The La Porte Boys Basketball team overcame a slow start and overwhelmed Kankakee Valley 86-58 Saturday afternoon at Slicer Gym. 

 

The Kougars, playing without leading scorer Camden Webster (18ppg), surprised LP, jumping out to an 8-0 lead to start the game. Rylan Kieszkowski got the Slicers on the board with a three pointer. La Porte trailed 22-20 after the entertaining, high scoring opening period. Ja’Meriyon Cross scored 7 points in the quarter and three different Slicers hit three pointers. Kankakee Valley hit five threes in the quarter.

 

La Porte took the lead, which they never relinquished, on a Kieszkowski three early in the second quarter. LP scored the first 10 points of the period and never looked back. The Slicer defense was superb holding the Kougars to just 6 second quarter points. La Porte led 42-28 at the half and had three double digit scores at the break, Cross with 12, Kyle Kirkham 11 and Kieszkowski with 10.

 

The third quarter saw both the Slicers and Kougars at their best offensively. La Porte outscored KV 25-19 in the period led by Malik Corley’s 15 points. LP’s relentless press forced several KV turnovers and led to easy baskets. Kankakee Valley’s sophomore guard Bobby LaLonde scored 9 of his team high 16 points in the third.

La Porte outscored KV 19-9 in the fourth quarter making the final 86-58. Both coaches emptied their benches in the fourth.

 

Cross and Corley were named co Salisbury and Spence Edward Jones Players of the Game. Cross led the Slicers with 20 points while Corley scored 19, 17 in the second half. Kirkham finished with 13, Kieszkowski 12, Dylan Salisbury 8, Tommy Samuelson 7, Nic Spence 5 and RJ Anglin 2.

 

La Porte turned the ball over only three times while forcing Kankakee Valley into 19.

 

Freshman Sawyer Tonagel dressed for the varsity game and saw fourth quarter action. Tonagel is a rare third generation Slicer. His grandfather Hugh was a Slicer standout in the late 1960’s and father Ben was a star on the 1997 Final Four team.

 

The Slicers (13-6) will travel to Merrillville Friday night to take on the Pirates in a DAC battle scheduled to tip at 7:00. That game can be heard on 96.7 the Eagle. Pregame is scheduled at approximately 6:45.

 

16-0 RUN SPARKS 48-37 JV WIN

 

The La Porte JV team and Kankakee Valley were tied at 28-28 near the midway point of the third quarter Saturday afternoon. The Slicers scored the last 11 points of the third period and the first 5 points of the fourth quarter on their way to a 48-37 win.

 

The game was back and forth in the first half with KV leading 11-9 after one and the Slicers up 25-22 at the half. Sawyer Tonagel stayed red hot from the three point line hitting five on his way to a game high 17 points. This comes on the heels of his six three pointers vs Valpo on Thursday.  Vann Warner scored 7 while Mike Montoya and Gage Raymond each had 6.  Kevin Konieczny pitched in 5 and Javelle Broome finished with 3. Broome was great on the boards against the taller Kougars.

 

The JV team is now 8-10 on the season. They will travel to Merrillville Friday night with tip off scheduled at 5:30.