Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
SOUTH WHITLEY - After losing by 60 points to North Side last year, the Whitko boys basketball team (2-11) was much more competitive, Saturday night losing by 19, 87-68.
"Anytime you lose by 19, you're not happy," Whitko head coach Steve Pickett said. "I felt they shot extremely well."
The Redskins blistered the nets by shooting 32 of 49 (65 percent) from the field, including 8 of 13 from three-point range. Whitko hit 27 of 54 shots (50 percent). The Wildcats were hurt at the free throw line, shooting only seven free throws (6 of 7) the whole game, compared to North Side's 23 attempts (15 of 23).
North Side senior guard Corey Smith led all scorers with 32 points. Smith tallied 14 first-quarter points to give the Redskins an early 23-16 lead after one period.
Shane Henderson scored eight of his team-leading 25 points in the second quarter, but the Wildcats had six second period turnovers and trailed 44-32 at the half.
The Redskins' 6-foot-9 senior center Ross McGregor scored eight of his 21 points in the third stanza.
North Side led 67-52 after three. Whitko's Adam Wendel had seven of his 11 points in the quarter to keep the Wildcats in the game.
Early in the fourth quarter, North Side's John Williams earned a technical foul for hanging on the rim. Wildcat Ben Ryan knocked down both free throws to cut the lead to 12, and the momentum seemed to change to Whitko's favor. However, the Wildcats could not get any closer.
"We couldn't stop Smith and we put three or four guys on him," said Pickett. "They just had too many weapons for us to stop."
The Wildcats played with a high level of intensity and effort. The talented North Side Redskins (6-7), had to work for everything they got, and Whitko did not make it easy.
"We talked about playing with more emotion this weekend," said Pickett. "I think we showed that.
"It's tough for the kids because they're not getting results, but last night we did (Friday's 61-60 victory over Ft. Wayne Canterbury)."
Ben Ryan scored 13 points and Bryan Howard chipped in with 11 for the Wildcats, who will next play host to Fort Wayne Wayne Saturday night in South Whitley.
FT. WAYNE NORTH SIDE 87 WHITKO 68
North Side (6-7) 23 21 23 20 - 87
Whitko (2-11) 16 16 20 16 - 68
North Side FG FT A S R Pts.
Belcher (F) 6-8 3-6 3 4 7 16
Stineburg (F) 0-0 0-0 1 1 1 0
Smith (G) 11-16 4-4 2 1 3 32
Conway (G) 2-5 1-2 2 1 2 5
McGregor (C) 8-11 5-6 1 0 4 21
Williams 3-6 0-2 0 1 6 6
Raines 1-1 2-3 1 2 2 5
Underwood 1-2 0-0 0 0 1 2
Totals 32-49 15-23 10 10 26 87
Whitko FG FT A S R Pts.
Ryan (F) 5-8 2-2 1 1 5 13
Henderson (F) 9-16 1-1 1 1 3 25
Robbins (G) 3-3 0-0 0 0 2 6
Wendel (G) 4-10 2-2 2 0 2 11
Goble (C) 1-2 0-0 0 0 3 2
Waller 0-2 0-0 0 2 0 0
Howard 5-9 1-2 1 0 3 11
Manuel 0-4 0-0 1 0 5 0
Frantz 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0
Totals 27-54 6-7 6 4 22 68
Three-point goals - North Side 8-13 (Belcher 1-2, Conway 0-1, Smith 6-8, Raines 1-1, Underwood 0-1) Whitko 8-17 (Wendel 1-2, Henderson 6-11, Waller 0-2, Ryan 1-2). Fouled out - none. Total fouls - North Side 13, Whitko 19. Turnovers - Norh Side 15, Whitko 17.
JV -ÊNORTHSIDE 42, WHITKO 37
North Side - Phillips 6, Cam Smith 8, Winston 2, Duttaroy 4, Shown 7, Wallace 6, Fitzgerald 9.
Whitko - Clausen 2, Walpole 2, Lopshire 9, Hoffman 4, Woods 2, Garber 8, Frantz 10.
