(Peru, Neb.) – A strong second half helped to extend the 2017-18 season for the Peru State men's basketball team Wednesday night.
 
The Bobcats outscored the visiting Grand View (Iowa) Vikings by 14 in the second 20 minutes on their way to a 74-58 win in the Al Wheeler Activity Center. This was a quarterfinal game in the Heart of America Athletic Conference (Heart) Post-Season Tournament.
 
The win moves Peru State into the semifinals against top-seeded William Penn in Oskaloosa, Iowa, Friday night at 7 p.m.
 
The 'Cats improved to 20-12 while Grand View finished its season at 19-12.

 
First Half Action
 
The first 20 minutes saw five times and 11 lead changes. The Vikings actually led by as many as nine at one point while the largest Bobcat lead was just three.
 
Five of the lead changes came in the first four minutes as the teams went back and forth before the game was tied at 9-9 at the 15:54 mark.
 
Quantice Hunter (Chicago) had put the Bobcats on the board first with a trey on an assist from Terry Moore Jr. (Kansas City, Kan.) with 18:56 on the clock. Later, Marley Biyendolo (Melbourne, Australia) tied the game at 9 each off an assist from LJ Westbrook (Salem, Ore.).
 
After the 9-9 tie, Grand View took the lead and eventually built it up to 24-15 with just under ten minutes left in the first half.
 
A field goal by Noah Vasa (Nebraska City) off a Westbrook assist made it 24-17 and then Vasa came back with a trey on another assist from Vasa just seconds later. After the Vikings scored a bucket, Westbrook went to the hoop for a bucket to make it 26-22 at the 8:07 mark. Another bucket by Westbrook pulled the Bobcats back within two. Then, with 7:07 left in the half, Westbrook dished the ball to Moore Jr. who hit a hoop to tie the game at 26-26.
 
The game would then be tied at 28-28, 31-31, and 33-33. Grand View would go ahead with a free throw before Westbrook would hit a bucket off a turnover. With 41 seconds left, the Vikings regained the lead with a basket, but with two seconds on the clock, Hunter drained a trey off an assist from Westbrook to give the 'Cats a 38-36 lead at halftime.
 
Second Half Action
 
The early part of the second half was close as the teams were tied at 39-39, 41-41, 43-43, and 45-45 before Grand View would take a small lead.

With the Vikings leading 48-47, Vasa hit another trey, this time on an assist from Allias Roberts-Burnett (Joliet, Ill.) at the 10:52 mark. From that point on, the 'Cats never trailed and slowly pulled away. Nolan Cass (Spring, Texas) followed with a trey on an assist from Westbrook and then Cass dished off to Vasa who hit his third trey of the night.
 
Later, with 6:22 left in the game, Westbrook gave Peru State its first double-digit lead at 62-51.

 
Peru State's largest lead came with 72 seconds left in the game after Westbrook hit a bucket in the paint to make it 74-55. The Vikings did hit a trey to finish the game at 74-58.

GRAND VIEW GAME BOOK
 
Team Statistics
 
Peru State finished the game making 27 of 67 field goals for 40.3% which included making 6 of 18 from long range for 33.3%. At the free throw line, the 'Cats made 14 of 18 for 77.8%. Grand View hit 20 of 52 for 38.5% while making 6 of 23 from behind the arc for 26.1%. The Vikings went 12 of 21 from the charity stripe.
 
The Vikings did out-rebound Peru State as they grabbed 42 boards compared to 34 for the 'Cats. The Bobcats finished the game with 11 assists while Grand View had eight.
 
The 'Cats took care of the ball Wednesday night as they only had eight turnovers while forcing 18 on Grand View. The Vikings blocked three shots while the Bobcats had two. Peru State nabbed seven steals while the Vikings had four.
 
Individual Statistics
 
Westbrook had a game-high 26 points to lead the Bobcats. Hunter added 19 points while Vasa added 11.
 
Moore Jr. had a team-high nine rebounds while Biyendolo added eight. Westbrook dished out a game-high seven assists. Andre Frazier-Stanley (Los Angeles) and Vasa were each credited with a block. Hunter had a game-high five steals.
 
Upcoming Game
 
William Penn is currently ranked fourth in the NAIA DI Coaches' Poll and are 27-3 overall. One of those three losses came at the hands of the Bobcats are Peru State defeated the Statesmen in December at home 100-91. In February, William Penn won on their home court in convincing fashion at 110-79.
 
The winner of Friday night's game will face either Central Methodist (Mo.) or Graceland (Iowa) on Monday, March 5, in the championship contest.