Sullivan — After Sullivan raced out to a 21-point halftime lead with a domination so complete, the second half was seemingly destined to be a mere formality before yet another Arrows’ victory.
But a second-half charge led by West Vigo’s Scott West and Tyler Wampler — 35 of their combined 43 points coming in the second half — nearly saw the Vikings pull off a miracle comeback.
Only after Wampler’s lean-in 3-pointer just before the buzzer rattled in and out of the rim did Sullivan escape with a 71-68 victory over visiting West Vigo in a Western Indiana Conference boys high school basketball game on Wednesday.
“I’m glad there wasn’t another 25 or 30 seconds left in the game,” Sullivan coach Jeff Moore joked afterward. “It seems like the only 3-pointer West Vigo missed in the second half was the last one they took.
“I thought we played a great first half, one of our best first halves this year. In the second half, West Vigo got hot and there just wasn’t a whole lot we could do about it.”
After the Vikings assumed an early 10-7 lead, Sullivan (19-2, 5-0 WIC) finished the first half on a 32-8 run, a 15-0 run over the last four minutes, 38 seconds. The Arrows shot an amazing 74 percent (14-of-19) in that 32-8 run, then an even better 86 percent (6-of-7) in the 15-0 run.
Meanwhile, after scoring on four of their first five possessions, the Vikings scored on only three of their remaining 20 first-half possessions to trail 39-18 at the intermission.
But the second half was a completely different story.
West Vigo (11-10, 2-4 WIC) came out of the lockerroom connecting on five consecutive 3-pointers — two each by West and Jordan Houser — but the Arrows still led 56-43 after three quarters.
Undeterred, the Vikings continued to chip away at the Arrows' lead in the fourth quarter.
Wampler scored four straight baskets to get WV within 64-60 with 1:53 left, but the Arrows hit four straight free throws to lead 68-62 with 26.8 seconds remaining.
West jumped into the spotlight with a 3-pointer at 15.9 seconds, then bombed in yet another trey — just barely inbounds in front of the Sullivan cheering section — with seven seconds left to get the Vikings within 69-68.
Sullivan’s Dreyson Boyd hit a pair of free throws with 6.2 seconds left, before Wampler’s final 3-point attempt went awry.
After scoring only 18 points in the first half, the Vikings scored 50 points in the second half — 25 in each of the third and fourth quarters. The Vikings shot at a 64-percent clip (18-of-28) in the second half, including 8-of-11 in 3-pointers (74 percent).
“We dug ourselves a pretty big hole in the first half,” Boehler stated. “Our kids just really responded well in the second half, got some shots to drop. But unfortunately, we just couldn’t get any stops. We gave up 71 points. I think that’s the most points we’ve given up all season.”
The Vikings’ previous high in points allowed was 63 vs. Terre Haute North on Jan. 15.
Sullivan’s Rhett Smith recorded a double-double of 13 points and 10 rebounds, along with three blocked shots. But the Arrows’ sophomore sensation received great support from David Bedwell, Boyd, Caleb Turner, Kaleb Pirtle and James Lisman with 15, 14, nine, eight and eight points, respectively.
West paced the Vikings with 24 points, including 6-of-10 3-pointers, while Wampler added 19 points. Sophomores Cody Thornton and Houser added nine points apiece.
“West Vigo is a tough matchup for us,” Moore concluded. “They have more quickness than us and Wampler is probably as good a guard there is around driving the ball to the basket. But we weathered the storm and that was the important thing.”
