Tanner Andrews helped lead Tipppecanoe Valley past NorthWood Saturday night to win its own holiday tournament championship.

AKRON – The Tippecanoe Valley boys basketball team made it eight straight wins with an impressive comeback Saturday night in earning a championship.

The Vikings put together an excellent fourth quarter to rally past previously undefeated NorthWood in the championship game of their own Winning Edge Holiday Tournament at TVHS.

Valley outscored the Panthers 23-8 in the final period to post a 59-53 win in the finale of the two-day tourney.

The Vikings, who beat Rochester 46-34 in the tourney’s title game last year, improve to 8-1. NorthWood, who was ranked No. 11 in this week’s Class 3-A poll, falls to 6-1.

Valley, now 6-0 at home this season, trailed 18-14 after the first quarter and 26-25 at halftime. The Panthers outscored the hosts 19-11 in the third stanza to stretch their lead to 45-36 going into the final period.

The Vikings put the defensive clamps on the Panthers in the fourth quarter. Valley held NorthWood to a 2-of-9 shooting effort in the final frame and forced the Panthers into eight turnovers. The Vikings closed the contest with a 14-1 run to earn the title.

Guard Nick Kindig had a huge game to lead the Vikings to the championship. The senior canned a game-high 28 points, including hitting three of Valley’s four treys in the win. Junior Tanner Andrews had 19 points for Valley and junior Robby Groom scored eight.

Andrews and Kindig led the way from the free throw line in the fourth quarter rally as the hosts hit 14-of-15 from the stripe. Andrews was 7-of-7 from the line and Kindig 5-of-5 in the final period of play.

The Vikings had an outstanding effort from the free throw line as they converted 15-of-16 attempts overall in the victory. NorthWood was just 13-of-18 from the line.  The Valley victory was their first this season over a team with a winning record.

Zach Zurcher, a 6-5 junior, led NorthWood with 14 points and nine rebounds before fouling out in the fourth quarter. Senior Tommy Klem had 12 points and juniors Tanner Farmwald and Jonathan Wilkinson each added for the Panthers.

Kindig was named Most Valuable Player of the tournament. Also named to the all-tourney team were Andrews and Groom from the champion Vikings, along with Zurcher and Farmwald from NorthWood, Brad Lantz of Fairfield and Jonathan O’Dell of Rochester.

Valley defeated Fairfield 57-40 Friday night in opening round play of the tourney to give coach Bill Patrick his 700th career coaching win. NorthWood topped Rochester 77-45 in the other Friday night contest.

The Vikings, whose lone loss this year was a 72-64 setback at Warsaw in the season opener, defeated NorthWood 70-68 in double overtime in this tourney last year. The Panthers then beat the Vikings 40-35 in first-round sectional play at NorthWood to end their 16-5 season. NorthWood went on to win the sectional last season.  The two teams could meet again in postseason play this season with the sectional at Wawasee this year.

Garrett Scott scored 17 points to lead Fairfield past Rochester 56-42 in the consolation game Friday night at Valley. Lantz had 16 points and Marcus Rodes 12 for the Falcons, who are now 4-4. O’Dell scored 11 points and Luke Cannedy 10 to lead Rochester, which falls to 1-7.

Valley is idle until hosting Northfield in a Three Rivers Conference contest Jan. 4. NorthWood hosts LaVille Dev. 29. Fairfield plays Bremen Dec. 28 at Banker’s Life Arena in Indianapolis and Rochester plays at Whitko Jan. 4.