Kankakee Valley earned a narrow tournament victory, defeating Hammond Morton 58–56 in a closely contested neutral-site matchup.
According to the game report, the Kougars established small leads throughout each quarter and successfully held off a late surge by Hammond Morton to secure their two-point win. Senior Zack Mikash led Kankakee Valley with 21 points, offering consistent scoring both inside the paint and from the free-throw line. Sophomore Van Kooistra contributed 18 points, while senior Matthew Rose added nine. The team shot 43 percent from the field and made crucial free throws towards the end of the game to maintain their lead as Hammond Morton attempted a comeback in the final minute.
Defensively, Kankakee Valley limited second-chance opportunities for their opponents and forced difficult shots in half-court play. They finished with 27 total rebounds and recorded 10 steals. The team also tallied 12 assists, effectively moving the ball to create high-percentage scoring chances. This balanced effort enabled them to withstand a strong performance from Hammond Morton’s Jaquan Brown, who scored a game-high of 22 points.
Looking ahead, Kankakee Valley is set to host Lowell at 7 p.m. on January 24 in a conference matchup. In their last meeting on January 25, Lowell defeated Kankakee Valley with a score of 54–48.
