 0 15
Scherzer 0-0 0-0 0 0 0
Tillman 1-3 2-2 3 0 4
Team 0-0 0-0 3 0 0
Totals 21-46 15-26 27 5 63
Warsaw FG FT R S Pts.
* Clemens 3-4 0-1 2 0 6
* Truman 4-11 1-2 3 2 10
* Reinholt 8-12 5-10 11 2 21
* Blanton 2-4 2-3 5 0 7
* Lemasters 3-9 3-5 3 2 11
Robinson 1-2 2-2 4 0 4
Waikel 0-0 0-0 2 0 0
Harman 0-0 0-0 0 0 0
Team 0-0 0-0 3 0 0
Totals 21-42 13-23 33 6 59
Three-point goals - Valley 6-14 (Nelson 5-8, Hoffer 1-6), Warsaw 4-10 (Lemasters 2-4, Truman 1-4, Blanton 1-2). Turnovers - Valley 8, Warsaw 10. Fouls - Valley 20, Warsaw 22. Fouled out - Salyer, Parker, Clemens.
JV - Warsaw 50, T. Valley 32
Valley - Josh Cooper 8, Devin Vogel 5, Anthony Tolson 5, Ross Miller 4, James Harrell 4, Jordan Boggs 2, Taylor Burkhart 2, Kyle Ritchey 2
Warsaw - Andy Conrad 15, Jesse Sharp 14, Chase Byerly 11, Taylor Long 6, Luke Holladay 4 [[In-content Ad]]