Ty Walker scored 25 in Valley’s win WAUKEE — Given the fact that Valley had given top-ranked Waukee their toughest game to date, it’s not a surprise that the Tigers played them tough again on Friday night. What may be…
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Subscribe Already a subscriber? Log inWAUKEE — Given the fact that Valley had given top-ranked Waukee their toughest game to date, it’s not a surprise that the Tigers played them tough again on Friday night. What may be a surprise, however, is the fact that Valley knocked off Waukee, knocking them from the ranks of the unbeaten, with a 77-72 overtime road win.
Waukee jumped out to a quick 17-9 lead in the first quarter, and looked like they may just roll to yet another comfortable win. Tucker DeVries scored 15 first quarter points as the Warriors held a 21-16 win after one. The second quarter was largely uneventful, including Valley holding the ball for the final 2 minutes of the quarter. Waukee held a 25-22 lead at the break.
In the second half, Valley attacked the rim constantly, helping them build a lead as big as 10, 42-32, with 2:04 left in the third quarter.
Leading 57-56 with 20.1 seconds to play, Valley guard Ty Walker made a pair of free throws to push the lead to 59-56. Waukee star wing Payton Sandfort answered with a 3 to tie it with 6.3 seconds left. Valley’s Jake Auer got a solid look at a game-winning 3 at the horn, but missed, sending the game into overtime.
Valley drew first blood in overtime, and held the lead from start-to-finish in the extra period. The Tigers went 10-10 from the free throw line and 3-3 from the floor in the overtime to hand Waukee their first loss of the season.
Valley (8-5) was led by Ty Walker, who had 25 points. Walker scored 20 in the second half and was 9-10 from the free throw line in the fourth quarter and overtime. Jake Auer added 20 points, Eli Raridon had 19 and Drew Jirak chipped in 10 in the Tigers’ win.
Waukee (10-1) was led by Tucker DeVries, who had a game-high 31 points. Payton Sandfort took over in the second half, finishing with 21 points after scoring just 3 in the first half. Lincoln Swanson added 11 in the loss.
Below, we take a look at some of the top prospects from a game filled with talent.
| Team | 1Q | 2Q | 3Q | 4Q | OT | F |
| Valley | 16 | 6 | 20 | 17 | 18 | 77 |
| Waukee | 21 | 4 | 12 | 22 | 13 | 72 |
Valley: Ty Walker 25, Jake Auer 20, Eli Raridon 19, Drew Jirak 10, Trajen Thornton 3
Waukee: Tucker DeVries 31, Payton Sandfort 21, Lincoln Swanson 11, Pryce Sandfort 6, Joseph Lindholm 2, Mason Myers 1
5-11 PG Ty Walker (Valley, 2021)
The 5-11 junior guard transferred from Roosevelt before the year, and he played outstandingly well in this game, scoring 25 points including 20 in the second half. He was 4-7 from the arc in the win, showing confidence in his jumper and a quick release off the catch. He’s at his best when he’s playing downhill, attacking the rim, but as he adds a more consistent jumper to his arsenal, he’ll become even more difficult to defend. He handles the ball well, finishes around the rim, has a quick first step and has ice in his veins. He was 8-8 from the free throw line late in the fourth quarter and in overtime.
6-6 PF Eli Raridon (Valley, 2022)
A big, physical power forward with great hands, solid footwork and good touch around the rim, Raridon is going to be an absolute force in the CIML over the next few years. Also a standout tight end on the gridiron, Raridon has a big frame with strong biceps and broad shoulders. He’s an explosive athlete who plays above the rim and showed a nice mid-range jumper. He finished with 19 points on 9-12 shooting and 5 rebounds.
6-0 G Jake Auer (Valley, 2020)
Valley’s leading scorer is a shot maker with a smooth stroke from beyond the arc and the ability to shoot off the dribble or the catch. The aspect of his game that really stood out in this game, however, was his playmaking ability. On multiple occasions, he showed the ability to turn the corner in the pick-and-roll and find either a cutter or the roll man with pinpoint passes for layups. Like Walker, he wants the ball in his hands late in games, going 6-6 from the free throw line to help ice the game in overtime. He can play on the perimeter at the Division II level, with his shot making and playmaking abilities making him a valuable commodity. He finished with 20 points (4-8 3P), 4 rebounds and 4 assists.
6-3 F Drew Jirak (Valley, 2020)
Jirak will be a defensive back at the next level, but if he wanted to, he could be a solid small school basketball player as well. He’s a physical combo forward who attacks the rim, sees the floor well and rebounds at a high level. He finished with 10 points, 9 rebounds and 4 assists, and his attacking of the rim is what helped get Valley rolling in the third quarter.
6-6 SG Tucker DeVries (Waukee, 2021)
The son of Drake coach Darian DeVries, Tucker may be establishing himself as the top player around the state in the 2021 class (teammate Payton Sandfort and Hempstead’s Michael Duax are pushing for that top spot, too). DeVries is a long guard who has really improved his ball handling and playmaking skills and is a high, high-level shot maker. He’s a fantastic shooter from behind the arc, gets into his shot quickly and effortlessly, and has the ability to shoot it at a high level off the catch or the dribble. He scored a game-high 31 points, but was at his best in the first quarter, when he scored 15 on 5-6 shooting. His shot is smooth and he can impact the game on both ends of the floor.
6-7 SF Payton Sandfort (Waukee, 2021)
Sandfort battled some foul trouble in the first half and only scored 3 points, but he took over in the second half, showing a new piece of his game – he went down onto the block and scored routinely, showing good footwork, touch around the rim and the ability to score with either hand. He’s an outstanding perimeter shooter, but it’s his ability to score on the block that will continue to open everything up for him. He and DeVries each showed a nice, Dirk Nowitzki-esque one-footed fadeaway off the block that is a really tough shot to defend. He finished with 21 points and 4 assists, showing some playmaking ability as well.
6-2 SG Pryce Sandfort (Waukee, 2023)
The younger Sandfort brother showed good awareness on the offensive end, freeing himself multiple times for backdoor cuts and layups. Like older brother Payton, he’s long and lean, handles the ball fairly well and can shoot it.
6-6 PF Lincoln Swanson (Waukee, 2020)
Swanson is a long, athletic forward who runs the floor well and finishes around the rim through contact. He’s also a really good passer who sees the floor and who you can play through in the high post. He finished with 11 points, 5 rebounds and 8 assists in his best game of the year. He could be a solid small college forward.
