Kats defeat Berries to advance to sectional championship against Bronchos

Posted: Friday, March 5, 2010 11:26 pm | Updated: 11:46 pm, Fri Mar 5, 2010.

By Peter Adelsen staff writer padelsen@kokomoperspective.com | 0 comments

After getting out to a 10-point cushion at the end of the first quarter, the Kokomo Wildkats went on to defeat the Logansport Berries Friday at Memorial Gym to advance to the Sectional 7 championship game.

The Kats began the game with hot shooting from senior Brock Barbary who scored 10 points in the first quarter, including two 3-pointers, to give Kokomo a boost. Kokomo caught fire during the final four minutes of the quarter to increase its lead from 7-4 to 19-9 on a 12 to 5 run. As a team in the first quarter, Kokomo shot at 57 percent, while Logansport shot at 25 percent.

Kokomo and Logansport played even throughout the second and third quarters until foul trouble doomed the Berries in the fourth quarter. The closest the Berries got to the Kats in the fourth quarter was when senior Nate Champion converted a three-point play to bring the score to a 49-40 Kokomo lead with 5:13 to go in the game. The Kats went on to win the game by adding points at the free-throw line as they drove to the basket down the stretch to increase the lead to 20 points with 56 seconds remaining. The Kats went on to end the Berries' season by a 68-52 final score.

"Brock Barbary got us off to a tremendous start and I'm really pleased with that," Kokomo coach Brian McCauley said. "D.J. (Balentine) showed a lot of toughness by coming in and making some plays. It was a total team effort."

Barbary's 23 points and 9 rebounds led the Kats in each category. Sophomore D.J. Balentine's 16 points in double-figures scoring joined him in double-figures scoring.

Champion led the Berries in scoring with 21 points and was tied with the most team rebounds with 7. Senior Jared Jennings also had 7 rebounds. Also in double-figures scoring was freshman Antonio Penney who scored 14 points.

Scores by quarter:

Logansport 9 10 14 19 =52

Kokomo 19 10 12 27 =68

Kokomo will play Lafayette Jeff at 7:30 p.m. Saturday for the Sectional 7 Championship at Memorial Gym. The Jeff Bronchos defeated the Harrison Raiders in the second game Friday 60-51.

In this game, the Bronchos began with an 8-0 lead to only vanish when the Raiders began the second quarter on a 6-0 run to cut Jeff's lead to 14-13 at 6:58 to go in the second quarter. The game remained close throughout until 1:51 to go in the game when Jeff got a 53-47 lead with senior Jesse Berry's basket. From that point on, the Bronchos stretched its lead from the foul line to defeat the Raiders.

Senior Blair Banker's 18 points led Harrison in scoring.

The Bronchos had two players in double-figures scoring. Seniors Jesse Berry and Roddy Richardson scored 28 and 18, respectively.

Scores by quarter:

Lafayette Jeff 14 15 10 21 =60

Harrison 7 16 14 14 =51

Other sectional semi-finals Friday:

(Bolded teams advanced to sectional championship game at 7:30 p.m. Saturday.)

CLASS 3A, SECTIONAL 20 at Frankfort

West Lafayette 38, Western 37

Frankfort 81, Northwestern 77

CLASS 3A, SECTIONAL 22 at Norwell

Norwell 53, Peru 51

Fort Wayne-Elmhurst 61, Fort Wayne-Wayne 52

CLASS 3A, SECTIONAL 27 at Mt. Vernon (Fortville)

Mount Vernon 52, Hamilton Heights 37

Shelbyville 55, Rushville 52

CLASS 2A, SECTIONAL 39 at Lewis Cass

Southwood 57, North Miami 46

Lewis Cass 64, Wabash 38

CLASS 2A, SECTIONAL 40 at Taylor

Tipton 85, Sheridan 48

Guerin Catholic 74, Madison-Grant 62

CLASS A, SECTIONAL 53 at Tri-Central

Tri-Central 63, Clinton Prairie 60 (OT)

Lafayette Central Catholic 78, Rossville 49