Valley boys basketball roundup: Omondi scores 16, but Vikes drop to 0-2

BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS

Sports Editor, RTC

Boys basketball

NorthWood 66, Tippecanoe Valley 28 (Thursday): Owen Omondi scored 16 points for Valley in a road loss to Class 3A, No. 11 NorthWood at the Panther Pit Thursday.

Omondi scored 10 of Valley’s 17 first-half points, but NorthWood held Valley to one field goal in the third quarter as the lead expanded to 57-22. The fourth quarter was played with a running clock, per the IHSAA Mercy Rule.

Collin Deatsman scored 16 of his game-high 21 points in the third quarter for the Panthers, who were playing their season opener.

NorthWood made 11 3-pointers while Valley made none.

Valley has lost six straight meetings with NorthWood. They have not beaten NorthWood since the 2019 sectional semifinals.

The teams were playing for the first time since the 2022-23 season.

The teams could meet again in Class 3A, Sectional 20, which Columbia City will host from March 3-7.

VALLEY (28) (0-2)

Grant Anthony 0 0-0 0, William Mellott 1 0-0 2, Hudson Shepherd 0 1-2 1, Owen Omondi 8 0-1 16, Wes Parker 2 0-0 4, Hunter Stage 0 0-0 0, Jude Kammerer 1 3-4 5, Ty Kiser 0 0-0 0, Malaki Christian 0 0-0 0, Mason Miller 0 0-0 0, J.J. Kammerer 0 0-0 0, Liam Newcomer 0 0-0 0, Ethan Drudge 0 0-0 0

TEAM: 12 4-7 28

NORTHWOOD (66) (1-0)

Deatsman 8 0-0 21, Ferrell 5 3-3 13, Vincent 3 0-0 9, Edwards 0 0-0 0, Bell 1 2-2 5, Pearson 3 0-0 6, Everingham 4 0-0 10, Sears 0 0-0 0, Yoder 0 0-0 0, Gonger 1 0-0 2, Duncan 0 0-0 0

TEAM: 25 5-5 66

Three-point field goals:

Valley 0,

NorthWood 11 (Deatsman 5, Vincent 3, Everingham 2, Bell)

Total fouls: Valley 6, NorthWood 13

Score by quarters

Valley 10 7 5 6 – 28

NorthWood 14 17 26 9 – 66

DeKalb 67, Valley 43 (Nov. 26): William Mellott scored eight points, and Hunter Stage came off the bench to score seven, but the host Vikings lost their season opener to DeKalb at Rita Price Simpson Court Nov. 26.

Brady Vince scored 17 points, Caden Rice had 11, and Zeke Penrod added 10 for DeKalb.

DeKalb led 28-21 at halftime and extended the lead to 50-32 after three quarters.

DeKalb hit nine 3-pointers while Valley hit three.

This marked the coaching debut for Valley’s Eli Henson and DeKalb’s Austin Ervin.

DEKALB (67) (1-0)

Pepple 1 0-0 2, Palumbo 2 1-2 6, Vince 7 1-2 17, Cox 2 0-0 6, Culler 0 0-0 0, Minehart 1 2-2 4, Rice 4 2-2 11, Penrod 5 0-1 10, Schmidt 1 0-0 2, Greenlee 0 0-0 0, Woods 0 0-0 0, Webb 1 0-0 3, Dobson 2 0-0 6

TEAM: 26 6-9 67

VALLEY (43) (0-1)

Grant Anthony 3 0-0 6, Wes Parker 1 3-4 5, William Mellott 3 1-2 8, Owen Omondi 2 1-1 5, Hudson Shepherd 2 0-0 4, Hunter Stage 2 1-2 7, Ty Kiser 1 2-5 4, Malaki Christian 2 0-0 4, J.J. Kammerer 0 0-0 0, Mason Miller 0 0-0 0, Ethan Drudge 0 0-0 0, Liam Newcomer 0 0-0 0

TEAM: 16 8-14 43

Three-point field goals:

DeKalb 9 (Vince 2, Dobson 2, Cox 2, Palumbo, Rice, Webb),

Valley 3 (Stage 2, Mellott)

Total fouls: DeKalb 19, Valley 15

Score by quarters

DeKalb 11 17 22 17 – 67

Valley 12 9 11 11 – 43