Smith’s hot streak in 2nd quarter helps Hunting, Zebras knock off Peru

Win clinches outright TRC title for Valley

BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS

Sports Editor, RTC

Boys basketball

Rochester 55, Peru 52 (Friday): Luke Hunting scored 18 points, and Aidan Smith hit four 3-pointers in the second quarter as part of a 16-point night as the host Zebras beat Peru on senior night at the RHS gym Friday.

Paul Leasure added nine points and a team-high seven assists, and Tanner Reinartz also had nine points to go with a team-high seven rebounds for Rochester, who improved to 11-8 overall and 5-3 in the Three Rivers Conference.

Alex Ross led Peru with 18 points, Matthew Roettger had 17, and Gavin Eldridge tallied 14 for Peru, who fell to 13-6, 6-2.

This marked the fourth straight year that the home team has won the Rochester-Peru game. Rochester has alternated between a win and a loss for its last 11 games.

Smith scored 14 points in the second quarter. His previous career high for points in a game was 11, and his season high was 10.

Relying on a zone defense, Rochester led 28-27 at halftime and extended the lead to 44-37 after three quarters.

Smith and Reinartz each sunk two free throws in the final minute to stretch a 51-49 lead to 55-49.

Peru’s loss combined with Manchester’s 73-68 loss to Maconaquah Friday clinched the outright TRC title for Tippecanoe Valley. The Vikings had already clinched a share of the conference crown, but Manchester and Peru could each have grabbed share had they won their remaining two conference games.

PERU (52) (13-6, 6-2)

Ian Potts 0 0-0 0, Gavin Eldridge 5 1-2 14, Braxten Robbins 1 0-0 3, Alex Ross 8 2-2 18, Matthew Roettger 6 3-4 17, Xavier Turner 0 0-2 0

TEAM: 20 6-10 52

ROCHESTER (55) (11-8, 5-3)

Ethan Medina 0 0-0 0, Paul Leasure 4 1-2 9, Aidan Smith 4 4-4 16, Brock Bowers 1 0-0 3, Luke Hunting 8 1-2 18, Tanner Reinartz 3 2-3 9, Owen Prater 0 0-0 0

TEAM: 20 8-11 55

Three-point field goals:

Peru 6 (Eldridge 3, Roettger 2, Robbins),

Rochester 7 (Smith 4, B. Bowers, Hunting, Reinartz)

Total fouls: Peru 14, Rochester 10

Turnovers: Peru 5, Rochester 14

Score by quarters

Peru 13 14 10 15 – 52

Rochester 7 21 16 11 – 55