West Vigo 68
Player fg 3pt ft r s pf tp
McCalister 1-3 0-0 0-0 1 0 0 2
Thornton 3-6 1-3 2-3 6 0 4 9
West 9-16 6-10 0-0 5 1 2 24
Wampler 7-12 1-5 4-4 2 1 2 19
Houser 3-5 3-3 0-0 1 0 2 9
Crowther 1-2 0-0 0-0 2 0 1 2
Kent 1-3 1-2 0-0 1 1 1 3
Flesher 0-1 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0
Totals 25-48 12-23 6-7 19* 3 12 68
Sullivan 71
Player fg 3pt ft r s pf tp
Lisman 3-7 0-1 2-2 0 0 3 87
Smith 5-8 1-2 2-2 10 1 2 13
Turner 4-5 0-1 1-2 4 1 3 9
Boyd 4-6 2-3 4-4 2 0 3 14
Bedwell 7-12 1-3 0-0 2 2 0 15
Pirtle 3-6 1-2 1-2 0 1 2 8
Ellett 2-3 0-0 0-0 1 1 0 4
Marx 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0
Totals 28-47 5-12 10-12 21* 6 13 71
West Vigo 13 5 25 25 — 68
Sullivan 18 21 17 15 — 71
FG Pct. — WV .521, Sul .596. 3P Pct. — WV .522, Sul .417. FT Pct. — WV .857, Sul .833. Blocks — WV 4 (Thornton 2, West, Crowther), Sul 3 (Smith 3). Turnovers — WV 13, Sul 11. Team rebounds(*) — WV 1, Sul 2.
JV — Sullivan 45 (Tyler Monroe 15), West Vigo 28 (Cade Lindsey 13).
Next — Sullivan (19-2, 5-0 WIC) hosts South Vermillion on Friday. West Vigo (11-10, 2-4 WIC) travels to Linton the same night.
High School
Sullivan races past West Vigo
- High School
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THN SECTIONAL: Braves to play Mooresville for sectional title tonight
Terre Haute South continued to show what’s new and Terre Haute North unfortunately reverted back to what’s old in Class 4A high school girls basketball sectional action Friday night at North.
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OWEN VALLEY SECTIONAL: Eagles bring Vikes down to earth
Baby steps. A baby takes that first step and grins, then attempts the second step and tumbles. The West Vigo High School girls took their first step with a victory Tuesday night in the Class 3A basketball sectional at Owen Valley.
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BLOOMFIELD SECTIONAL: Sullivan jumps to early lead in sectional victory
Sullivan jumped out to a 9-0 lead and were never threatened in a dominant 48-25 win over Eastern Greene in a semifinal game of the Class 2A Bloomfield girls basketball sectional inside Glover Gymnasium on Friday.
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North Vermillion Sectional: Panthers, Falcons to meet for NV title
Outstanding defense and quality passing landed Riverton Parke in the championship game of the Class A North Vermillion Sectional. The Panthers will have to get through the host school tonight in order to secure the program’s first sectional crown since 1992.
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South swimmers don’t advance at Finals
Terre Haute South’s trip to the IHSAA girls swimming state finals at the Indiana University Natatorium was a short one Friday night.
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South runs into talented North Central team
Terre Haute South players and coaches knew when they got off the bus Saturday afternoon that they couldn’t run with the Class 4A No. 3-ranked Indianapolis North Central Panthers.
But they tried anyway. -
BASKETBALL ROUNDUP: Duncan’s OT free throws help Marshall down H-P
Jacob Duncan hit four free throws in overtime Friday night as visiting Marshall defeated Hutsonville-Palestine 51-49 in Little Illini Conference action.
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O'Leary pours in career-high 34 for Terre Haute North
Matt O’Leary poured in a career-high 34 points, 17 in each half, to lead Terre Haute North to a dominant 69-46 home victory over Center Grove in Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference boys high school basketball Saturday afternoon.
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Davis hits layup in double overtime to lift Terre Haute North at Bloomington North
Playing without their two leading scorers against a team that — most of the time — seemed more determined to win than they did, Terre Haute North's Patriots got a driving layup from Steven Davis with 2.8 seconds left in the second overtime to escape Bloomington North with a 54-52 win in high school basketball Thursday night.
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Sullivan stays on top of WIC for third straight year
Western Indiana Conference boys basketball teams have been trying to storm the Sullivan castle for three years now. The Golden Arrows have endured nearly every kind of strategy in the effort to breech their wall. West Vigo tried a few more on Thursday in a showdown for the WIC championship.
