Allen Durham goes up for a shot over two Valley Forge defenders

Ryan Krombeen scores.

The Tigers fought back after two tough losses to NAIA opponents to win a decisive victory against perennial NCCAA contender Valley Forge Christian College in the opener of the Super 8 Tournament in Grayson, Kentucky Thursday night.  Allen Durham led all scorers with 30 points, Cory Jamieson had 3 assists and 4 steals, and Ryan Dame contributed 5 assists and 10 rebounds in the Tiger win.  But it was the bench contributions from Matt Kurtz, John Oostema, Aaron Schutte, and Cameron Myers that were much needed to secure the victory.  Kurtz had 15 points with a solid defensive effort.  Oostema had his best game as a Tiger with 12 points, 3 assists, and 3 steals.  Schutte provided solid defensive minutes and helped stop the Patriot penetration and Myers gave Jamieson significant back up minutes at point guard with his steady play.

The Tigers outrebounded the Patriots, held a 24-14 advantage in assists, and outshot their opponent 56% – 44% from the field.  Grace held a 44-34 lead at the half.

The Tigers face Atlanta Christian College in the tournament’s second round on Friday at 4:00 PM.