Boys Basketball: Lipscomb leads Trojans rout

CHESTERTON — There’s no doubt about the rivalry between Chesterton and neighboring Valparaiso.

Though they’re rebuilding, there’s also no doubt that the host Trojans were vying for a win over their Campbell Street foes on Friday night. But one thing wasn’t so certain before game time: the 3-point production of Chesterton sophomore Jocelyn Lipscomb.

However, after swishing five treys and nearly scoring as much as the entire Vikings club, Lipscomb’s confidence received a jolt as her season-high and game-leading 22 points led the way in a 56-32 Trojans romp.

During recent practices, the underclassman’s 3-point accuracy started to improve. Friday showed the fruits of those repetitions. With most eyes on the Trojans’ senior leader Lindsay Gorman (11 points), Lipscomb continued to shine. Of course, trying to showcase the growing club’s progress and facing a rival were motivating factors.

“I think people underestimate us a little bit, we have a lot of great shooters and I don’t think that people see it,” Lipscomb said before later modestly adding, “I think I was playing Valpo and maybe wanted to win a little more.”

After a sluggish 8-8 tie to end the first quarter, the Trojans (led by six points from Caroline Puntillo) leaped to a 10-0 run over the first moments of the second quarter. After a 20-5 second-quarter showing, the lead remained sizeable.

“I would like to say that was by design, but you never know,” Chesterton (3-5, 2-5 DAC) coach Jack Campbell said of the immediate turnaround.

To Valparaiso (3-9, 1-6) coach Jeanette Gray, the Vikings’ stifled offense (which was limited to nine field goals) wasn’t the issue.

“They took us 1-on-1 way too much, our defense wasn’t what it needed to be tonight,” she said. 

Puntillo’s scoring ended at 10 when she left in the last two minutes of the third, because of a probable knee injury. Katherine Berning led Valparaiso with 10.

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