Degenkolb Sinks Goshen at Horn in High-Scoring Win
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UPLAND, Ind. – Mason Degenkolb drove the length of the court before elevating and knocking in the game-winner as the buzzer sounded inside Odle Arena on Saturday, sealing a thrilling, 96-94, victory for the Trojans over Goshen.
The game featured 17 lead changes and 15 ties, as Taylor battled to hang around despite Goshen shooting over 50.0 percent in both halves and pushing its mark over 60.0 percent for the game in the opening minutes of the second period.
The hot-shooting Leafs (11-17, 4-12 CL) held an eight-point lead in the opening half and matched that gap at 64-56 with just under 15 minutes to play, before TU caught fire and flipped the game in its favor with a 25-9 stretch.
Taylor shot 11-of-15 from the field during the decisive spurt, scoring on 12 of those possessions and opening an 81-73 lead with 5:48 to play. Jake Heggeland and James McCloud combined for 13 points during that span, as seven different Trojans found the scoring column in the game-changing run.
Goshen had one final push, as it frantically battled to keep its Crossroads League Tournament hopes alive, charging back to tie the game at 94-94 by pouring in 21 points over the last 5:26 of the game.
The Leafs’ fourth three-pointer of that stretch knotted the score with 4.9 seconds remaining, but left just enough time for Degenkolb to deliver the final blow in the 96-94 win.
TU shot 67.7 percent over the final 20 minutes of the game, led by a six-of-six showing from Heggeland after the break, as he and Degenkolb each netted 13 points to pace the Trojans over the final 20 minutes.
For the game, Ryan Robinson finished with 22 points, seven rebounds and five assists, while Degenkolb ended with 20 points and five helpers. Heggeland added 15 points and nine boards, while Evan Crowe, Tim Fleming and McCloud each netted eight points and Emmanuel Boateng posted seven points.
TU attacked the hoop throughout the contest, attempting a season-low 12 tries from deep, despite hitting six of those looks. The Trojans instead outscored Goshen by a 52-32 gap in the paint and shot over 50.0 percent from the field in a game for the third-straight contest.
The win moved Taylor (16-12, 7-9 CL) into a three-way tie for sixth place in the Crossroads League standings with Huntington and Spring Arbor, while clinching a spot in the upcoming CL Tournament. With only two games remaining in the regular season, the Trojans can still finish anywhere from fourth through eighth.
The Trojans will play their final home game of the regular season on Tuesday, February 13, when it hosts Huntington (11-17, 7-9 CL) for a 7:00 pm start. TU will honor its five-man senior class of Tim Fleming, Keaton Hendricks, Joe Ingersoll, Graham Ortmann and Christian Allen prior to the start of the contest.
