Jalen Quinn triples up in Warrior win

By Lenny Sementi
Warrior sophomore Jalen Quinn posted more than a few firsts Friday, December 20 in a hard fought 64-52 non-conference win over Champaign Judah Christian. Head coach Jordan Bozarth’s group over came an early deficit with an outstanding effort from Quinn in every aspect of the game and a workmen-like defensive gem from Jacob Kibler.

Quinn scored a career-high thirty-five points, which included a three ball in every frame on his way to the first triple-double of his young career adding a career-best thirteen steals and ten rebounds to his season stat sheet. Kibler was locked on Judah’s top scorer the entire contest collecting more than a few bruises running thru screens and diving for loose balls. The senior wingman as always was one of the hardest workers on the floor delivering eight rebounds, four assists and three steals.

Tuscola got a three ball and five points from Quinn early and another four points from Hardwick but it was not enough as the Tribe took a four point advantage into the first break moving on top of the Warriors 17-13 thanks to a bucket late in the frame. The home teams lead was short-lived however following quick baskets and a trey by Quinn put the boys in black up by three early in the second 22-19. Kibler followed with a bucket and Cole Cunningham capped off a seven point quarter with a three making it 32-28 at the end of two periods.

Cunningham hit another at the start of the third and Quinn stepped outside the arc for one also before Ben Dixon finished off a layup fueling an eight-point run to start the period increasing the Warriors lead to 42-26. Hardwick then tickled the net from deep and Dixon did some more damage in the paint giving coach Boz a twelve point lead heading to the fourth on top 48-36.

Judah made it interesting chipping away throughout the first four and a half minutes of the fourth cutting the lead to four at one point but they could not stop Quinn who scored ten of the last fourteen points scored by either team sealing the deal on the win. Tuscola lost the rebound battle hauling in twenty-eight to Judah’s thirty-two but forced double-digit turnovers in both halves while tallying ten steals.

Tuscola’s JV couldn’t overcome a pour night shooting dropping their first of the year to the Tribe 35-27 in a low scoring affair. Rohan Patel and Haven Hatfield were at the top of the scoring list each accounting for eight in the game. Hatfield also led the team on the boards for the third consecutive game grabbing a game-high eight rebounds.