Kokomo demolishes Western, 98-56, in season-opening romp

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It is a lopsided rivalry, but always fills the gymnasium, whether in Russiaville or downtown Kokomo. The Kokomo Wildkats traveled to Western High School for the annual showdown to kick off the 2024-2025 boys’ basketball season on Nov. 26. They came away with the 98-56 win as well as a handful of records.

The Kats unleashed an aerial assault from behind the arc, hitting a school-record 21 three-pointers – including a state record 10 in one quarter – to dominate the Panthers up and down the court. They also managed to tie the school record for assists with 27.

Everyone on the Kats’ roster wanted a piece of the action. Six Kokomo shooters sank threes during the contest, led by senior guard Zion Bellamy (1). The team’s sparkplug sank seven triples on 13 attempts as part of his 29-point night. He was joined by sophomore Erivon Burks (11) with five bombs, and junior Korbyn Hammel (2) with four from long range. Junior Baris Moore and senior A-Dayveon Young each had a pair of threes, and junior Caleb Taflinger added one.

While Bellamy led all scorers, he was joined in double digits by Hammel with 19 points and Burks with 15 points, all from long range. The Kats hit 54 percent of their shots on the night; a remarkable rate considering they took 45 shots from three-point land. They hit 47 percent from long range.

On the Western side of the ball, junior guard Carter Biggs led his squad with 15 points, and junior center Brycen Rucker added 11.

The high-octane, long-range offense promises to be Kokomo’s strategy for the season, as all but one of the 24-25 Kats identify as guards. Only freshman D.J. Nash at 6’4” qualifies as a “big man.” It is a stark contrast from the previous season as Flory Bidunga towered above nearly every player in the country as a singular talent in the paint.

The fourth quarter encapsulated the strategy, as the Kats drained a remarkable 41 points to almost fully account for the margin of victory. Western wilted under the onslaught, leaving Kokomo shooters virtually undefended as they sank three after three en route to the state record.

But the Wildkats didn’t rely solely on hot shooting to generate a 42-point margin of victory. Defense played a huge role in their success. The team forced 24 turnovers and converted them into 32 points over the course of the game. Moore and Hammel highlighted the defensive pressure by taking four steals each.

The outcome of the game, however, was secured in the second quarter. Western actually led by a point, 14-13, going into the stanza, but the Kats found their groove and began burying the ball. Bellamy and Hammel went back-to-back on threes to establish the lead, and then the defense kicked in. The Panthers couldn’t hold onto the ball, allowing 13 points on turnovers as the Kats pushed to a 15-point halftime lead, 37-22.

Western returns to action on Saturday, Nov. 30, as it travels to Twin Lakes, which won its season opener against Winamac, 60-45, on Nov. 26. Kokomo travels to Peru on Fri., Dec. 6. The Tigers started their season strong with a win over the Logansport Berries, 71-42, on Nov. 27.

See additional photos from this game, as well as shots from the junior varsity contest, courtesy of Adam Hartsough, on the Lantern’s Facebook page or group.