SOUTH WHITLEY - The Class 3A No. 8 Whitko High School boys basketball team got a little help from everyone to stand as the Three Rivers Conference's only unbeaten team.
Hosting the Southwood Knights (6-3, 2-1 TRC), the Whitko Wildcats (9-2, 3-0 TRC) had three players score at least 17 points in a 70-48 home win Friday."Until someone beats us, we control our own destiny," Whitko coach Rob Irwin said about being the only remaining TRC team without a loss.
The Wildcats got themselves into that position by getting a game-high 22 points from junior Logan Irwin, 20 from senior Max Elder and 17 from senior Zac VanDeWater.
"As long as we stay with three or four guys getting baskets, it doesn't really matter who it is, then we're way better," Rob Irwin said.
Irwin and VanDeWater have been leading the Wildcats all season, but with Elder's night, which was achieved on 10-of-12 shooting, Whitko could be tough for any team to handle.
"He got himself in position, then caught the ball and finished it," Rob Irwin said about Elder. "He ran the floor hard and got in a position when Logan was penetrating."
With Elder getting himself into position, Logan Irwin had six assists to go with his nine rebounds.
"He was in a different gear tonight," Rob Irwin said about his son. "I told our kids, 'You have to run a little harder when he's like that.' He was getting up the floor a little quicker than normal tonight, for whatever reason."
With the pace sped up, Whitko shot 55 percent from the field.
"It wasn't just catching passes for Max and Derek (Snep)," Rob Irwin said, mentioning Snep who had five points and three rebounds. "They actually made some post moves. If they do that, we'll be pretty good."
On top of the offense clicking, the Whitko defense also forced 19 turnovers and outrebounded the Knight 30-23.
The pace of the defense went into full force with 14-13 lead after the first quarter, when Rob Irwin instituted his press. The swarming defense helped force six second-quarter turnovers by the Knights, and turned the one-point lead into a 28-17 halftime advantage.
From there, Whitko just continued to increase its lead against a Southwood team that shared the TRC title with North Miami last year, defeating Whitko 60-57. The Knights also reached last year's semistate, losing to eventual state champion Wheeler 68-61.
"They're good, but we just have more experience," Rob Irwin said about Southwood. "Most nights, we're going to have the best guard on the floor and we also have Zac. Right now, Max and Derek are playing as well as any inside guys we've seen."
With the guys all playing well, Rob Irwin is hoping that carries into this year's state tournament.
"Our focus has been on the sectional," he said. "Hopefully, we're prepared."
Before worrying about the sectional, Whitko first needs to concern itself with another TRC game Friday when it hosts Northfield.
