Wrap up of weekend events
LAPORTE - Playing basketball games on back-toback days is tough on the body, but when you are able to bounce back from a loss with a win less than 24 hours later, it’s easier to take.
That was the case for Culver Academy Saturday as the Eagles were able to erase an ugly home loss from Friday night with a 46-38 road win over Laporte.
“To bounce back after a rough one (Friday) is a good sign,” said Culver Academy head coach Mark Galloway, whose team scored just 29 points versus Zionsville the night before. “You learn from a win, you learn from a loss. That loss made us better and this win made us better. I’m proud how the kids responded because you come on the road and you’re thinking about vacation, you’re not always sure how that might go. I’m having so much fun coaching this team. They’re raw, but have so much potential.”
Cooper Farrall ( 19 points, four rebounds) and Deandre Francis (11 pts., 12 rebounds) led the way for the Eagles.
“I’m proud of him,” Galloway said of the sophomore Farrall. “He bounced back from the first two games where he played a little unsure. He had a lot of confidence (in this game) and played tremendous.”
Francis already had five points and rebounds after one quarter, but the Slicers outscored the Academy 7-3 to finish the period and went into the second frame tied at 7-all.
“Deandre is really our
anchor,” Galloway said of the senior Francis. “He’s been solid. Most teams have to double him because of his size (6-foot-6). He has good touch, good hands and he shares the ball.”
A Farrall breakaway dunk highlighted a 7- 0 run midway through the second stanza for a 17-11 Culver lead, but LP went on a 6-0 spurt to tie the game before Desi Martello’s putback just before halftime made it a two-point game at the break.
Five straight points early in the third period, followed not long after by seven in a row pushed the Culver lead to 32-21 before LP answered with a 5-0 run to stay close at 32-26 heading into the fourth period.
Colin Chupp scored five straight points as the lead reached its high point at 43- 30 before the Slicers were able to whittle it down below double digits, but by then there was less than 30 seconds remaining. Farrall hit 5-of-6 from the foul line as part of his seven fourth-quarter points to help seal the win.
Grant Ott-large led the Kyle Benge-coached Slicers in scoring with 18 points. The next highest had just seven (Ethan Osowski).
After playing its first three games of the season over four days last week, Culver Academy doesn’t take the court again now for almost five weeks.
“We’ll have to remember their names, not to mention the plays,” joked Galloway, who, on the bright side, will now have time to watch son Trey play for the Indiana University team. The Hoosiers will have nine games before Culver has its next one January 15.
This was the first meeting ever between the Academy and Laporte. The pair were placed in the same sectional last year, but did not face each other. They could meet again this postseason. • CULVER ACADEMY 46, LAPORTE 38
At Laporte
CULVER ACADEMY: Amir Gates 0 0-0 0, Colin Chupp 3 1-2 8, Nick Gravenitas 0 0-0 0, Thomas Collins 0 0-0 0, Jaxon Mull 0 0-0 0, Cooper Farrall 6 6-7 19, Deandre Francis 5 1-2 11, Jokubas Skurdenis 1 1-2 3, Desi Martello 2 0-0 5, Daley Stein 0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 17 9-13 46. LAPORTE: Ethan Osowski 2 2-3 7, Zackery Bragg 2 0-0 4, Brady Bernth 0 0-0 0, RJ Anglin 1 1-2 3, Kyle Kirkham 0 2-2 2, Drew Noveroske 1 0-0 2, Malik Corley 0 2-2 2, Ryla Kieszkowski 0 0-0 0, Evan Cizewski 0 0-0 0, Grant Ott-large 6 5-9 18. TOTALS: 12 12-18 38.
Score by quarters
Cul. Acad. 7 19 32 46 Laporte 7 17 26 38 3-pointers: CMA 3 (Farrall, Chupp, Martello), LP 2 (Osowski, OttLarge). Fouls (fouled out): CMA 14 (none), LP 13 (none) Records: CMA 2-1, LP 0-3 JV score: CMA 33, LP 28