Indian Lake’s varsity boys basketball team ran into a tough non-conference test Saturday, Feb. 7, falling 62–40 to Lima Shawnee.
Indian Lake stayed within striking distance through the opening half, trailing just 37–30 at the break. The Lakers battled early, nearly matching Shawnee in the first quarter and keeping pace in the second before the Indians were able to create separation.
Lima Shawnee gained control in the second half as Indian Lake struggled to find consistent offense against tightened defensive pressure.
The Lakers , whose scoring was flat and had difficulty getting shots over Shawnee’s taller players, were held to five points in each of the final two quarters as Shawnee pulled away down the stretch.
Reed Strayer led the Lakers in scoring with 20 points. Brodey Reisinger had a double-double of 12 points and 10 rebounds, while also handing out four assists. Brady Golliday provided a spark off the bench with 12 points, including three three-pointers. Tyler Tidwell added seven points, five rebounds and two blocked shots, and Avery Pequignot contributed three points and three boards.
The Lakers slipped to 17–3 overall with the loss but remained perfect in CBC play at 9–0. Despite the non-league setback, Indian Lake still had reason to celebrate on a memorable Senior Night.
One of the evening’s most meaningful moments came when Indian Lake and Lima Shawnee came together to honor Indian Lake senior Owen Kaser, whose love of high school sports has made him a familiar and cherished presence around the program. Kaser attended Lima Shawnee through elementary school before moving to Indian Lake, where his mother grew up and where he has deep family ties.
In a fitting Senior Night tribute, Kaser was announced as a starter and took part in the opening sequence. After Shawnee scored on the opening possession, Indian Lake inbounded the ball and Kaser brought it up the floor before passing to his cousin, Cooper Hall, who scored on his behalf. Teammates immediately surrounded Kaser with fist bumps as the crowd rose for a standing ovation, while Shawnee players joined in with high fives.
Watch video of the Senior Night moment on Facebook.
The moment drew more than a few misty eyes in the gym and reflected the sportsmanship shared between the two programs.
With a 61–54 victory over Benjamin Logan on Friday night, Indian Lake clinched the outright CBC Mad River Division championship. Following the conclusion of Saturday’s varsity game, the Lakers continued a familiar tradition, cutting down the net in honor of the conference title — their fourth consecutive CBC championship.
Indian Lake returns to action on the road Tuesday, Feb. 10, at Ottawa-Glandorf, with tipoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
