IAC BOYS BASKETBALL: TIOGA RALLIES FROM DOWN 16 IN THIRD QUARTER; TOPS STATE-RANKED UNION SPRINGS, 62-58 (2024-02-02)

Valley Sports Report
UNION SPRINGS - Tioga rallied from a 16-point third-quarter deficit to knock off state-ranked Union Springs, 62-58, here Friday night in IAC boys basketball crossover action.

"We ran into another hot shooting team tonight, said Tioga coach Dave Sickler.

"We were down at half by 13 … they cooled off, because our defense picked up and contested their shots better," he noted.

"And, we started scoring because we ran our offense through better," added Sickler.

The Wolves, ranked 13th in the state in Class C, raced out to an early 14-2 lead on its way to a 24-11 advantage after the first eight minutes, powered by 16 points and four 3-pointers by Colin Park,

In the second quarter, Aaron Johnson scored seven points, and Park canned two more 3-pointers, but Tioga senior Evan Sickler and Valentino Rossi scored six points apiece as the Tigers kept the deficit at 13 points — 38-25 — at the half.

Luke Parker canned a 3-pointer early in the third quarter to give Union Springs a 43-27 lead, but the Tigers closed out the stanza with a 17-5 run to trim the deficit to four points, at 48-44, entering the final eight minutes.

Sickler, Rossi, and senior Gavin Fisher scored four points apiece in Tioga’s third-quarter run, and senior Karson Sindoni added a 3-pointer.

In the fourth quarter, junior Shea Bailey drained a trio of 3-pointers, and Sickler scored seven points, including a trey, to fuel an 18-10 game-ending run.

Rossi led Tioga with 15 points, while Sickler scored 14, Fisher had 13, Bailey added 11 points,a nd Sindoni chipped in with seven.

Parker, who was held scoreless in the second half, led Union Springs with 22 points and six 3-pointers, while Johnson scored 15 points, and Parker added 14 points, including four 3-pointers.

Tioga, now 11-6, returns to action Tuesday at S-VE.

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