Orleans Bulldogs 56-Vincennes Rivet 34

Written at 7:20 p.m.

LOOGOOTEE— Vincennes Rivet’s basketball season ended with a 56-34 loss to Orleans in the Sectional 62 semifinals Thursday at Jack Butcher Arena in Loogootee. The Patriots and Bulldogs battled closely in the first half, tied at halftime, but Orleans surged ahead in the second half.

The game started with a lively crowd amid a rematch of the upcoming Barr Reeve-North Daviess tournament game. Orleans and Vincennes Rivet were neck and neck early on, but Orleans took control after the break.

In the third quarter, Vincennes Rivet struggled offensively, making only 1 of 2 three-pointers and missing all five field goal attempts for the period. The Patriots managed just three free throws in the second half, finishing 12-for-16 at the line.

Orleans’ Owen Gilbert and Nate Brown led the scoring with 17 and 14 points, respectively. Mason Freed added six points, while Troy Dille scored five. The Patriots committed eight turnovers.

Vincennes Rivet’s Cale Bezy scored eight points, Max Weiss four, Phillip Herman and Jayden Thacker each had three, and Henry Holka contributed two. The Patriots finished with a 5-17 shooting mark in the second half and turned over the ball 13 times.

The Rivet season concludes with an 8-16 record overall and a 2-6 record in the Blue-Chip Conference. Orleans will face the winner of the Barr Reeve-North Daviess game, which is currently taking place.

Barr Reeve 63- North Daviess 30

Written at 9:12 p.m.

LOOGOOTEE, Ind. — Barr Reeve secured a dominant win in the Sectional Semi-Finals Friday night at Jack Butcher Arena, overpowering the North Daviess Cougars in a historic 63-30 victory. The Vikings, who struggled with one of the worst shooting performances in school history in last year’s Sectional tournament, turned things around dramatically with a stellar shooting display, hitting 66% from the field and making 14 of 18 free throws.

North Daviess held its last lead at 14-13 in the first half, but Barr Reeve responded with relentless offense and aggressive defense. The Vikings led 28-17 at halftime and expanded their lead in the second half, with a strong defensive effort disrupting the Cougars’ rhythm. Barr Reeve outscored North Daviess 17 points in the second half alone.

In a physical game reminiscent of a hockey match, both teams fought hard for every point in the first half, with Barr Reeve’s aggressive play energizing the crowd. The Vikings built a 46-26 lead with 1:42 remaining in the third quarter and maintained their dominance through the final buzzer.

Key players included Barr Reeve’s Colten Stoll, who stole the ball from North Daviess’ Grady Callison and delivered a fierce performance, and Kierson Lengacher, Braxton Neidigh, and Jaylon Graber, who each scored eight points, leading the team overall tonight.

Barr Reeve coach, Heath Howington, expressed confidence in his team’s prospects during the postgame show on the radio, noting their near-magical shooting and potential to contend for a state title. The Vikings will face Orleans in the Sectional Finals tomorrow at 7 p.m. at Jack Butcher Arena.

With the victory, Barr Reeve improved to 23-1 on the season. North Daviess concluded its season with a 15-9 record, finishing fourth in the Blue Chip Conference.