In a surprise match-up after Elkhart Memorial  beat Valparaiso, Riley was pushed by the underdog Memorial squad in the Michigan City regional.

 

 

Early on, it looked like Riley was going to dominate. Western Illinois-bound forward Shamar Dillard had a transition layup to get things rolling then had a sequence where he blocked a shot on one end then drilled a three-pointer on the other end.

 

 

That trend did not continue long. At one point in the first quarter, head coach Eric Brand subbed out the starters for five bench players. The replacement players gave Riley a shot in the arm. Trevor Fortune and Ty’juan Reid led the charge. It didn’t last long as Henry Smith was able to get Elkhart Memorial. Smith’s confidence wore off on the rest of the team.

 

 

Smith did more than provide intangibles. He also lit up the scoreboard in the second quarter. He scored 13 points in the period. His shooting pushed Elkhart Memorial to a 34-23 lead. The Memorial crowd was going crazy as they built the lead.

 

 

As Smith was knocking down shots, Damezi Anderson was struggling to find his touch. He was pressing early and it hurt his results. He started 2-9 from the field. To his credit, he kept his calm and made plays on the glass as well as others. Anderson played much better in the second half.

 

 

After being down 38-35 at the half, Riley took the lead back early in the second half. It was a quick five points from Anderson that helped the Wildcats grab the lead. It ended up being back and forth throughout the third quarter.

 

 

Smith was a marked man in the second half after his scoring explosion in the first. Trevion Gallope stepped up his aggression on the offensive end with Smith being blanketed by the Riley defense. Gallope slashed to the basket on a consistent basis with good results.

 

 

Riley took control of the game in the fourth. Jalen Jennings, Trevor Fortune and Damezi Anderson helped put the game away. Memorial didn’t go quietly, but Riley made enough plays to win 75-68.

 

 

Damezi Anderson finished with 18 points. Trevor Fortune added 11 and Rylen Grundy tallied eight points. Henry Smith scored 23 points to lead all scorers. Trevion Gallope added 12.

 

 

South Bend Riley will play Carmel in the 4A north semi-state next Saturday.