INDIANA WESLEYAN MEN 81, GRACE 76

For the second time this season, Grace’s men’s basketball team nearly pulled off an upset of a highly ranked Indiana Wesleyan squad.

In November Grace took IWU, then ranked No. 1, to overtime before falling.

Tuesday’s game had a similar theme. The Lancers were unable to make winning plays during the final minutes and lost 81-76 to the No. 3 Wildcats.

The Lancers struggled with their shooting touch all night, making 40 percent collectively as a team. The Wildcats, on the other hand, made over 50 percent of their shots in each half.

Grace’s defense struggled to slow down the Wildcats (18-3, 7-2 Crossroads League) over the opening minutes. Reigning NAIA National Player of the Year Kyle Mangas was up to his old tricks, shooting a very efficient 9-13 from the floor and made 8-11 free throws for a robust 27 points. Mangas added five rebounds, four assists, three steals and two blocks in another quality all-around effort. Mangas made three of four free throws in the waning seconds to ice the game.

Evan Maxwell added 23 points and eight rebounds for the Wildcats.

IWU needed less than five minutes to score 19 points and quickly opened up a 21-10 lead.

But Grace reacted with seven straight points, sparked by a triple from Braxton Linville.

The teams traded small runs during the half, but the Wildcats continued to sustain a small lead.

A pair of 3-pointers by Linville and Haden Deaton trimmed IWU’s cushion down to 33-29, and Grace went into halftime behind 39-35.

The Lancers (11-10, 1-8 CL) stayed within striking distance despite a glaring disparity in shooting. IWU shot 55 percent as a team compared to 41 percent for Grace. The Lancers did grab eight offensive boards and had just five turnovers to aid their cause.

Grace started the second half sharply. A 3-pointer in the corner from Charlie Warner cut IWU’s lead down to 43-42.

The Wildcats continued to find scores whenever the Lancers threatened, refusing to give up the lead.

The contest remained nervously close for the entirety of the second half. But each time Grace looked poised to make a run, IWU had an answer.

With Grace trailing late by four, the Lancers were called for an offensive foul that seemed to swing momentum over to the Wildcats.

IWU scored on back-to-back possessions off Grace turnovers to open up a 10-point lead. The Wildcats converted on four straight possessions down the stretch to effectively put the game out of reach.

The Lancers did their best to rally in the final minute. Triples by Linville and Charlie Warner kept pressure on the Wildcats, but IWU made free throws down the stretch to hold off Grace.

Godfrey scored a team-leading 21 points to go along with seven rebounds. He made a career-high 13-of-13 from the foul line.

Warner continued his impressive play of late with 19 points and five rebounds. Linville scored a season-high 17 points, adding 8 assists and 4 rebounds with just 1 turnover.

Deaton scored nine points with five boards, Jaret Sons tacked on seven points and five rebounds, and Eddie Gill IV grabbed a team-leading eight boards.

The Lancers remain home on Saturday, hosting Taylor at 3 p.m. as the second part of a doubleheader with the women’s teams.

JOHN GLENN BOYS 47, TRITON 24

In the opening round of the Bi-County Tournament, the Falcons wasted no time putting Triton’s dreams of a title on ice. The Falcons held Triton to just three points in the first half to run away with the win.

Carter Yung led Glenn with 14 points while Robby Porter had 10 points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals.

Tye Orsund and Jared Bules wound up with six points apiece for the Trojans.

Monday night, John Glenn bounced Triton from the JV Bi-County tourney after a 42-33 score.

Triton (5-6) will play Bremen in the consolation round Friday.

JOHN GLENN GIRLS 31, TRITON 27

A low-scoring contest in the opening round of the Bi-County saw Triton start and finish slow in the loss to Glenn.

Triton managed just four points in the first quarter, and while Glenn scored just two points in the fourth quarter, Triton only scored four when it trailed 29-23 heading into the fourth. Triton actually led 14-13 at the half, but a 16-9 burst by Glenn to open the second half set up the final eight minutes of play.

Turnovers killed Triton’s chances, committing 24 on the night, which Glenn turned into 19 points. Morgan Plunkett had five steals and six points while Seja Lang had four points to go with her six points. Maddie Hudspeth led the Falcons with 10 points and six rebounds.

