For the seven seniors on the Tippecanoe roster, it was icing on the cake in what was one of the biggest turnarounds in area boys’ basketball history.

The Red Devils, who led by four with 5:45 left in the game, went on a 15-0 run to pull away and defeat Northwestern on Senior Night 65-53. While the Warriors end the regular season 8-13 overall, the Red Devils success from last year to this season is storybook. Last season, this same group finished 3-20 on the season, and one year later, they head into the sectionals this week 14-8 overall and the number one seed in the Division Two tournament at Springfield.

Before the game, Tipp honored their seniors Jakob Prall, Zach Wildermuth, Nathan Shirley, Joe Tesch, Casey Kronour, Carter Mann and Caleb Heilman.

Northwestern jumped out to the early lead before Wildermuth reeled off five consecutive points to give the Red Devils a 5-3 lead. The Warriors answered as Kurt Waters and Ellis Ulery gave the visitors a lead before freshman Evan Noffke buried a three to push the Warriors advantage to 10-5 midway through the quarter.

Noffke hit another three with three minutes left to give the Warriors a 13-7 lead but right before the quarter ended, Nathan Shirley connected from long range bringing Tipp to within three after one quarter of play.

Zach Bonifas quickly answered for Tipp early in the second, as he scored around the rim, and followed that with a game-tying three. The Red Devils used a 10-0 run, including contributions from Aaron Hughes and Wildermuth to take a 20-15 lead, and after another three for Noffke, Tipp scored four more to make it 24-18 with 1:39 left in the half.

The Warriors made one last run before the half when Ulery scored on consecutive baskets to cut the Tipp lead to 24-22, but as the half ended, it was Mann scoring to send Tipp into the half leading 26-22.

Within a minute of the third quarter, Liam Randall and Noffke scored on consecutive three’s to quickly give Northwestern a 28-26 lead, but Tipp would recapture the lead on a layup from Mann at the 6:10 mark, and never trail again.

Northwestern did keep it close for the rest of the third period and half of the fourth, as they ran off seven straight points, including four from Ryan Cleland and a big three from Noffke, trailing 47-43 with 5:45 left in the game. That is when the Red Devils took over.

Prall hit a layup and two free throws to start the 15-point run which included a three from Shirley and eight consecutive free throws to extend their lead out to 62-43 with 3:17 left.

Both teams are heading into the post season this week. Tipp will take their number one seed to Springfield High School for the Division Two sectionals, as the Red Devils play Shawnee on Saturday at 5:30, while Northwestern battles Anna on Saturday night at 7:30 at Northmont High School for the Division Three Sectionals.

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