The Blackford Bruins traveled Tuesday evening to Tipton High School for a non-conference game vs the # 1 ranked (in class 2A) Tipton Blue Devils. Tipton entered the game with a 17-1 record overall, winning their games by an average of 19 points per game. The Bruins were looking to rebound from Saturday's loss at Jay County High School, falling to the Patriots 56-43. Blackford has matched up with Tipton 18 times over the past 35 years, losing 12 out of the 18 match-ups vs the Blue Devils. The Bruins would have to play some of their best basketball of the season to play with the powerful Blue Devils, as Tipton entered the game averaging 70 points per game and shooting over 40% from the 3-point line as a team. The Blue Devils were led by 6'6" Junior point guard Grady Carpenter and 6'1'' Senior guard Nolan Swan. Both players are shooting over 40% from the 3-point line, with range out to the volleyball line. Carpenter averages 18 points per game, 7.5 rebounds, 9 assists per game, 2 steals and 1 block per game. Swan entered Tuesday averaging 21 points per game, 3 rebounds per game, 4 assists, and over 3 steals per game. The Bruins would have to slow one or both players down to pull off the upset.
The Bruins played an outstanding floor game on the offensive end vs the Blue Devils Tuesday night, especially in the first half. Blackford started the game finding Vince Oxley inside at the right block area, Oxley made one of his best moves of the season as he completed a nice shot fake/step through to finish a basket. Blackford traded baskets with Tipton at the start of the game, as Kian Wells made two nice drives for baskets. The Blue Devils missed a shot and Gage Baker grabbed the rebound and drove coast to coast to finish a layup and give the Bruins an early 8-4 lead. The Blue Devils answered with a 3-pointer to cut the Bruins lead to 8-7. On the next possession, Mason Kitterman found Vince Oxley on the left block for a basket to give the Bruins a 10-7 lead. The Blue Devils once again answered with another 3-pointer to tie the game at 10 apiece. Blackford executed against Tipton's press as the Bruins found Oxley in the middle of the floor near half-court, Oxley turned and threw a beautiful over the head skip pass to Kitterman under the rim for an open layup. Kitterman missed the layup, but stuck with the play and fought for the offensive rebound and a Tipton player ended up accidentally tipping the ball into the basket for Blackford. A couple possessions later, Blackford executed a flare screen for guard Ethan Morris, as he drained a 3-pointer to give the Bruins a 15-12 lead. The Blue Devils returned on the next possession and executed a screen and roll to the basket drawing a shooting foul to pull Tipton within 2 points, 15 -13. On the Bruins next possession, Jacob Leas was able to drive towards the basket and draw two defenders before finding Ethan Morris in the corner for a 3-pointer, Morris drained it, nothing but net, giving Blackford an 18-13 lead. A couple possessions later in the first quarter, Blackford broke down Tipton's half court trapping defense as Baker passed the ball to Gavin Collett at the foul line area, Collett turned and found Kitterman on the baseline for another layup. Kitterman received the pass from Collett and gave a nice shot fake, sending Grady Carpenter sailing up to block the shot before Kitterman waited and finished the easy basket. Blackford had the ball with a 20-17 lead in the first quarter, with about 30 seconds left. The Bruins ran their motion offense as Baker found Jacob Leas curling towards the basket, Leas drew two defenders and kicked it out to Mason Kitterman in the right corner for an open 3-pointer, he drained it, giving Blackford a 23-17 lead at the end of the first quarter.
The Bruins played some of their best basketball in the first quarter, breaking down Tipton's various pressure defenses and finishing the quarter on pace to score 90 + points. Mason Kitterman scored 7 points and Ethan Morris scored 6 points in the first quarter, as 5 different Bruins scored in the first quarter. At the start of the 2nd quarter, Gage Baker was able to draw a shooting foul on a drive to the basket. He made both free-throws to extend the Bruins lead to 8 points, 25 -17 over the # 1 ranked Blue Devils. Tipton would answer scoring the next 7 points on back to back And-1's from the 6'6" Grady Carpenter. Blackford answered the Blue Devils run as Ethan Morris drove hard right and completed a nice stride stop to turn and shoot, extending the Bruins lead to 27-24. Tipton rattled off the next 5 points to take the lead 29-27, before Ethan Morris found an open look from the 3-point line, drilling it to give the Bruins a 30-29 lead. It was Morris's 3rd 3-pointer of the first half, as he scored 13 first half points for Blackford. The Bruins found a way to get a stop and Oxley grabbed the defensive rebound and found Baker who launched a full court pass to a streaking Kitterman for a layup, giving Blackford a 32-29 lead. Tipton answered with another 3-pointer, this time Carpenter drilled a deep 3 near the volleyball line to tie the game at 32 apiece. Tipton stayed in a full court press on the next possession and Gage Baker made multiple ball fakes before launching another full court pass to Kitterman for another open layup, burning the full court press. Kitterman scored his career high in his young high school career (13 points) in one half vs the # 1 ranked team in the state! The Bruins went back and forth with Tipton in the final minutes of the 2nd quarter to end the half tied at 39 apiece. Kitterman and Morris scored 26 of the Bruins 39 first half points.
At the start of the 2nd half, the Blue Devils scored the first 4 points of the half to take a 43-39 lead. Blackford was not able to match the Blue Devils scoring, as the Bruins were outscored by 15 points in the 2nd half to lose 79-64. The combination of Nolan Swan and Grady Carpenter proved to be too much for the Bruins, as they scored 30 of the team's 40 points in the 2nd half. Blackford struggled for most of the evening on the defensive end, especially with rebounding, as Tipton grabbed 17 offensive rebounds. Carpenter finished the game with a triple double, 21 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists. Swan finished the game with 26 points, and 5 steals helping the # 1 ranked Blue Devils improve to 18-1 on the year. Blackford displayed the potential to play with the Blue Devils, as the Bruins played with the Blue Devils toe to toe for much of the evening. The loss drops Blackford to 11-8 overall on the year. The Bruins return to the hardwood Friday evening on the road at Oak Hill.
Stats from Varsity game:
Mason Kitterman - 17 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal and one 3-pointer
Ethan Morris - 16 points, 1 rebound, 3 assists, 1 steal and three 3-pointers
Kian Wells - 13 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists
Gage Baker - 9 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals, 2 blocks
Vince Oxley - 7 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists
Jacob Leas - 2 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists,
Gavin Collett - 1 rebound, 1 assist
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