SOUTH WHITLEY – Despite having just five players crack the scoring column, the balanced attack of Robbie Cole, Noah Kirk and Alex Harmon led the Southwood Knights to a 71-62 win over the host Whitko Wildcats Friday night in Three Rivers Conference action. The Knights (4-7 overall, 2-0 TRC) got off to a hot start, ending the first quarter with a 25-9 lead. Early on, the Wildcats couldn’t capitalize on short baskets or at the free throw line, giving way to Southwood’s first-half onslaught. The trio of Cole (22 points), Kirk (17 points) and Harmon (15 points) was a huge factor in the game. “They got off to a really hot start. They did a great job in their press,” said Whitko head coach Roger Fleetwood. “We panicked a bit in the first three or more minutes against their press and really never got into anything. You need to see points on the board, you don’t want to wait three or four minutes to get your first basket.” Brandin Frazier and Carson Blair, the only other scorers for Southwood, fell just shy of finishing in double-digits. Frazier ended the game with nine points and Blair with eight. The Wildcats (1-10 overall, 0-3 TRC) found themselves down by as many as 19 points before halftime. However, a 7-0 run, including five straight points from Nathan Walpole, trimmed Southwood’s lead to 12 at the break. Walpole, a sophomore, had an impressive showing by sinking 13 shots from the field and finishing with 30 points. Whitko’s defense was also impressive in the second half, particularly in the third quarter when it held the Knights to just 10 points. The Wildcats were down by just five points going into the final quarter before Southwood slammed the door shut in the closing minute. “We didn’t give in, we kept fighting and we didn’t think the game was over and that’s what you have to do when you have a young team,” said Fleetwood. “I thought we grew up more tonight than we have any game all year. I thought we played to win tonight instead of not to lose.” In the loss, Cole Kessie logged 12 points, all from the arc. Freshman River West added nine points and Tanner Gaff and Roger Helblig scored four points each. The Wildcats, still seeking their first TRC win of the season, will take a break from conference play when they host the Adams Central Jets Tuesday night at 7:45 pm. After Friday night's game, Fleetwood finds no reason to keep his head down with the effort his players displayed. “At Eastbrook, we fought to win down there. We're getting better,” he said. “Everybody expects me to be down, they're talking to the wrong guy. When they gave out optimism and realism, I took two doses of optimism and forgot the realism.” As for the Knights, they will look to maintain their clean TRC record when they host their cross-town rival Wabash today at 2:30 p.m.
