Wheatfield IN. Culver and Kankakee Valley squared off in round one of the 2022 state tournament in sectional 18. In front of a packed crowed, the top two teams battled it out, with the winner becoming the heavy favorite to win the sectional and advance to the regional round.
           
The first-quarter was a back-and-forth brawl with both teams struggling to pull ahead. Kankakee Valley started the scoring for the night with a put-back shot after a block from Daley Stein. Stein would get one back for Culver and tie the game up with a put-back of his own. Cooper Farrall got a shot of his own to fall from inside to put Culver up two. Jokubas Skurdenis made it two more off an offensive rebound from Fola Fayemi. Kankakee kept it close with a pair of makes from the free-throw line and a score inside after a defensive stop. The Kougars would score two more off a Farrall turnover, but Amir Gates quickly tied it back up, and Farrall would retake the lead for Culver on their next possession. Missed shots ended the quarter for both teams and the first-period would end 10-8 in favor of the Eagles.
           
The Eagles found themselves in the second and began to build a comfortable lead before half. Kankakee opened the quarter with a converted and-one, but Thomas Collins banged in a three on the ensuing possession to keep the lead for the Eagles. Farrall continued the scoring run for Culver with nine straight points, all the while Culver was holding Kankakee back defensively. Finally, Kankakee scored a bucket inside to halt the 12-point run for Culver. Farrall matched the Kougar bucket with one of his own, and Fayemi doubled it on a stolen pass to give Culver a 13-point lead late in the quarter Kankakee hit a three and a two late in the quarter, but Farrall got to the line and made both shots to keep the Culver lead in double digits. Culver went into halftime with a 10-point lead, 28-18.
           
The third-quarter played out much like the first as both teams traded blows. Gates opened scoring for the Eagles on a dribble drive, which Kankakee was able to match. Skurdenis hit one of two from the line before Kankakee went on a short, seven-point run to get the lead down to four. Farrall got one back for Culver with a paint score. Fayemi and Andrew Macheca got baskets of their own as well, after a Kankakee score, to build the lead back up. After a foul from Farrall, Kankakee hit one of two from the line before Farrall went down and scored an and-one to regain the 10-point lead. Kankakee got a score to beat the buzzer to get two back as the quarter ended with Culver ahead, 40-32.
           
Ultimately, Culver's offense overwhelmed the Kougars in the fourth, and Culver managed to pull away in the final period of play. Collins and Kankakee traded threes to open the quarter. Farrall got four quick points with two from the line. Kankakee responded with two of their own, but Macheca banged in a big three to keep the lead at double digits. Kankakee Valley's offense didn't slow down, and five quick points started to shift the momentum. Gates and Collins brought the momentum back to Culver with a layup each. The teams traded free throws at the end of the game, with Gates matching the four free throws from Kankakee with four of his own. Collins ended the game with a tipped pass and a score to firmly put the game to bed as Culver won, 60-46.
           
Culver advances to the second round of the sectional and will play Wheeler on Friday after the matchup between Knox and New Prairie.