Culver IN. The Eagles matched up with 1A's #1 team in Gary 21^st Century Charter on Tuesday night. Culver came into the game with a four-game win streak, and they look to keep heating up as the state tournament approaches.
           
Gary started the game hot and managed to get a lead early against the Eagles. Cooper Farrall started the game with a nice high-low score courtesy of Daley Stein, however Gary surged in the next few minutes. The Cougars' defense held Culver at bay and allowed them to get eight-straight points. Fola Fayemi and Farrall got the Eagles back in it quick with a score from Fayemi and then a transition bucket from Farrall after a steal from Fayemi. Thomas Collins hit a three on the next possession after a defensive stop to give Culver a one-point lead. Gary responded quickly, though, and drilled back-to-back threes to regain their five-point lead. Farrall got inside and scored on an and-one to bring the lead to three with little time left in the quarter. Gary managed a bucket right before the buzzer as Collins' attempt to get the ball down the court quickly was picked off, so Gary held a six-point lead after the first with a score of 12-18.

Both sides traded possessions to start the second with a couple of turnovers from both teams. Gary broke the deadlock with a drive and score, but Jokubas Skurdenis answered back with a big three at the top of the key. The Cougar offense couldn't be slowed down though, and they kept up their pace as they kept getting buckets inside. Fayemi scored off a nice pass from Farrall, but then Gary went on a quick eight-point run. Culver tried to gain some momentum late in the quarter and answered Gary's eight with eight of their own with four from Farrall, two from Collins, and two from Amir Gates. Gary got to the free throw line twice late in the quarter to make it a ten-point lead at the end of the half as the Cougars led, 25-35.
           
Culver came out of the locker room firing and had their best quarter of the game after the break. Stein opened with a second chance bucket inside. Farrall came up with a big block to deny a Gary bucket, then hit a three on the other end to cut the lead to seven. Farrall then scored a put-back off his own missed three, and Skurdenis made a shot from inside the arc to get the game back to one possession. Gary tried to regain their dominant lead and scored six straight, but a corner three from Fayemi, and a pair of inside scores from Farrall kept the game within reach. Gary scored once more to put the lead at four, but Collins came up with a huge three to end the quarter 44-45.
           
The fourth was a defensive battle and both teams were kept in single digit scoring for the last period. Fayemi scored on an alley-oop from Gates to open the quarter and give Culver their first lead since 9-8 in the first quarter. Gary and Farrall then traded inside buckets before both teams went on a cold spell. The next couple of minutes were filled with missed shots and turnovers from both sides, but eventually Gary was able to get inside and score, then get fouled a few possessions later which gave Gary a three-point lead. Culver was unable to convert any of their chances despite the Cougars missing some free-throws late. Gary finally made one of two free-throws to get the game to two possessions with seconds left on the clock, and a Farrall score from an inbounds pass was not enough as Culver lost 50-52.
           
Culver will play their final game of the regular season on Friday against Bowman Academy on Senior Night at 8:00pm at Fleet Gymnasium. Additionally, the IHSAA sectional draw took place Sunday, and the teams of Indiana learned their path to the State Championship. Culver drew the hosts Kankakee Valley in the first round which will take place on Tuesday, March 1^st. Should they win that game they will play Wheeler on Friday before facing the winner of New Prairie and Knox on Saturday for the sectional title.