(New Buffalo, MI) - The New Buffalo High School boys’ basketball team moving swiftly up and down the home court stormed to a 79 to 60 victory over River Valley on February 16.

           

The Mustangs, trailing 21-16 going into the second quarter, fell behind by 10-points after a flurry of buckets by junior Kayden Parmley and one by senior Sean Gordon driving the lane.  River Valley, though, quickly pulled to within six-points with help from a score off Bison turnover and trailed 40-31 at halftime.    

 

The Bison, even more aggressive on both sides of the court to start the third quarter, jumped out to a 20-point lead on a flurry of buckets from Parmley, junior Jeremiah Mitchell and senior Mark Shaw.  New Buffalo (2-0) went up by as much as 24-points.  However, the Mustangs powered on offense by senior Lennon Lange and sloppy play from the Bison for a stretch pulled to within 13-points.

 

The Bison locked up the victory late in the game when junior Anthony Lijewski off a cross court pass from Gordon sank a three point shot and Mitchell stole the ball for a lay-up.

 

New Buffalo defeated Michigan Lutheran 89 to 54 in the first game of the COVID-19 delayed season on February 12.  Head coach Nate Tripp said it appears his players are taking to the run and gun style of play he’s encouraged to take advantage of their athletic ability and depth on the bench.  “Our goal is to just force the tempo.  We want teams to play our style of basketball. We don’t want to play other teams’ style of basketball.  We got a long way to go and a lot to improve on but they’re making improvements,” he said.

 

Parmley led all scorers with 27 points while Lijewski added 24 points.  River Valley was led by Lange with 19 points and 15 points from Jayden McNabb.