The Whitko Wildcats came tearing into Saturday's game with nine straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 22.2 points) and they left with even more momentum. They had just enough and edged LaVille out 50-48. Given Whitko's advantage in MaxPreps' Indiana basketball rankings (they are ranked 137th, while LaVille is ranked 283rd), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Leading Whitko to victory were Kyler Krull and Sam Essegian. Krull scored 22 points along with five rebounds and two blocks, while Essegian scored 17 points along with seven assists and five rebounds. Krull is on a roll when it comes to points, as he's now scored 15 or more in the last eight games he's played. Another player making a difference was Jaylen Gibson, who scored five points along with five assists.
Several Lancers players turned in solid performances despite ultimately coming up short. Perhaps the best among those players was Collin Czarnecki, who scored 18 points along with five rebounds. That was a full 37.5% of LaVille's points, marking the third time in a row he's earned more than a third of the team's points. Michael Good was another key contributor, scoring nine points along with five rebounds.
Whitko pushed their record up to 15-3 with that win, which was their sixth straight on the road. As for LaVille, they are on a four-game losing streak that has dropped them down to 8-10.
Both squads are looking forward to the support of their home crowds in their upcoming games. Whitko will take on Wabash at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. As for LaVille, they will be playing at home against Westville at 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Westville will roll in looking for their fifth straight win, something LaVille surely won't give up without a fight.
