Random Thoughts from Friday's Peru-Tippecanoe Valley boys sectional basketball game

By JUSTIN KENNY
Tribune Staff Writer
Saturday, March 03, 2007

* Peru's inability to get to the free throw line hurt it all year, and it cost the Tigers a potential sectional victory. The Tigers do drive to the basket with regularity, but they either a.) pull up for the short jumper or b.) dish off to someone who is open after the defense collapses into the lane. Neither of these things are necessarily bad, but when you could surely draw a foul by going all the way to the basket and initiating contact while you have the ball, more often than not you are going to want to do that. Too many times the Tigers do not take it all the way to the basket. If those outside shots are falling, which they were for Peru early in Friday's game, the point is a moot one. But when the team is struggling from the field, as it was in the second half, the ability to get to the free throw line, get a breather and be able to develop a shooting rhythm can pay dividends for a team that is on the ropes.

* Great season overall for Coach Eric Thompson and the Tigers, they just weren't able to get on a roll, rack off 4-5 wins in a row and gain some real momentum. The team loses solid shooters in Brad Smith and Patrick Comerford, but returns enough talent that another over-.500 season is likely.

* Overheard during Friday's game, "Every time we play Tippecanoe Valley we get cheated by the refs."

The comment was referring to the differential in fouls and free-throws. Now, that comment would insinuate that there is a massive conspiracy among IHSAA officials in which crews would have to be in cahoots with each other in order to cheat Peru every time they play the Vikings. Come on now.

The reason is simple - Tippecanoe Valley initiates contact and plays better overall team defense than Peru. While the Tigers penetrate and dish the ball, the Vikings take it all the way to the basket and draw a foul. Sure, there might have been some questionable calls in Friday's game, but let's say half of the calls against Peru were wrong (not the case, but let’s use it for example purposes). That would still give Tippecanoe Valley 12 points from the line, instead of the actual 24. That's still 10 more points scored by the Vikings than the Tigers from the charity stripe, still enough to beat Peru. Peru must work on getting to the line more.

* Jacob Briscoe being in foul trouble Friday was a joke. He was called for two fouls in quick succession in the third quarter after Tippy Valley players bounced off of him. Briscoe was being punished for being bigger than any other player on the floor. Is it his fault he is able to stand his ground instead of falling to the floor when a player runs into him?

* Tippecanoe Valley is basically coached by its assistant coach, the son of head coach Bill Patrick. That said, when the assistant coach called timeout instead of Bill Patrick in the second half and Coach Thompson and the Peru crowd flipped out, they were not right.

Technically, anyone considered "bench personnel", which includes all coaches and even managers, can call a timeout at any time, along with the players on the floor. Hence, no rule violation was made by Tippecanoe Valley.

* My prediction for Peru's starting lineup next season (probably wrong, I know):

G-Jairus Burt (great ability to get to the basket)

G-Keaton Worland (has shown flashes of being a real asset to the Tigers next year as a senior)

F-Wes Zimmerman (will only get better as a sophomore)

F-Matt Richardson (will have to step into the role that Briscoe held this season)

F-Austin Shaw (solid contributor on junior varsity this year as a sophomore)

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