HOOPS ROUNDUP: Sweet scores 31 points in Pioneer win

Dec. 29—Caleb Sweet had a career-high 31 points in Pioneer's 55-36 win over Tri-Township in boys basketball Tuesday in Royal Center.

Drew McKaig added 10 for the Panthers (2-7), who snapped a four-game skid. Sweet added eight rebounds.

Pioneer led 8-2 after one, 25-10 at halftime and 34-19 after three.

Carter Burkholder had 12 points to lead the Tigers (0-8). The Panthers held him to six points under his average.

Tri-Township was formerly LaCrosse High School. The school was moved to a newer building eight miles north in Wanatah.

Pioneer coach Darren McKaig talked with WHZR following the game about Sweet's performance. His previous career-high was in a double-overtime win against North Miami earlier this season, when he had 18 points and 17 rebounds.

"He really carried us in the first half. When the other team is so focused on Drew, they're trying to run a box-and-one or trying to just face-guard Drew, maybe we have another guy who can really step up and score for us," he said. "We kind of had a sour taste after we had the lead in the fourth quarter against Frankfort, we were playing right there with Delphi, but I think those teams have helped us prepare for this game tonight."

Pioneer plays Tri-County in a makeup game for seventh place in the Indiana Kitchen Holiday Classic at 11:30 a.m. Jan. 3 at Delphi.

LOGAN 50, KOUTS 48

Logansport opened LaPorte Holiday Tournament play with a narrow win over Kouts Wednesday.

Jacob Taylor led the Berries (3-5) with 24 points. Isaac Russell added nine.

Kouts led 17-16 after one, 29-27 at halftime and 38-35 after three. The Berries outscored the Mustangs 15-10 in the fourth.

Tristan Ballas scored 21 points and Spencer Andrews had 12 to lead the Mustangs (4-3).

Logan advanced to play LaPorte Wednesday night. The winner advanced to Friday's championship game at 6:30 p.m. EST time and the loser advanced to Friday's third-place game at 5 p.m.

TIPTON 74, CARROLL 67

In a clash of strong Class 2A teams, Tipton outlasted Carroll 74-67 at the Clinton Central Holiday Tournament Tuesday.

The Blue Devils jumped to a 22-13 lead by the close of the first quarter. The Cougars reeled the Blue Devils in over the middle two quarters and took a 56-55 lead into the final quarter, but the Blue Devils ripped off a 10-0 run to start the quarter and they kept the lead the rest of the way.

"I think the first quarter kind of set the tone for them quite a bit," Carroll coach Adam Tussinger said. "I don't know if it was the early start or whatever, but we weren't necessarily ready to play and they were and they jumped out to a pretty big lead. I give our guys a lot of credit, we ended up battling back, but they started off the fourth quarter on a pretty good run. We battled back and had a chance, but we had a turnover down two [in the final 1:30]."

Nolan Swan led Tipton with 27 points, all coming in the final three quarters. Jackson Money scored 18 points and Grady Carpenter had 16 points and eight assists.

The go-go Devils shot 58% overall (29 of 50) and a toasty 56.3% from 3-land (9 of 16). The sweet-shooting Swan drilled five triples.

Jake Skinner led the Cougars (5-2) with 17 points, Chris Huerta had 15, Austin Kuns had 12 and Owen Duff had 11.

Carroll, which made the Class 2A Final Four last season, dropped its second straight game. Wabash beat Carroll 78-66 last week.

"[Wabash and Tipton] both provided a unique challenge to us because of how well they shoot from 3," Tussinger said. "They both shoot about 40% from 3 as a team and truthfully we haven't run into teams like that this year and I don't really think in previous years. It really makes us difficult for us because we can't rely on our help side. When you do, it leaves shooters open on the wings or in the corners. Tipton did a good job finding them."

Carroll bounced back to crush Clinton Central 86-43. Skinner scored 25 points and Duff had a triple-double of 11 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists to lead the charge. Kuns scored 14 points, Eli Harshbarger had 10 and Noah Falkenberg had nine.

GIRLS

CASTON 49, N. MIAMI 29

Class A No. 3 Caston began the quest of its third straight Miami County Invitational title with a win over North Miami at Maconaquah on Wednesday afternoon.

Isabel Scales had 16 points, four rebounds, five assists and three steals to lead the Comets (14-0). Kinzie Mollenkopf and Addison Zimpleman scored nine points apiece. Bailey Harness had seven points, eight boards and four assists. Macee Hinderlider added five points, four boards and three steals. Annie Harsh chipped in three points.

Kaiden Hanley led North Miami with 11 points. Molly Freeman added eight.

Caston led 9-6 after one, 20-13 at halftime and 37-20 after three.

Caston plays Maconaquah at 6 p.m. Thursday for the championship game.

CARROLL TOURNEY

Lewis Cass split a pair of games at the Carroll Holiday Tournament Tuesday. The Lady Kings defeated Covenant Christian 39-19 and lost to Class 2A No. 5 Carroll 63-32.

Aftin Griffin had 16 points on 4 of 4 shooting from 3-point range to lead the Kings (6-8) in their win in the early game. Kinsey Mennen added seven points and Anna Hedrick added six.

Griffin had 12 points against Carroll. Mennen and Faith Helvie added six apiece. Elly Logan added four points and nine rebounds.

Alli Harness had 31 points, seven assists and five boards to lead the Cougars (15-1). Madison Wagner had 11 points, nine assists and six boards.

Carroll defeated Western Boone 59-40 earlier in the day. Wagner, a 5-10 junior guard, had 27 points and reached the 1,000-point milestone for her career. Harness added 21 points and eight boards.