SOUTH WHITLEY - Three Rivers Conference play started for the improving Whitko Wildcats Friday night.
The Rochester Zebras came into the game ranked fourth in Class 3A, but it was the host Wildcats that held on for a 76-73 win.Whitko improved to 6-3 overall and 1-0 in TRC play, while the Zebras fell to 6-2 overall and 0-1 in conference action.
"This is the best game we have played since I started coaching here," said fourth-year Whitko coach Rob Iriwn, who scored his 150th career win in his 14th season overall. "Everyone came in tonight and did their part."
Friday's three-point win allowed the Wildcats to match their win total from last season, a season and which they finished with a 6-15 mark.
Freshman Logan Irwin, the coach's son, hit 5 of 8 free throws down the stretch to lead the Wildcats to the victory. Irwin finished the game with 25 points.
With the game knotted at 19-all, Kaden Krull hit four-straight baskets early in the second quarter for the Wildcats. Krull finished with 13 points on 5-of-5 shooting from the floor.
Krull also had six rebounds and blocked five shots.
"Kaden did a great job tonight," said Irwin. "When he puts his mind to it he can do what he does. His play in the middle helped us tonight because they couldn't get too much offense in the middle."
With the exception of the first two of minutes of the game, Whitko controlled much of the game until the late in the third quarter. The Wildcats led by as much as 15 points early in the second half.
Bruce Grimm Jr. of Rochester caught fire in the second half to quickly erase the big Whitko lead. Grimm Scored 34 of his game-high 40 points in the second half and finished the game 5 of 10 from the three-point arc.
"Grimm is a good ball player," said Irwin. "We knew they were going to make a run at us before the game was over. I thought Logan did a nice job of covering him the last three minutes of the game."
Referees stopped play to talk with Logan Irwin and Grimm their physical play with each other.
Brody Schoen hit a jumper with 6:09 remaining in the game to tie the score for the first time since the first quarter at 57-all.
Schoen finished with 12 points on the night.
Nick Metzger then hit three fouls shots and a three-point basket to put Whitko up for good. Metzger scored 25 points in the game and finished the game 6 of 9 from three-point range.
"Nick probably played the best game of his career here tonight," said Irwin.
Whitko went a 9-0 run late in the first quarter to go up 21-8 after Rochester coach Rob Malchow was called for a technical foul while arguing a call.
Rochester came back with a 6-0 run to cut the deficit to 21-14 at the end of the first quarter.
Whitko lead by 13 at the half 38-23.
Grimm scored 21 points in the fourth quarter to keep the game close. He hit a three-pointer with less than a minute remaining to pull the Zebras to within one at 72-71.
"It has been a long time since we won in the white jerseys." Irwin said in reference to winning at home, something the Wildcats hadn't done since Dec. 5.
Zac VanDeWater added seven points for the Wildcats, while Travis Lepper chipped in with six points.
"It was nice to get a tough first TRC win tonight," said Irwin. "Fortunately, most of the tough TRC teams are coming to our gym this year."
Austin Lowe scored eight points for Rochester and also pulled down a game-high 13 rebounds.
Marc Bowers came off the bench and also scored eight points for the Zebras.
The Wildcats are in action again tonight when they host Plymouth.
"The kids did a nice job. Everybody came out and did a great job. We kept playing hard."
