Vikings Ready For Another Shot At Jay County
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Daniel [email protected]
Tippecanoe Valley (18-4) and Jay County (19-4) square off in the first game at 10 a.m.[[In-content Ad]]The two teams went against each other in last year's Blackford regional with Jay County squeaking out a 63-57 win en route to an appearance to the 3A state finals.
The Patriots lost to New Castle in the championship game.
Valley lost its two top scorers in Shane Drudge and David Lash while Jay County returns virtually everbody from last year's team.
The Patriots aren't particularly flashy or filled with talent, they just play fundamental basketball with few mistakes.
Senior Corey Comer leads the way for Jay County at 13.2 points per game. Comer is also the team's leader in rebounds at 5.5 per contest.
Scott Bruggeman is the only other player for Jay County who averages double figures in scoring.
Bruggeman averages 10.5 points per game to go along with a team-high 4.5 assists per game.
Billy Wellman averages 9.1 points per game for Jay County while Rhett Retter and Clint Muhlenkamp average 6.1 and 5.1 points respectively.
"They're pretty much the same as they were last year," said Valley coach Bill Patrick of Jay County. "Four of their first seven kids are back from last year. They don't make mistakes. (Coach Craig Teagle) does a nice job."
Patrick believes his team should have beaten Jay County last year and feels good about the way his team is playing going into its game with the Patriots.
Though Valley no longer has Drudge or Lash, the Vikings are averaging a point more per contest than they were last year (61.8) and allowing about the same on defense (50.3).
Leading the way for Valley is junior Chad Hoffer.
Hoffer has been on a tear as of late scoring 24 points in the Vikings regular-season finale at home against Wawasee in a 77-70 loss.
Hoffer then opened up sectional play with 20 points in a 71-58 win against Peru at the Fort Wayne Wayne Sectional.
The talented 6-foot-2 guard then scored 23 points as Valley won its third straight sectional with a 62-39 win over Norwell.
"The big thing for Chad," said Patrick. "He's staying out of foul trouble. Also in two games in the sectional he went 14 of 14 from the line. He can step up because he's capable of hitting big shots."
Hoffer is just one of the reasons Valley may be more dangerous this season. While Hoffer averages 14.5 points per game, Kevin Kindig chips in 12.0 points per game to go along with a team-high 8.3 rebounds per contest.
Adam Nelson is third on the team in scoring at 9.2 points per game while Shane Salyer and Steve Tillman add 8.9 and 7.3 points per contest.
Patrick says the improved play of Nelson and his outside shooting forces teams to pay extra attention to him which allows others like Hoffer to flourish.
Senior Jerrod Parker averages 5.1 points per game.
Parker is expected to play against Jay County despite twisting his ankle earlier this week in practice.
In the second game of the regional, host NorthWood takes on Fort Wayne Bishop Luers.
NorthWood won its first sectional title since 2001 in a 60-56 win over Wawasee.
The Panthers (17-5) aren't oozing with big-time talent but Zach Troyer and Skyler Titus are very good players and the rest of the Dan Gunn coached team plays their roles to perfection.
NorthWood stunned many this year by its success considering the loss of Ryne Lightfoot to graduation.
Lightfoot currently is playing significant minutes as a freshman at Bethel College in Mishawaka.
For Luers it starts and ends with freshman DeShaun Thomas. Thomas is listed by some recruiting websites as the top freshman in the country. The 6-7 swingman is both dangerous inside and out.
Thomas, who ironically went to Northwood Middle School in Fort Wayne, averaged 24 points and 23 rebounds as an eighth grader and this year has led Luers to its first regional appearance in school history.
Thomas is the state's second leading scorer at 27.7 points per game and the state's third leading rebounder at 13.3 boards per game.
Only Mr. Basketball lock, Indianapolis North Central's Eric Gordon, averages more points per game.
The winner of the NorthWood Regional will take on the winner of the Plymouth Regional, with the host Pilgrims the heavy favorite.
While the site of the semistates aren't determined until after the regional, the 3A semistate would almost assuredly take place at the Tiger Den in Warsaw.
