For the second game in a row the La Porte Boy’s Basketball team saw a double digit second half lead melt away before hanging on for a 2 point victory. The Slicers led at all of the quarter breaks 16-11, 32-23 and 45-41 before surviving 56-54 over conference foe Portage. 

 

The win, LP’s sixth in a row, gives the Slicers a 16-6 record on the season and they finish 4-3 in the DAC. The Slicers finish their DAC schedule in a third place tie. This is the first time since 2017 that the Slicers have reached the 16 win mark. That team finished 19-7. La Porte finished the 2014 season with 16 wins. 

 

La Porte jumped out to a 16-11 first quarter lead. Ja’Meryion Cross and Tommy Samuelson each had 5 points in the opening period. La Porte hit three 3 pointers in the quarter.

The Slicers outscored Portage 16-12 in the second period to hold a 32-23 halftime lead. Kyle Kirkham hit two three pointers in the quarter and had 9 points at the half. Cross had 8 at the break. 

 

La Porte stretched their lead to 11 points early in the third quarter before Portage came storming back. Michael Wellman scored 12 of his game high 28 points in the quarter as the Indians cut the Slicer lead to 45-41. Kirkham scored 11 of LP’s 13 third quarter points, single handedly keeping LP ahead. 

 

The end of the fourth quarter was wild. La Porte had a 54-48 lead at the 2:00 minute mark on an RJ Anglin 3 pointer. Portage got a basket from O’Mari Evans to cut the lead to 54-50. La Porte got a layup from Kirkham on a beautiful out of bounds play to give the Slicers a 56-50 lead. Josiah Mabon hit 2 free throws and Jaelyn Johnson hit a layup after a Slicer turnover to cut the Slicer lead to 56-54 at 55 second mark. 

 

La Porte beat the Indian press but Anglin’s contested layup lipped out at 30.9 second mark. Portage got the ball to Wellman, who missed a short inside shot. Kirkham corralled the rebound and was fouled immediately. He missed the front end of the one and one leaving the Slicers clinging to a 2 point edge. Portage moved the ball into the front court and called a time out with 7 seconds left. The Indians got the ball inside to Wellman, who again missed a short, contested shot. Portage’s Mabon got the offensive rebound and was fouled on the put back with 2.6 seconds left. Mabon missed both free throws, the second intentionally. The Slicers couldn’t rebound the second miss. Portage missed two point blank shots to tie the game before time expired and LP escaped with the win.

 

The game turned into a shootout between Wellman who scored 28 for Portage and Kirkham who had 25 for the Slicers. La Porte hit twelve 3 pointers in the contest, six by Kirkham.

Kirkham was named the Salisbury & Spence Edward Jones Player of the game. Cross finished with 11 points, Samuelson 7, Anglin 6, Malik Corley had 5 while Nic Spence had a basket for 2 points. 

 

La Porte will finish the regular season at South Bend Clay Friday night. Varsity tip scheduled for 6:30 Central Time. The JV game will begin at 5:00.

 

The IHSAA tournament draw will be held Sunday at 4:00 pm. La Porte will host this year’s sectional whose field includes Michigan City, Mishawaka, Plymouth, South Bend Riley, South Bend Adams and the Slicers.

 

SLICER JV TEAM FALLS 52-40

 

The La Porte JV team trailed throughout and fell to a talented Portage squad 52-40. Sawyer Tonagel had 15 for the Slicers, Kevin Konieczny 14, Eli Taylor 4, Javelle Broome 3 and Vann Warner with 2.