Photo by RR Best
Taylor Coleman passes the ball against Decatur LSA.

•February 1, 2017•

by Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

The Okaw Valley boys’ basketball team defeated Tri-County 53-41 to take third place in the 46th annual Little Okaw Valley Conference boys’ basketball tournament in Nancy Stiff Gymnasium in Arcola Saturday.

The Timberwolves took an early lead, jumping out to an 11-0 run to start the game with Garret Fritz’s two baskets and a free throw, along with some free throws made by Austin Hill.

Okaw Valley advanced to gain an 18-point lead the first half but let the Titans back within six in the third quarter.

In the next six minutes though, Okaw Valley went on a 14-2 run to put the game away.

Okaw Valley held Tri-County to 34 percent shooting from the field (15-of-44) and out-rebounded Tri-County 38-24.

Fritz was the top scorer for Okaw Valley with 11 points.
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•January 11, 2017•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

The Okaw Valley boys’ basketball team has won its last 7-of-10 games to even its record to 8-8 for the season.

“We have been trending upward as the season has moved along,” said OV coach Brooks Inman. “Hopefully we can continue this trend into conference play.”

This week the Timberwolves split a pair of games, defeating Cumberland Friday and losing to Central A&M in a rescheduled game Saturday.

Against Cumberland, OV played from behind most of the game, trailing by four at the half, 21-17.

Down 23-20, the Timberwolves put together one of the best quarters the team has had all season.

“Against Cumberland, we executed pretty well in the first half,” said Inman. “We just didn’t knock down our shots. We came out in the third quarter and started connecting.”

While turning the ball over in the entire third quarter, OV made 4-of-5 3-pointers in the quarter, and in a span of less than three minutes, the Timberwolves scored 10 unanswered points.

With 5:50 left in the third, Taylor Coleman hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key.

“Taylor Coleman picked us up big-time with nine points in the quarter as well,” said Inman. Read More

Photo by Darian Hays
Sullivan Redskins Ricky Yang and Queintan Britton fight for a rebound during the home game against Neoga Dec. 9.

•December 14, 2016•

By Matt Kracht
NP Sports

Sullivan men’s basketball took losses against Neoga 61-57 Friday and Heritage Villa Grove 70-45 Saturday.

Now 0-5 on the season the Redskin defense struggled with outside shooters in both contests. Head coach Chester Reeder noted that teams are too relaxed against the Redskins right now. “We let them be comfortable. Anytime, I don’t care how good or bad of a shooter you are, if you are comfortable, they go in. We never put them under duress.”

Sullivan fell behind 6-0 early against Neoga in a scoreless first four minutes of the contest. Bryce Farris ended the drought and poured six of the first seven Redskin points.

Sullivan trailed 15-7 at the end of the first quarter, but Farris’s strong play continued in the second quarter with two baskets in under two minutes. The scores kept Sullivan within six points at 17-11. Farris would finish with a team high 18 points.

Brett Tuttle canned a deep three pointer to make it a three point contest at 17-14 with 5:40 left in the first half. After another Farris score, Neoga got the last five points of the half to lead 22-16 at the break. A back and forth start to the second half saw Sullivan get within four points of Neoga’s lead at the two minute mark 34-30, thanks to consecutive baskets by Farris, Sowers, and Jacob White.

White, who finished with six points off the bench, gave the Redskins much needed energy and was complimented by Coach Reeder after the game. “Jacob had a pretty solid game tonight. Still some things we have to fix defensively with him. But it was probably his best game.”  Read More

Photo by Mike Brothers
Sullivan’s Bryce Farris drives between ALAH defenders Hunter Day and Colton Romine during the Nov. 23 Knights 29-26 win over the Redskins.

•November 30, 2016•

The Sullivan Redskins first home game Nov. 22 was a back and forth, low scoring match with Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond Knights winning 29-26.

Sullivan was ahead 9-8 following a first quarter dominated by missed shots for both teams’ first encounter of the season.

The Redskins went into the half with a 20-18 lead.

A cold shooting third quarter by Sullivan gave the Knights a 22-20 lead at the end of three.

In the fourth quarter the intensity increased for both teams with Sullivan retaking the lead 24-23 at the 5:15 mark on a couple of free throws from the Redskins Josh Stutzman.

With 4:42 left in the game Knights Kobe Wells forced his way to the lane putting ALAH ahead 25-24.

Marcus Vanausdoll came up with another Knights lay up at 3:41, driving the lead to 27-26 following two points from Sullivan’s Zach Sowers seconds earlier. Read More