Lafayette Jefferson is hosting the other Northern semistate.
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Tippecanoe Valley (18-4) and Jay County (19-4) square off in the first game at 10 a.m.[[In-content Ad]]The two teams went against each other in last year's Blackford regional with Jay County squeaking out a 63-57 win en route to an appearance to the 3A state finals.
The Patriots lost to New Castle in the championship game.
Valley lost its two top scorers in Shane Drudge and David Lash while Jay County returns virtually everbody from last year's team.
The Patriots aren't particularly flashy or filled with talent, they just play fundamental basketball with few mistakes.
Senior Corey Comer leads the way for Jay County at 13.2 points per game. Comer is also the team's leader in rebounds at 5.5 per contest.
Scott Bruggeman is the only other player for Jay County who averages double figures in scoring.
Bruggeman averages 10.5 points per game to go along with a team-high 4.5 assists per game.
Billy Wellman averages 9.1 points per game for Jay County while Rhett Retter and Clint Muhlenkamp average 6.1 and 5.1 points respectively.
"They're pretty much the same as they were last year," said Valley coach Bill Patrick of Jay County. "Four of their first seven kids are back from last year. They don't make mistakes. (Coach Craig Teagle) does a nice job."
Patrick believes his team should have beaten Jay County last year and feels good about the way his team is playing going into its game with the Patriots.
Though Valley no longer has Drudge or Lash, the Vikings are averaging a point more per contest than they were last year (61.8) and allowing about the same on defense (50.3).
Leading the way for Valley is junior Chad Hoffer.
Hoffer has been on a tear as of late scoring 24 points in the Vikings regular-season finale at home against Wawasee in a 77-70 loss.
Hoffer then opened up sectional play with 20 points in a 71-58 win against Peru at the Fort Wayne Wayne Sectional.
The talented 6-foot-2 guard then scored 23 points as Valley won its third straight sectional with a 62-39 win over Norwell.
"The big thing for Chad," said Patrick. "He's staying out of foul trouble. Also in two games in the sectional he went 14 of 14 from the line. He can step up because he's capable of hitting big shots."
Hoffer is just one of the reasons Valley may be more dangerous this season. While Hoffer averages 14.5 points per game, Kevin Kindig chips in 12.0 points per game to go along with a team-high 8.3 rebounds per contest.
Adam Nelson is third on the team in scoring at 9.2 points per game while Shane Salyer and Steve Tillman add 8.9 and 7.3 points per contest.
Patrick says the improved play of Nelson and his outside shooting forces teams to pay extra attention to him which allows others like Hoffer to flourish.
Senior Jerrod Parker averages 5.1 points per game.
Parker is expected to play against Jay County despite twisting his ankle earlier this week in practice.
In the second game of the regional, host NorthWood takes on Fort Wayne Bishop Luers.
NorthWood won its first sectional title since 2001 in a 60-56 win over Wawasee.
The Panthers (17-5) aren't oozing with big-time talent but Zach Troyer and Skyler Titus are very good players and the rest of the Dan Gunn coached team plays their roles to perfection.
NorthWood stunned many this year by its success considering the loss of Ryne Lightfoot to graduation.
Lightfoot currently is playing significant minutes as a freshman at Bethel College in Mishawaka.
For Luers it starts and ends with freshman DeShaun Thomas. Thomas is listed by some recruiting websites as the top freshman in the country. The 6-7 swingman is both dangerous inside and out.
Thomas, who ironically went to Northwood Middle School in Fort Wayne, averaged 24 points and 23 rebounds as an eighth grader and this year has led Luers to its first regional appearance in school history.
Thomas is the state's second leading scorer at 27.7 points per game and the state's third leading rebounder at 13.3 boards per game.
Only Mr. Basketball lock, Indianapolis North Central's Eric Gordon, averages more points per game.
The winner of the NorthWood Regional will take on the winner of the Plymouth Regional, with the host Pilgrims the heavy favorite.
While the site of the semistates aren't determined until after the regional, the 3A semistate would almost assuredly take place at the Tiger Den in Warsaw.
Lafayette Jefferson is hosting the other Northern semistate.
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