By Fred Kroner
The Villa Grove boys’ basketball team won its second consecutive game on Tuesday (Feb. 1), dispatching visiting Heritage 64-49.
The two schools combined to make 21 of their 40 field goals from three-point range.
The game’s top scorer was Villa Grove sophomore Layne Rund, who threw down a season-high 32 points. He bagged nine three-pointers.
Teammate Robert Fancher tallied 11 points, including three three-pointers. Peyton Smith hit nine points to go with five rebounds.
The Blue Devils carved a 26-16 lead after one quarter and held a 47-24 margin at halftime.
Villa Grove finished play in the Lincoln Prairie Conference Tournament on Saturday (Jan. 29) with a flourish.
The Blue Devils had their third-best scoring output of the season and overpowered Blue Ridge, 63-26, in the ninth-place game at Cerro Gordo.
Ashton Harrison converted three three-pointers on the way to a team-high 11 points. Rund totaled nine points and Luke Zimmerman made six.
Brayden Dowler pulled down a team-high nine rebounds. Brady Clodfelder grabbed six rebounds.
VG led, 20-7, after one period and 36-18 at halftime.
In earlier tournament action, the Blue Devils were beaten by Argenta-Oreana, 73-59, on Friday (Jan. 21) and by Tri-County, 42-36, on Tuesday (Jan. 25). Also, on Thursday (Jan. 20), the Blue Devils lost a makeup game at Toledo Cumberland, 44-29.
Against Tri-County, Rund netted 12 points. Smith ended with seven points and 10 rebounds. Clodfelder collected four rebounds.
Tri-County led, 11-10, after one quarter and 21-18 at halftime.
Against Cumberland, Lukas Shadwick nailed three three-pointers on the way to a season-high nine points. Zimmerman had six points and six rebounds. Rund added five points and four rebounds. Smith also had four rebounds.
Villa Grove (5-18) returns to action on Friday (Feb. 4) at Blue Ridge.
