New London — The New London Tiger basketball team is setting out for revenge.
After finishing one game shy of the state tournament a year ago, the Tigers will open their tournament trail run tonight at home against English Valleys.
Outright champions of the Super Conference, New London finished their year 18-2 behind the strong play of their two stars Blaise Porter and Kade Benjamin.
Porter, who is continuing to receive low and mid-major Division I college interest, averaged 17.6 points, 5.4 assists and 4.3 rebounds per game. It stands to reason he’ll take on more of a scoring burden as rotations tighten in the postseason.
His running mate Kade Benjamin is averaging 14.4 points per game, while Devon Swanson is at 13.4.
Perhaps the biggest reason for New London’s success this year has been the late season emergence of Kooper Schulte.
Schulte has upped his scoring average to just south of 8.0 points per game and has been the beneficiary of playing with three All-Conference players, getting open looks repeatedly.
The terrific Tiger shortstop has hit a blistering 54% of his three point shots while chipping in with 4.2 boards.
Their opponent tonight is no first round slouch, however. English Valleys enters 12-10 and similar to New London’s first round tussle with Lisbon last year — who featured Kole Becker — the Bears have boast one of the state’s best scorers in Kaden Hall.
Hall has been a one man wrecking crew, scoring 23.0 points per game and has the ability to single-handedly will his team to a win.
Tonight’s game will begin at 7:00 p.m. from New London High School; you can listen on FM 98.5 and AM 1130.
Nathan Bloechl will have the call.