Kankakee Valley defeated North Judson-San Pierre 74-66 in a non-conference matchup.
The game, held Feb. 26 at North Judson-San Pierre High School in North Judson, Indiana, saw Kankakee Valley overcome an early deficit to secure the victory. According to Kankakee Valley High School, North Judson-San Pierre opened the game with a strong start, building a 20-12 lead after the first quarter. Kankakee Valley responded in the second quarter by tightening up defensively and finding offensive rhythm, trimming the deficit to 34-30 at halftime. The teams continued to battle through the third quarter, with North Judson-San Pierre holding a 52-44 advantage entering the final period. Kankakee Valley delivered its strongest stretch of the game in the fourth quarter, erupting for 30 points while limiting the Bluejays to 14. The surge allowed the Kougars to flip the momentum and pull away late to secure the eight-point road victory.
Van Kooistra led Kankakee Valley with 24 points, connecting on seven field goals and going 9-of-11 from the free-throw line. Zack Mikash and Matthew Rose each added 14 points to give the Kougars balanced scoring. Luke Ehrhardt and Jase Barrera contributed nine points apiece, while Jaidyn Anderson finished with four points. Kankakee Valley finished the game with 24 made field goals and 22 free throws, using its efficient offense and strong fourth-quarter push to complete the comeback victory, according to Kankakee Valley High School.
The win marks a notable performance for Kankakee Valley as they overcame multiple deficits throughout different stages of play.
