Wise, Gonzalez combine for 26, lead Valley past Culver Academy

BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS

Sports Editor, RTC

Gaby Gonzalez

CULVER — Hadley Wise scored seven of her game-high 14 points in the second quarter, and Gaby Gonzalez added 12 to lead the Tippecanoe Valley girls basketball team to a 51-41 road win over Culver Academy at Fleet Gymnasium Tuesday.

Valley also got 17 bench points, including seven from Savana Miller, six from Betty Shepherd and four from Dalynne Bussard.

Mimi Smith led Culver Academy with 13 points. 

Valley improved to 2-1. Culver Academy dropped to 2-2.

Valley led 38-28 after three quarters. Culver Academy got within 47-41 on a Kate Clemons bucket with 1:29 left on an inbounds play. Bussard fouled Clemons, but she missed the ensuing free throw.

Gonzalez hit two free throws with 54.6 seconds left, and Miller, a sophomore reserve guard, followed with a putback to complete the scoring.

Valley has won two straight since a 67-14 loss to defending Class 3A state champion Norwell in their opener.

“I think that this type of a game is exactly the kind of game that suits our abilities,” Valley coach Rebekah Parker said. “Just a slugfest and a fight. And I thought our kids really stepped up the challenge. 

Culver Academy won their Class 3A sectional last year, but Kayla Herron and Jimara Combs, who combined for 21.6 points per game last year, transferred to public high schools in Peoria, Ill., and Rock Island, Ill., respectively. Valley lost to Culver Academy 41-34 at home last year.

“This was a game last year that we wish we could have gone back and for us to be able to turn things around means a lot, and hopefully, it gives us momentum going forward,” Parker said.

Valley led 12-11 after one quarter, but Wise and Gonzalez combined for 10 of Valley’s 13 points in the second quarter, offsetting 10 combined points from Smith and Winamac native Piper Brumm, as the lead reached 25-21 at halftime.

Valley held Culver Academy to one field goal in the third quarter. Valley had success in a 2-3 zone defense during that period.

“I like to switch things up,” Parker said. “I don’t want to let good offenses be consistent and just continue to let them have a pace about themselves offensively. So I like to switch it up, and our girls have grasped and invested into those kinds of defenses, and they like it now.

“And we got faster from the past year, and that helps too with us flying around and getting some deflections and making some passes tough for the offense.”

Gonzalez stood out with her ballhandling as Culver Academy tried to pressure her late and her free throw shooting. She did all this while being hobbled by blisters on her feet and while sporting a shiner under her right eye.

“Gaby’s tough,” Parker said. “She’s so tough, and tonight just showed that. She did a good job of settling us when we needed to be settled. I thought there was only one time where I was questioning her decision making down the stretch, and that is such an improvement, and I’m so proud of her.”

Valley 51, Culver Academy 41

VALLEY (51) (2-1)

Gaby Gonzalez 3 4-5 12, Hadley Wise 6 1-2 14, Hailey Stookey 1 0-0 2, Izzy Woodruff 2 0-0 4, Malaynie Costello 1 0-0 2, Savana Miller 3 1-2 7, Dalynne Bussard 1 2-4 4, Betty Shepherd 2 2-2 6

TEAM: 19 10-15 51

CULVER ACADEMY (41) (2-2)

Laine Lyles 4 0-0 8, Amelia Binkley 0 0-0 0, Mimi Smith 3 7-8 13, Piper Brumm 2 4-4 9, Hannah Kresser 1 0-0 2, Hayley Chapman 0 0-0 0, Lilah Treber 0 0-0 0, Kenzie Miller 1 2-2 5, Kate Clemons 2 0-1 4, Sophia Dickey 0 0-0 0

TEAM: 13 13-15 41

Three-point field goals:

Valley 3 (Gonzalez 2, Wise),

Culver Academy 2 (Brumm, Miller)

Total fouls: Valley 15, Culver Academy 16

Score by quarters

Valley 12 13 13 13 – 51

Culver Academy 11 10 7 13 – 41