South Bend IN. Culver made the trek to the south side of South Bend to take on the Wildcats of South Bend Riley. Culver was looking to make it two straight wins for the first time since January as they defeated Merrillville in the weekend.
           
Defense was the name of the game for Culver as they held Riley to single-digit scoring in all four quarters of the game. Cooper Farrall felt it early and scored twice in the paint to put Culver up 4-0 early. The Wildcats hit their first three of the game, but Thomas Collins got a three of his own to answer back and keep the game at two possessions. Riley got a bucket inside next to bring the lead back down to two. After a cold spell by both teams from the field, Amir Gates got to the free throw line and hit one of two for his first point of the night. Fola Fayemi got a strong rebound off a missed three from Collins on the next possession and put it back up for an and-one which he knocked down to give Culver an 11-5 lead at the end of one.
           
Fayemi and Stein started the second with back-to-back paint scores, showing off their post offense. Farrall got to the line to make one of two in response and, after an offensive foul, Farrall hit a huge three to make the lead double-digits. Riley got a couple of scores in a row, but Farrall regained the momentum for the Eagles with an inside score of his own. A trip to the line late in the quarter got Farrall two more and Culver's lead was now 12. Andrew Macheca poked away a steal late with seconds left in the half, and Collins fought through contact to drill in a buzzer beating three to end the half. Culver went to the locker room up 15, 26-11.
           
The third was a defensive battle for both teams and it seemed as if there was a lid on the basket. Culver scored eight-straight in the quarter as Jokubas Skurdenis had one score, Fayemi had one score, and Farrall had two. Neither team was able to get shots to fall, however. Many turnovers and blocks from both sides didn't help the offense of both squads either. Riley managed to get a score with under a minute left to play to get some points on the board in the third, but that would end the quarter for scoring. Culver would lead 34-13 heading into the final period of regulation.
           
The fourth started off cold as well but Riley was able to open the quarter for scoring. Farrall, Gates, and Stein contributed to five points in a row before Riley's next score. Riley was able to string together a few scores, but the lead was too much, and Culver's defense was too strong, and the Wildcats couldn't make a last quarter comeback. Fayemi had two and Gates had four with little time left in the quarter, and Riley couldn't take advantage of a few turnovers and the scoring ended as Culver came out on top, 45-21.
           
Culver's next matchup is a Varsity only contest against the Varsity squad of La Lumiere at 7:00pm on the 18^th. The Eagles and Blazers square off at Fleet Gymnasium for their first meeting since the prep team came to Fleet in 2019.