Vikings Get Back On Winning Track
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
MENTONE -ÊComing into his first season at Tippecanoe Valley, coach Bill Patrick had 29 winning seasons at Whitko. That's where he thought his streak would end.
But the Vikings proved Patrick wrong when they pummelled the Wabash Apaches 83-58 to earn their 11th win of the season and keep his streak alive at 30.
The 11 wins so far this season almost double the win count of last year, when the Vikings tied a school record in futility at 6-15.
Valley started the game on the right foot when Josh Cumberland nailed a two-point jumper to give the Vikings a 2-0 lead from the get-go. The Vikes would not settle for just two, though, as Jarvis Shepherd and Brandon Eaton combined for eight more Valley points before the Apaches scored their first basket at the 5:21 mark in the first.
By the end of the first frame, Valley led 20-8.
Valley continued its offensive attack in the second quarter, scoring 20 more points to take a 40-19 lead into the halftime break.
"We pushed the ball up the floor more than we had been," said Patrick. "We got up the floor quicker.
"Our 1-3-1 half-court trap got a lot of mileage tonight, and we played a harder, more aggressive full-court press in the first half."
The Vikings carried the momentum of the first half into the second as Craig Kuhn nailed a two-point basket and the conversion free throw afterward for a three-point play to start the third quarter.
Wabash came no closer to Valley than 20 points as the Vikings took a 64-40 lead into the final stanza.
"We dropped back to a half-court press in the second half after we took a 30-point lead," said Patrick.
The Apaches scored six points in the last 1:10 of fourth frame, but it was too little, too late as the Vikings earned a 83-58 victory.
"It's good to get back on the winning track," said Patrick. "Against Manchester and Southwood, we didn't play as hard as we could have. We played a lot harder tonight.
"All 11 players played with more enthusiasm than they did last week. We're a pretty good team when we play as hard as we can."
With 21 points, five rebounds, and two steals, Eaton led the Valley scoring attack. Shepherd netted 13 points, pulled down two rebounds and grabbed five steals, while Eric Prater chipped in 11 points for Valley, now 11-5.
And Patrick? Although 30 seasons without ever having a losing record could be a good reason to brag, he is modest about the continuation of his streak.
"I've never really set any personal goals in coaching, but this makes 30 years without a losing season, 11 wins guarantees that, and it feels pretty good.
"To be honest, after seeing the kids this summer and the first couple weeks of practice, I didn't think we had a remote chance of having a winning season. I have to give all the credit in the world to these kids. They have worked hard and played hard, and they have accomplished a lot.
"They have become a team that is fun to watch."
Tippecanoe Valley 83
Wabash 58
Valley 20 20 24 19 - 83
Wabash 8 11 21 18 - 58
Valley FG FT R S Pts.
Shepherd 6-7 1-2 2 5 13
Prater 4-4 3-4 1 0 11
Eaton 6-9 7-8 5 2 21
Cumberland 2-3 1-2 6 1 5
Kuhn 2-2 0-0 0 0 4
Snyder 1-1 6-8 2 1 8
Silveus 4-6 0-0 1 2 9
New 0-1 2-2 4 0 2
Weber 2-3 0-0 0 0 6
Shafer 0-2 0-0 1 0 0
Domenico 1-1 2-2 0 1 4
Totals 28-38 22-28 22 12 83
Wabash FG FT R S Pts.
Stensland 1-1 0-0 0 1 2
Vinson 4-5 2-2 0 4 11
Ripple 4-8 7-10 2 1 15
B. Gahl 3-10 3-4 1 1 9
Fairchild 2-7 2-3 4 3 6
Lundy 2-5 1-2 1 0 5
Shripka 2-2 4-6 3 1 8
Nordman 0-1 0-0 1 0 0
G. Gahl 0-1 0-0 0 0 0
Landis 1-1 0-0 0 0 2
Totals 19-41 19-27 11 12 58
Three-point goals -ÊValley 5-8 (Eaton 2-4, Silveus 1-1, Weber 2-3), Wabash 1-7 (Vinson 1-1, B. Gahl 0-5, G. Gahl 0-1). Turnovers -ÊValley 17, Wabash 21. Fouled out -ÊKuhn, Vinson, Shripka. Total fouls -ÊValley 21, Wabash 21.
JV Score -ÊValley 46, Wabash 31.
JV leaders -ÊValley: Brandon Harmon 13 points, Daren Alber 7 points, Caleb Shewman 7 points, B.J. Cunningham 6 points; Wabash: Eric Duhammell 11 points. [[In-content Ad]]
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MENTONE -ÊComing into his first season at Tippecanoe Valley, coach Bill Patrick had 29 winning seasons at Whitko. That's where he thought his streak would end.
