Tippecanoe Valley Takes TRC Win Over North MiamiAKRON — With Three Rivers Conference play winding down for the Tippecanoe Valley boys basketball team, they looked to end that slate on a high note. While it may have been a disappointing season in the TRC for the Vikings, things were also lackluster for the visiting North Miami Warriors — who have dealt with a coaching change recently. With each team having wild swings of momentum, the hosts were able to hold off a resurgent North Miami team 63-54 Friday night on Rita Price-Simpson Court at Tippecanoe Valley High School. “In the first half, I started playing a lot of kids because I was not sure how North Miami would come out with their coaching change,” said Tippecanoe Valley boys head coach Chad Patrick. “It was either going to be really good or really bad, you just never know. The first half was really bad, and their second half was really good, so you just had it all in one night.” Valley entered halftime with a 35-17 lead over the Warriors, but the visitors did not back down as they outscored Valley 17-5 in the third quarter. Warrior senior Nate Musselman, who made five three-point baskets en route to a 17-point performance, attributed a lot of those points. Fellow senior Tristan Working also scored 17 points for North Miami (4-14 overall, 0-8 TRC). Valley (8-11 overall) finishes TRC play with a 3-6 record, while the other nine members still have at least one more conference game to play. Senior Tanner Trippiedi and freshman Paul Leasure each had a team-high 15 points for the Vikings. Trippiedi had seven steals to go along with his big night. Sophomore Braden Shepherd was also in double-figures as he ended his night with 13 points, while fellow sophomore Dawson Perkins chipped in with eight points and a team-high 16 rebounds. Valley out-rebounded North Miami 33-29, and also won the turnover battle with having just 10 to the Warriors’ 15. Whatever scare it may have brought for Patrick and his Vikings, all that mattered were the results. “We are getting better, we are improving, but we just don’t do some things right at times,” said Patrick. “That was a game where a couple of times, we would have blown that this year. That was a good win; I would take that in a heartbeat.” Valley welcomes Northern Lakes Conference member NorthWood on Tuesday — where the Panthers are 14-4 and sit in third place in the conference. North Miami will look to get back on track on Tuesday as well as they host Southern Wells.
TIPPECANOE VALLEY 63, NORTH MIAMI 54 NM 5 12 17 20 – 54 TV 17 18 5 23 – 63 North Miami – Tristan Working 17, Nate Musselman 17, Braden Burns 9, Keegan Donaldson 5, Austin Smith 3, Darian Hanley 2. Valley – Tanner Trippiedi 15, Paul Leasure 15, Braden Shepherd 13, Dawson Perkins 8, Rex Kirchenstein 5, Brendyn Stump 4, Nolan Cumberland 3. JV – Tippecanoe Valley 66 North Miami 17
