Senior Logan Pokorney does a lot of everything and leads Chesterton to a 65-55 win at Portage to vault the Trojans into sole possession of second place in the DAC with one conference game remaining

Tom Keegan
Onwardtrojans.com

The Portage boys basketball team has the quickness and determination to rattle even talented veteran talented teams with its trapping defenses, but Chesterton senior Logan Pokorney didn’t let that happen and led the Trojans to a 65-55 victory Friday night at Renee Turpa Gymnasium.
Showing he’s far more than a gifted 3-point shooter, Pokorney showcased a high basketball IQ, an abundance of poise, and an uncanny knack for seeing the right play at the right time and executing it to halt runs from the home team.
Every time Portage appeared on the verge of seizing the momentum in an entertaining game that was close most of the way, Pokorney was there with a pass to the post here, a drive to the hoop there, a big rebound, a 3-pointer with a quarter expiring.
His wise decision making calmed a team playing without its starting point guard, junior Tobias Ray, home in bed with the stomach flu. Assistant coach Tim Ray also missed the game for the same reason.
The win enabled Chesterton (15-4, 5-1 in the DAC) to take sole possession of second place, one game behind Crown Point, with one conference game remaining. Portage (16-3, 4-2) dropped into third place.
Chesterton sophomore Bradly Basila scored a team-high 17 points, six coming on fourth-quarter dunks, senior Jaylon Watts added 15 and Pokorney scored 14.
Even without injured leading scorer junior Karter Kobe, Portage proved to be a tough out and showed a clutch touch at the free throw line, making 14 of 15, compared to 6 of 10 for Chesterton. Portage sophomore Bryce Kobe, a long, smooth, skilled lefty, led all scorers with 23 points and was 9 for 9 from the stripe.
Eight Chesterton players scored, compared to four for the hosts. Five different Trojans combined for seven 3-pointers with Pokorney and Watts each hitting a pair of them and Malachi Ransom, Cooper Huwig and Caden Schneider adding one apiece.
Pokorney appeared particularly energized for the game, used his voice more than usual in directing teammates when Portage turned up the defensive heat in the second half, and played like a senior determined to make his team finish strong.
“With TJ being out, another one of our leaders on the team, I kind of like took it upon myself to lead these guys tonight and take accountability for everything, good or bad,” Pokorney said.
Deciding to lead was one of his many good decisions on the night.
“I thought he made a lot of really good plays that some people might not see, and that’s what you want to start seeing in your seniors this time of year,” Chesterton coach Marc Urban said. “You want them where they don’t care how it gets done, they’re going to find a way to get it done. That was a really good sign from him. That was a big game for him to be able to step up like that. He’s never going to be a very vocal leader, but he led us in different ways tonight and I was proud of him. He’s got to continue to do that.”
Chesterton came out of the chute well, taking a 7-2 lead on a left corner Watts 3 off a Ransom feed, a Schneider putback of a Basila miss and a Basila bucket on a high-low feed from Schneider.
Portage came right back and took its only lead of the night, 14-13, but Pokorney took the lead right back with a 3-pointer to push the lead to two points in a quarter that ended in a 16-16 deadlock.
Strong man junior Gunner Ello helped Chesterton take a 30-20 lead with a couple of second-quarter buckets against the smaller Portage lineup.
Pokorney’s lane jumper gave Chesterton another 10-point lead early in the third quarter, but Portage used a 14-4 run to tie it, 41-41 late in the period. Pokorney hit a huge bucket before the buzzer by dribbling toward the top of the key, executing a spin move to free himself and burying a 3-pointer to put the Trojans up 44-41. Portage never drew closer than that.
Watts opened the fourth quarter by hitting a 3 that pushed the lead to 47-41,which Kobe cut to 47-43.
Pokorney drove to the hoop and scored to push it back to a six-point gap.
Relentless Portage kept coming back and had a chance to cut its deficit to two points, but missed a close shot and Pokorney skied and all but tore the ball off the rim. He then scored at the other end on a drive to make it 58-52. Then Basila, who had trouble finishing in close early in the game, put on a one-man dunkfest after his teammates broke traps and found him alone under the hoop and Chesterton went home with a gritty victory.
“It’s a good win for us, for our season, for our team, for everyone,” Pokorney said.
The Trojans play at home vs. Hammond Central tonight, when hard-core hoops fans will be standing in concession lines buying BBQ pork sandwiches for their Valentines before the game and at halftime, hopeless romantics that they are.
After that, only three regular season games remain: at Lowell on Feb. 17, at home vs. Valparaiso on Feb. 20, at Culver Academies on Feb. 27 at 6:30 p.m.
“It’s been really fun,” Pokorney said of his senior season. “It’s going by fast. I wish it could be a little longer.”