But the Vikings proved Patrick wrong when they pummelled the Wabash Apaches 83-58 to earn their 11th win of the season and keep his streak alive at 30.
The 11 wins so far this season almost double the win count of last year, when the Vikings tied a school record in futility at 6-15.
Valley started the game on the right foot when Josh Cumberland nailed a two-point jumper to give the Vikings a 2-0 lead from the get-go. The Vikes would not settle for just two, though, as Jarvis Shepherd and Brandon Eaton combined for eight more Valley points before the Apaches scored their first basket at the 5:21 mark in the first.
By the end of the first frame, Valley led 20-8.
Valley continued its offensive attack in the second quarter, scoring 20 more points to take a 40-19 lead into the halftime break.
"We pushed the ball up the floor more than we had been," said Patrick. "We got up the floor quicker.
"Our 1-3-1 half-court trap got a lot of mileage tonight, and we played a harder, more aggressive full-court press in the first half."
The Vikings carried the momentum of the first half into the second as Craig Kuhn nailed a two-point basket and the conversion free throw afterward for a three-point play to start the third quarter.
Wabash came no closer to Valley than 20 points as the Vikings took a 64-40 lead into the final stanza.
"We dropped back to a half-court press in the second half after we took a 30-point lead," said Patrick.
The Apaches scored six points in the last 1:10 of fourth frame, but it was too little, too late as the Vikings earned a 83-58 victory.
"It's good to get back on the winning track," said Patrick. "Against Manchester and Southwood, we didn't play as hard as we could have. We played a lot harder tonight.
"All 11 players played with more enthusiasm than they did last week. We're a pretty good team when we play as hard as we can."
With 21 points, five rebounds, and two steals, Eaton led the Valley scoring attack. Shepherd netted 13 points, pulled down two rebounds and grabbed five steals, while Eric Prater chipped in 11 points for Valley, now 11-5.
And Patrick? Although 30 seasons without ever having a losing record could be a good reason to brag, he is modest about the continuation of his streak.
"I've never really set any personal goals in coaching, but this makes 30 years without a losing season, 11 wins guarantees that, and it feels pretty good.
"To be honest, after seeing the kids this summer and the first couple weeks of practice, I didn't think we had a remote chance of having a winning season. I have to give all the credit in the world to these kids. They have worked hard and played hard, and they have accomplished a lot.
"They have become a team that is fun to watch."
Tippecanoe Valley 83
Wabash 58
Valley 20 20 24 19 - 83
Wabash 8 11 21 18 - 58
Valley FG FT R S Pts.
Shepherd 6-7 1-2 2 5 13
Prater 4-4 3-4 1 0 11
Eaton 6-9 7-8 5 2 21
Cumberland 2-3 1-2 6 1 5
Kuhn 2-2 0-0 0 0 4
Snyder 1-1 6-8 2 1 8
Silveus 4-6 0-0 1 2 9
New 0-1 2-2 4 0 2
Weber 2-3 0-0 0 0 6
Shafer 0-2 0-0 1 0 0
Domenico 1-1 2-2 0 1 4
Totals 28-38 22-28 22 12 83
Wabash FG FT R S Pts.
Stensland 1-1 0-0 0 1 2
Vinson 4-5 2-2 0 4 11
Ripple 4-8 7-10 2 1 15
B. Gahl 3-10 3-4 1 1 9
Fairchild 2-7 2-3 4 3 6
Lundy 2-5 1-2 1 0 5
Shripka 2-2 4-6 3 1 8
Nordman 0-1 0-0 1 0 0
G. Gahl 0-1 0-0 0 0 0
Landis 1-1 0-0 0 0 2
Totals 19-41 19-27 11 12 58
Three-point goals -ÊValley 5-8 (Eaton 2-4, Silveus 1-1, Weber 2-3), Wabash 1-7 (Vinson 1-1, B. Gahl 0-5, G. Gahl 0-1). Turnovers -ÊValley 17, Wabash 21. Fouled out -ÊKuhn, Vinson, Shripka. Total fouls -ÊValley 21, Wabash 21.
JV Score -ÊValley 46, Wabash 31.
JV leaders -ÊValley: Brandon Harmon 13 points, Daren Alber 7 points, Caleb Shewman 7 points, B.J. Cunningham 6 points; Wabash: Eric Duhammell 11 points. [[In-content Ad]]