Vikings rally, beat Parke Heritage 57-53
Feb. 4—Maybe it wasn't a big high school basketball game in the overall scheme of things, but Parke Heritage and West Vigo staged a well-played, hard-fought, hugely entertaining battle Saturday afternoon in the Jim Mann Green Dome, with the Vikings coming from 13 points down in the second half for a 57-53 win.
How well played was it? The second quarter was almost perfect offensively for both teams — each was 6 for 7 from the field, each had just one turnover — even though both teams also are strong defensively.
How hard fought? Coach Rich Schelsky of the Wolves may still be steaming.
"It was just like the other two games we've lost since Christmas," the coach (whose team has won eight of its last 11, by the way) said. "We get ahead and we look like we're the better team and we find a way to lose. It's very excruciating."
"That was a really good win," coach Joe Boehler of the Vikings said in the other locker room. "Parke Heritage is a good basketball team with a bunch of good players and coach Schelsky does a great job. Our kids did a nice job of keeping their composure and not giving up."
West Vigo jumped out to a 7-0 lead in less than three minutes, but then the Wolves stole the ball six times the rest of the quarter and scored its last 12 points.
"Our [defenses] gave them some trouble," coach Schelsky said afterward.
West Vigo's Zeke Tanoos got the first basket of the second quarter, then assisted on a 3-pointer by Talan Boehler to tie the score at 12, but the Wolves' Treigh Schelsky got to the rim to break the tie and the visitors opened a little daylight when B.T. Luce closed out the second quarter with a 3-pointer for a 26-21 halftime lead.
Parke Heritage then opened the third quarter with a 9-1 run, taking a 35-22 lead on a 3-pointer by Max Dowd, but — as their coach said — the Vikings kept their composure.
Jensen Turner, Talan Boehler and even center Karson Fosdick hit 3-pointers — "Give West Vigo credit. They had kids step up and make some shots," Rich Schelsky said — before the third quarter ended, and West Vigo had its last five points to pull within 40-35.
Talan Boehler opened fourth-quarter scoring with a 3-pointer, and Tanoos got to the basket for a 40-40 tie with 6:49 to go. The Wolves fumbled away what looked like a layup opportunity, Tanoos tripled at the other end and the Vikings were ahead — to stay, as it turned out. West Vigo got 11 of its last 14 points at the foul line.
"The last three minutes we played smart with the basketball and we knocked down our free throws," coach Boehler said.
Tanoos led all scorers with 22 points for West Vigo, while Talan Boehler scored 15. Fosdick was the game's leading rebounder with eight and Ryan Smith was the game's top assist man with six. Treigh Schelsky led the Wolves with 18 points, while Dowd and Luce added 11 each.
