Boys basketball: Sikoski, Wheeler extends streak against Whiting

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Updated: February 15, 2012 8:11AM

VALPARAISO — When Christian Sikoski nailed a 3-pointer from halfcourt as time expired in the first quarter, it appeared as if it might be a particularly productive Friday night for him.

And the Wheeler junior scored 17 points as the Bearcats pulled away for a 63-43 win against Whiting.

“Christian, without question, had his best game of the year,” Wheeler coach Tom Johnson said. “The last two games have been his best of the year. He’s been really conscious of his shot selection, and he’s been passing the ball well.”

Wheeler (6-5, 4-2 Greater South Shore Conference), which has defeated Whiting (8-4, 3-2) 11 straight times dating to the 2003-04 season, used an 8-0 run to close the first quarter to take an 18-10 lead it would not relinquish. Sikoski’s buzzer-beating 3-pointer capped the spurt.

Sikoski’s basket with 4:06 left in the second quarter gave the Bearcats a 23-13 lead, before the Oilers ended the half on an 8-1 run to draw to 24-21.

But Sikoski’s 3-pointer with 3:47 left in the third made it 36-27, and Ryan Hensen’s three-point play less than a minute later off a pretty feed from Nick Naspinski made it 39-28. Sikoski’s transition layup with 21 seconds left gave Wheeler a 45-33 edge going into the fourth quarter, and his 3-pointer with 6:18 left in the game opened up a 50-33 cushion for the Bearcats, who stretched their lead to as many as 23 points.

Hensen and Kevin Barnes, who hit four 3-pointers, had 12 points each for Wheeler.

Matt Dvorscak led Whiting with 11.

“We were very happy, especially in the second half, with our inside and outside games,” said Johnson, who also praised the play of point guard Jesse Kellar. “We mixed it up. I thought our kids made good decisions.

“It’s certainly our best 32 minutes of the season.”