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South girls looking for solid performances at swimming state finals
One individual and one relay team, which includes that same individual, will represent Terre Haute South in the IHSAA girls swimming state finals today and possibly Saturday at the Indiana University Natatorium in Indianapolis.
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PREP ROUNDUP: Cesinger, Jones each score 24 in Clay City win
Blake Cesinger and Brylan Jones poured in 24 points apiece to lead visiting Clay City over North Central 67-53 in SouthWestern Indiana Athletic Conference boys high school basketball Thursday night.
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Teutopolis knocks off record-setting Marshall girls in regional championship
Marshall jumped ahead 4-0 only to watch Teutopolis score the next 11 points Thursday in the championship game of the Class 2A Teutopolis Regional.
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Sullivan wins battle in low post
Sullivan dominated the low block at both ends of the court Wednesday to defeat South Knox 43-30.
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State wrestling berths won't come easily
If high school wrestlers thought regional competition was tough last weekend, they can expect the competition, as Keegan Michael Key used to say on MADtv, taken to “a whole notha level” on Saturday.
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South pulls upset
Plainfield’s 16-5 record made the Quakers the team to beat in the Class 4A Terre Haute North Sectional.
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Vikings break long sectional drought
You’ll have to forgive West Vigo for celebrating just a wee bit prior to the postgame handshake with South Vermillion, but its first victory in a sectional game in 11 years was worthy of celebrating.
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PREP ROUNDUP: RP rolls past Attica
Riverton Parke jumped to a 20-point halftime lead and easily defeated Attica 59-34 in the Class A North Vermillion girls basketball sectional on Tuesday.
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They’re the pride of Marshall
With a 24-1 record, coach Kathy Miller’s Marshall team earned the top seed in the Class 2A Teutopolis Regional.
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Union season more fun with Talpas around
The Union boys basketball team has had its share of fun moments in the past, arguably the most fun being its Class A state runner-up in 2000.
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Injury bug follows girls into postseason
Who’s healthy is the question at least three of the four teams will be asking tonight when Class 4A girls high school basketball sectional play begins at Terre Haute North.
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Rockville needs late run to stop West Vigo
It was a game of fits and starts, but host Rockville finally overcame a stiff challenge from visiting West Vigo in a 53-46 victory in boys high basketball action on Saturday.
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Northview holds off Plainfield
Northview got its sixth victory in boys high school basketball action Saturday night, defeating Plainfield 59-56.
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PREP ROUNDUP: Cloverdale helps Rady to career win No. 714
Brandon Dorman and Joe Fidler combined for 37 points and six 3-pointers Saturday night as visiting Cloverdale defeated Turkey Run 63-45 in boys high school basketball.
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North seniors enjoy hot start
The appearance of balanced scoring in the Terre Haute North High School basketball lineup Saturday night was a little bit deceiving as the Patriots held on to defeat visiting Evansville Reitz 62-48 in North’s Senior Night contest.
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Ben Davis Giants top South Braves
Visiting Ben Davis nearly went to sleep on a sizeable lead against Terre Haute South in Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference high school basketball Friday night.
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No. 3 Panthers too much for Patriots
After trailing by 15 at halftime, Terre Haute North’s boys basketball team got off to a nice start in the second half and cut its deficit to seven against Class 4A No. 3 Indianapolis North Central.
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Clay City gives Shakamak first SWIAC loss
Clay City shook up the top echelon of the SouthWestern Indiana Athletic Conference with a solid 52-41 victory Friday over visiting Shakamak in a boys high school basketball game at the Eel Dome.
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Regional wrestlers know importance of opening-round matches
Eight in each weight class. Four of those advance to the semistate. No byes.
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PREP ROUNDUP: Mahurin leads Rox to victory
Lane Mahurin tallied 10 of his game-high 29 points in the fourth quarter to help Rockville hold off Wabash River Conference foe Fountain Central 80-72 in boys high school basketball Friday night.
- More High School Headlines
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