Outside The County-Peru

Results from Peru for Friday, February 9th and Saturday, February 10th.

Tigers drop close TRC game to Manchester 61-59

The Tigers hosted Manchester in a TRC battle on Friday night at Tig-Arena.

The first quarter saw a tightly contested ball game with Peru outscoring the Squires 18-16. Senior Ian Potts found his touch from range as he knocked in 2 treys in the quarter.

The second quarter saw the Tigers turn the ball over 5 times, but their defense made it difficult for Manchester to convert the miscues into points. Peru led at the break 30-29.

The turnover bug was still around after halftime with the Tigers again committing 5. Manchester was able to make Peru pay this quarter as they outscored the hosts 21-14, leading by 6 entering the final stanza of play.

The fourth quarter saw the Tigers erase the deficit as Junior Xavier Turner made a layup and drew a foul and completed the traditional 3-point play, Junior Gavin Eldridge nailed 2 of his 6 3-pointers, Senior Matthew Roettger made a layup and hit one of two free throws to give the Tigers a 3 point lead with just under 4 mins to go. Manchester then went on an 8-0 scoring run to regain the lead by 5. Roettger found Eldridge in the corner for another 3 to cut the lead to 2. The Tigers then forced Manchester into turning the ball over. Eldrige attempted a final shot attempt with under 3 seconds to go, but it was blocked by Manchester, and then a quick foul by the Tigers put them trying to steal the inbounds pass with 2.5 seconds remaining, which they were unable to do.

The loss drops the Tigers to 10-9(4-3 TRC).

Scoring –

Gavin Eldridge – 20

Matthew Roettger – 17

Ian Potts – 13

Xavier Turner – 5

Alex Ross – 4

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Tigers top Western 72-59

The Tigers hosted old MIC foe Western to Tig-Arena on Saturday night.

In a game that felt like the traditional Peru-Western games, it was a knockdown drag-out battle for 3 quarters.

Western got the scoring started with a 3 ball about a minute into the game, and Peru answered when Senior Matthew Roettger used a screen set by Senior Alex Ross, he rose and buried a 19-foot jumper to get the Tigers on the board. Senior Ian Potts continued his shooting streak from the night before and buried 2 more treys in the opening quarter. Western converted 8-9 from the charity stripe to keep pace with the Tigers. It was knotted up at 19 after 1. Sophomore Isaac Braley played well in a relief role while the Tigers dealt with a little foul trouble.

Senior Alex Ross nailed 2 triples, Sophomore Reis Bellar made a bucket, and Roettger and Potts added points as well in the 2nd quarter. Western again when 5-5 from the foul line to keep it close. Peru held a 2-point lead at the break.

Western came out of the break red-hot from behind the arc making 5 3-pointers, but Junior Gavin Eldridge then showed the Panthers that facilitator isn’t the only thing he does, as he scored 10 points on his own in the quarter. Potts buried his 3rd triple of the night and Roettger, Turner, and Bellar all chipped in a bucket as well.

The fourth quarter saw the Tigers turn up the defense forcing 4 turnovers leading to some easy scores. Eldrige and Potts both hit from distance, Ross, Roettger, Turner, and Bellar knocked in a basket. Freshman Zion See had a bucket as well. The main rotation guys were able to enjoy the last 1:07 of game action on the bench as See, Juniors Jaxson Manriquez and Ryne Butt, and Sophomores Oliver Rabe and Jacob Boswell were able to get into the action(this allowed all 12 dressed players to play).

The win moves the Tigers to 11-9(4-3 TRC). They host coach Terry Smith’s alma mater Zebras of Rochester(Coach Smith was on the State Champion Golf team ’79-’80) in a TRC conference battle on Friday night at 7:45 pm.

Scoring –

Ian Potts – 16

Matthew Roettger – 16

Gavin Eldridge – 15

Alex Ross – 10

Xavier Turner – 7

Reis Bellar – 6

Zion See – 2

By Adam Butt on Feb 11, 2024