Delanie Groves led the Trojans with 12 points.

Monday night, John Glenn knocked Triton from the JV Bi-County tourney 43-9 romp.

Triton (5-15) plays its final regular season game Jan. 25 at home against North Judson.

HOMESTEAD GIRLS 47, WARSAW 31

In the toughest test for the Tigers to date, No. 2 Homestead defended its turf in part to a huge run.

The Spartans used a 20-3 run to spurn what was a 10-8 Warsaw lead after the first quarter to became a 33-22 Homestead lead after three quarters and into the fourth quarter. Warsaw managed just two points in the third quarter as Homestead was pulling away.

Homestead held Warsaw’s shooters in check, the Tigers going just 11-32 from the floor. Kacilyn Krebs started off hot, scoring seven points in the first quarter, but ended with just nine points. Abby Sanner had eight points and 10 rebounds, and Maddie Ryman managed 11 points.

Rylie Parker came off the bench to lead the Spartans with 13 points and Ayana Patterson ended with 10 points.

Homestead claimed the JV contest in a 41-35 final. Adin Um and Bailey Stephens both scored 10 points for Warsaw.

Warsaw (12-7) visits Concord Saturday.

NORTHRIDGE GIRLS 44, NORTHWOOD 40

In a big game in the Northern Lakes Conference race, Northridge exacted some revenge with a win over NorthWood at The Pit.

After NorthWood stunned Northridge in the finals of the Banker’s Classic in December on Ridge’s home court, the Raiders returned favor on Wood’s court.

NorthWood got its points from its twin towers, with Maddy Payne dropping 17 and Kate Rulli 10 points. But Ridge did a job on Wood’s guards, holding Kenzie Bergman to just two points and Neely Trenshaw to zero points. The two Panther guards combined to score 26 points in a big win at Tippecanoe Valley a week ago.

Morgan Litwiller led the Raiders with 16 points, and while Sierra Miller was next in with seven points, six other Raiders aside from Litwiller scored at least one basket.

Northridge was 7-10 from the free throw stripe in the fourth quarter and 14-17 in the game, Litwiller a perfect 10-10 on the night from the charity stripe.

Northridge won the JV game 43-30. Stats were not immediately provided from the contest.

Northridge moves to 16-5 overall and 5-0 and in command in the NLC race, now holding wins over both NorthWood (15-5, 3-2 NLC) and Warsaw, which is 3-1 in the standings. Wood plays again Thursday in a make-up game against Class 3-A No. 3 Mishawaka Marian.

WAWASEE GIRLS 47, WHITKO 38

Wawasee ended a three-game losing skid with a win against its neighbors to the south.

Casey Schroeder rose up to lead Wawasee with 19 points and three assists. Caitlin Wortinger had one of her better efforts  to date with 12 points, nine boards and four steals while battling Whitko’s post dynamo Ellie Snep. Jada Carter added six points and a pair of assists and steals.

Snep, one of the top rebounders in the state, was credited with 14 boards to go with her eight points. Snep, per the Whitko MaxPreps account, had hauled in double-digit rebounds in every game this season.

Emalee Duggins and Sara Hewitt both scored 12 points for the Wildcats, which drop to 3-15 on the season.

Wawasee hosted Mishawaka in the JV game, and picked up a 41-38 win. Abby Steiner paced the Lady Warriors with 12 points while Ella Beezley had eight points and three rebounds. Tate Cowan and Lindsay Doss both chipped in seven points in the victory.

Wawasee (4-15) will get back into NLC play Saturday night at Plymouth.

LAKELAND JR. HIGH BOYS 57, WARSAW BEES 39

Seth Martin led the Cougars in the crosstown rivalry with 23 points. Jamie Wyatt followed with 12 points and Ben Jackson gave 11 points. The Bees did not report its scores.

ROCHESTER 8TH GRADE GIRLS 51, TIPPECANOE VALLEY 34

Molly Moriarty led the Lady Vikes with 18 points and Rily Holloway added eight points.

TIPPECANOE VALLEY 7TH GRADE GIRLS 42, ROCHESTER 13

Sidney Nelson led Valley with 14 points in the win and Chesnee Miller chipped in nine points.