Mt. Carmel, Ill. – It may be only the second game of the season, but Jamison Epps is already impressed by how much the Wabash Valley basketball team has improved.
Take Tuesday night's home opener opponent, Spoon River, for example.
"This team came here (Dec. 12 for a pre-season scrimmage) and probably beat us by double-digits," said the 6-foot-6 freshman from Lebanon, Kentucky. "It showed tonight that we are a completely different team than we were then."
Indeed, Spoon River saw a much different Warrior squad on its' second trip to Spencer Sports Center. WVC built a 14-point second-half cushion before settling for an 87-81 non-conference win.
Warrior coach Mike Carpenter took note of the improved play as well.
"We're still learning as a team," he said. "We're taking baby steps. That's what it's going to take."
WVC (1-1) was once again a bit shaky at the close, but not to the degree of last week's season opener when 15 missed free throws were the main cause for letting a 10-point second-half lead slip away in a five-point loss at Highland.
Tuesday, the Warriors missed eight of their last 10 free throws, but persevered.
"Everybody in the country is going through the same thing, fighting how to close out games," Carpenter said. "I give our kids credit for sticking through it."
"We'll get there. We have got a good group of guys. We are just not consistent yet."
WVC led at intermission, 37-35, after an initial half where the point spread was no wider than seven points.
In the second half, Spoon River (1-1), coming off a 69-55 win at St. Louis Community College in its opener on Saturday, rode a hot-shooting wave to a 47-41 lead a little more than four minutes in.
But the Warriors only needed the next 11 minutes to match their offensive output of the first 24, outscoring the visitors 40-20.
That made the score 81-67, but Spoon River chipped away enough in the game's final five minutes to make it a bit uncomfortable for the eventual winners.
Wabash Valley was led by freshman TreVon Smith, who scored 16 points, and hit two of the team's six 3-point field goals. Epps and sophomore returnee Jujuan Weatherspoon each finished with 15 points.
The Snappers were led off the bench by 5-11 sophomore Tchumsy Wright with 27 points. Double figures also came from 6-6 freshman Daillis Cox.
Epps, who echoed Carpenter's sentiment of incremental improvement, said: "I think if we keep taking these steps like we are every day, by late-season and post-season we will be pretty dangerous," Epps said.
GAME NOTES: Weatherspoon and Smith have scored in double figures in both WVC games… The win was the 280th in Carpenter's career… The Warriors have back-to-back home games, hosting Danville Area on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m., followed by a 5:30 p.m. women's game between the two schools.