Tri-Village was looking to rebound after last weeks disappointing conference loss to Covington going on the road to play an improved Newton Indians basketball team. The game featured the number one scorer in the league Kyler Booher and number two Sam Lindamood. Booher would win the dual with 24 points to Lindamood’s 20 but T-V won on the scoreboard, barely escaping town with a 54-51 win.

The Patriots got on the board first with a David Barger post move inside. Newton answered with a trey by Brad Rasor and a lay-up by T.J. Lavy to take a 5-2 lead at 3:52. Sam Lindamood hit an open three and added a free throw to give the PATS the lead back 6-5.

Newton then went on a 9 point run with four different players scoring, the last a three-pointer by Kyle Blundell and the Indians held a 14-6 advantage. Mark Wheeler would hit a jumper to pull T-V to 14-8 at the end of the first quarter.

The Patriots would work hard on defense in the second period and their match-up zone was causing Newton problems in getting good looks at the basket. Tri-Village would only give up 7 points as they poured in 16 to take a 24-21 lead at the half. T-V got scoring from 4 different players in the second quarter. Mark Wheeler dropped in 7 to lead the way.

In the third period Tri-Village would crank up the running game and when Lindamood put in a fast break lay-up at 3:13 T-V held a 34-25 lead. Kyler Booher would pick up his offensive game scoring 8 points and Jason Powell’s trey to end the third quarter pulled Newton to 39-32.

In the final stanza Tri-Village continued to run with the ball and behind Mark Wheeler and Sam Lindamood they were able to increase the lead to 45-35 at 3:52. The Patriots then went into a ball control game to try and run the clock and get some easy baskets off penetration or back-cuts.

Newton got a couple of steals and two quick baskets by Brad Rasor a trey and a lay-up and they were within five, 45-40. Over the next 2:41 seconds Tri-Village would go to the free throw line 6 times as the Indians battled to get back in the game. The Pats would convert 9-for-12 but the Indians were able to hit some big baskets. In fact they would hit three treys in the last 52 seconds.

When Kyler Booher hit a trey from about 24’ with a hand in his face Newton trailed just 51-48 with 18 seconds to play. Newton then immediately fouled freshman Tyler Greer. Greer starting due to an injury to sophomore point guard Logan Brubaker stepped up to the line and like a veteran calmly sank both tosses.

But Booher wasn’t finished and again he tossed another long ball up with a defender in his face and the score was 53-51. Newton fouled Mark Wheeler who missed the first throw but netted the second. With 5 seconds to play Booher again worked his way into position and launched a trey hitting iron on the back of the rim and then bouncing off giving the Patriots a thrilling victory.

Afterwards Coach Josh Sagester said, “It’s great to get the win here tonight, winning on their floor wasn’t easy and we knew it was going to be a tough ball game. I really thought we controlled the game tonight but they (Newton) never quit. They just kept coming back and Booher almost sent the game into overtime.”

“I thought we got a super ball game tonight from Mark Wheeler. When teams zone us Mark is able to help us with his offense. Sam had a nice game and played a great second half. He’s a little under the weather but he was their when we needed him. I’m really proud of the way Tyler Greer played tonight he stepped in and handled the point real well, added Sagester.

For the game Sam Lindamood led Tri-Village with 20 points and 10 rebounds. Mark Wheeler added 19 points and Tyler Greer dished out 7 assists. Tri-Village now runs their record to 11-5 and 8-1 in the conference. With Covington falling to Bethel it now puts the Patriots in a 4 way tie as Twin Valley South, Bethel, Covington and Tri-Village all have one loss in the league. Tri-Village is at home tomorrow night taking on an improved Northridge Polar Bear team in a non-conference game.

Scoring by quarters
Tri-Village 8 16 15 15 – 54
Newton 14 7 11 19 – 51

Tri-Village
T. Brubaker - 0
D. Foreman - 8
S. Lindamood - 20
D. Chowning - 2
M. Wheeler - 19
D. Barger - 2
T. Greer - 3
Totals - 54

Newton
Kale Booher - 2
Rasor - 8
Hines - 3
Blundell - 3
Powell - 9
Lavy - 2
Kyler Booher - 24
Totals - 51

Three Point Scoring:
Tri-Village – 1; Lindamood
Newton – 8; Powell (3), Booher (2), Rasor (1), Hines (1), Blundell (1)