Connor McCann
Sports Editor
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Lady Lancers Shake Off Slow Start, Advance To NCCAA Semis
Hosting the NCCAA Tournament for the final time after a 15-year run, the Grace women’s basketball entered the week hoping to make one final run to end their hosting duties on a high note. Facing off against No. 5 Southwestern Christian as the No. 4 seed, the Lady Lancers were able to shake off a sluggish start and come back for a 79-73 victory.
Brooke Winchester Wins Times-Union Girls Player Of The Year
A scorer that can get it done down low as well as at the three point line. A prolific rebounder that nearly averaged a double-double for the season. One of the leaders on a team that went undefeated in the Northern Lakes Conference for the third straight campaign. These are just some of the qualities of Warsaw junior forward Brooke Winchester, who has been selected as the 2024 Times-Union Girls Basketball Player of the Year.
Grace Seniors Ryman And Patton End Careers At Home
As Grace College prepares to say goodbye to the NCCAA Tournament after hosting it for one final time this week, a pair of Lady Lancer seniors are preparing to say goodbye as well. Maddie Ryman and Kaylee Patton, the two winningest players in program history, will play their final games at the Manahan Orthopeadic Capital Center over the next few days, giving the two players the rare opportunity to not only close out their careers on their home court, but in front of their community.
Lancers Open NAIA Tournament With Comeback Win
For the second straight year, the Grace men’s basketball team has been the cream of the crop in the NAIA, and for the second straight year, the Lancers were rewarded for their efforts by being awarded a host site for the opening rounds of the NAIA Tournament as a No. 1 seed. Facing off against No. 16 seed Washington Adventist, Grace was able to overcome a sluggish start, exploding late in the second half to advance to the next round on Saturday night with a 85-65 victory.
Grace’s Hosting Of NCCAA Tourney Ending After 15 Years
For the past 15 years, men’s and women’s basketball players from the top schools in the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) have called Winona Lake and Warsaw home for one week in March with local Grace College playing host to the championship tournaments.
Grace Rolls By Wesleyan To Win Crossroads Tournament Title
The 2023-24 season has been filled with plenty of highs for the Grace men’s basketball team. The Lancers had lost just once this season opposed to 29 wins coming into Tuesday night’s championship game for the Crossroads League Conference tournament. In that title game, the Lancers left no doubt as to who the league’s top dog was, handling Indiana Wesleyan 101-80 to make it an even 30 wins on the year as well as continuing their reign as kings of the conference.
Offensive Woes Doom Valley In Title Game Loss To Glenn
Playing IHSAA 3A Sectional 18 on their home court, the Tippecanoe Valley boys basketball team looked to avenge last season’s postseason loss to John Glenn in the title game on Saturday night. The Vikings started slow, mounted a furious comeback in the fourth quarter, but were unable to come away victorious in a 35-30 loss.
Warsaw Downs Concord For Spot In Sectional Title Game
Fans of Warsaw boys basketball have been waiting quite some time to see their team win a sectional basketball game, with the team’s last postseason victory coming in 2020. Using a fast start and never looking back, this year’s Tigers put that wait to bed in the semifinal game of IHSAA 4A Sectional 4 at North Side Gym on Friday night, defeating Concord 48-35 to advance to Saturday night’s championship game.
Whitko Dominates Manchester To Advance To Sectional Semis
A week ago, the Whitko boys basketball team defeated Manchester in both team’s final Three Rivers Conference game of the season. The win took away the Squires’ opportunity to win the TRC outright. On Wednesday night, just eight days after their last meeting, the Wildcats spoiled Manchester’s season once more, this time eliminating the Squires from IHSAA 2A Sectional 37 with a 63-42 win.
Wawasee Falls To Lakeland 55-53 In Sectional Opener
The only area team to begin sectional play on Tuesday night, the Wawasee boys basketball team began its playoff journey against host school Lakeland in the opening round of IHSAA 3A Sectional 20. Warrior fans have become accustomed to seeing their team compete in close games and this one was no different. In the end, the Lakers were able to hold on for a 55-53 win to send Wawasee home.
Tigers Hoping Road, Close Game Success Translates To Sectional Gold
Heading into the extremely competitive tournament that is IHSAA 4A Sectional 4, the Warsaw Tigers (17-5, 4-3 NLC) have plenty of reasons to be confident about their chances. They’re 4-1 against the sectional field. The team is one of four teams in the tournament to boast at least 15 wins.
Tippecanoe Valley Begins Sectional Against Knox On Home Court
With no conference to call home during its transition season away from the Three Rivers Conference and into the new conference it will be a founding member of, the Tippecanoe Valley boys basketball team was able to put together quite the schedule for the 2023-24 season. The Vikings took on teams from all over the half of the state this winter, from Fort Wayne South Side to Wheeler. Lebanon to South Bend Washington. More times than not, Valley was able to answer the call, battling through the grueling, unorthodox schedule to head into the playoffs with a 15-8 record.
TRC Champion Squires One Of Three Top-Ten Teams In Sectional
The 2023-24 regular season for the Manchester Squires boys basketball team has been one to remember.
Young Lakeland Christian Team Excited To Gain Playoff Experience
Last season, the Lakeland Christian boys basketball team was the biggest surprise in Kosciusko County, going 19-6, sharing the Hoosier Plains Conference title and making it to a sectional championship game before falling to Bethany Christian. That team was led by Times-Union Player of the Year Seth Martin, who is now continuing his basketball career for Grace College.
Triton Downs Knox To Win Conference Title Outright
A win over Culver Community on Wednesday night gave the Triton boys basketball team at least a share of the Hoosier North Athletic Conference title, but the work was not done there. Friday night’s regular season finale against Knox presented another opportunity for the Trojans: win that one, and don’t share the conference crown with anybody. In front of a capacity crowd at the Trojan Trench, Triton did just that, overcoming a slow start to win 44-36 and secure the HNAC.
Warsaw Uses Big Second Quarter To Down Tippy Valley
After being shocked by a last-second shot in a loss to Tippecanoe Valley at the Tiger Den last season, the Warsaw boys basketball team had the opportunity to return the favor on Tuesday night, heading to Akron for another edition of the Warsaw-Valley rivalry. The Tigers went up big in the second quarter and never looked back, getting revenge for last year’s defeat with a 62-50 win.
Warsaw Dispatches Northrop To Win Final Home Game
Playing in front of a home crowd at the Tiger Den for the final time in the 2023-24 season, the Warsaw boys basketball team went out with a bang on Tuesday night, crushing Fort Wayne Northrop 74-21 to send their supporters home happy for one final time this season. The Tiger offense had it going all night long, hitting 13 threes on the night.
Warsaw Fights Off Plymouth In Northern Lakes Finale
Playing their final Northern Lakes Conference game of the season on Friday night, the Warsaw boys basketball team needed a win over rival Plymouth to finish above .500 in the conference. For a while, it looked as if the Tigers were going to roll to victory, but the hot shooting of the Pilgrims made it tight down the stretch. In the end, Warsaw was able to hold on to a 63-56 win.
Lancers Stand Atop College Hoops As Lone Undefeated
There are a combined 1,304 schools that play college basketball across the NCAA Divisions I through III as well as the NAIA. If you’re looking for a team on that long list that also has a zero in the loss column, it shrinks down to just one. Luckily for Kosciusko County hoops fans, that team plays right here in Winona Lake.
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