Tyrese Jones authors masterpiece in South Bend Riley double overtime regional victory
SOUTH BEND ― Forty-five points. Ten rebounds. Four steals.
Tyrese Jones became a South Bend Riley boys basketball legend Saturday evening.
One of the best individual performances in program history, Jones led the Wildcats to a thrilling 77-71, double overtime victory over Warsaw in a Class 4A regional championship at Washington High School. It’s the single-game school record for points.
“My preparation coming into the game, Jesus and just staying with it,” said Jones of what keyed his masterful performance. “I’ve just stayed with it every day, waking up and thanking God for letting me live another day.”
Jones’s biggest moment came in the final 35 seconds of the second extra session. With Riley ahead 71-69, Jones made one of his few mistakes of the game, having a pass intercepted by Tigers senior Triston Wilson. Jones immediately made up for this, getting in the passing lane of Wilson to steal the ball and make an easy layup, putting his team ahead by four.
Jones would sink two free throws with 7.4 seconds left to put the game on ice.
Masterful performance from start to finish
The first three minutes of the game featured zero points. That changed when Jones made a shot, starting a stretch where he scored the first 18 for his team.
With 6:51 to go in the second quarter, it was Tyrese Jones 18, Warsaw 11.
“From when the first shot went in,” said Jones of when he knew he was locked in. “It was just money after that.”
Jones had 21 points at halftime as the Wildcats led, 31-21.
“They told me at halftime that Jones has 21, and I’m thinking, ‘Warsaw has a Jones that’s a freshman. I know he doesn’t have 21,’” Riley coach Alex Daniel admitted. “I knew (Tyrese) was playing well, but I had no clue what his scoring total was.”
Instant classic between Riley and Warsaw
Warsaw (25-5) did not back down all night. It would cut the deficit to three, 37-34, at the end of the third quarter. The Tigers tied it on multiple occasions in the fourth before finally taking their first lead, 49-48, with 3:10 remaining in regulation.
Riley held a slim 54-53 lead with 17.4 seconds left. Warsaw senior Carson Gould wrangled the lead back for his team with a ‘3’ at eight seconds remaining. After a timeout, Riley senior Marvin Schindler drove coast-to-coast, making a layup while drawing a foul with 2.1 seconds to go. The senior would miss the ensuing free throw, though, sending the game to overtime.
Schindler redeemed himself at the foul line in the first overtime session, making two clutch shots to put Riley ahead, 64-61, with 21.2 seconds remaining. The Tigers had one last cardiac moment in them, though, as senior Robbie Finlinson sank a corner ‘3’ with 10 seconds on the clock. The subsequent Riley shot attempt went awry, sending it to a second overtime.
Jones and Finlinson exchanged three-point trips to start the second overtime. Seniors Brandon Williams and Jaylen Barbara would make four free-throws combined to push the Wildcats lead to two possessions.
One of the best performance I've ever seen https://t.co/0b8zLNS0So
— Austin Hough (@AustinRHough) March 15, 2025
After scoring 21 points in the first half, Jones had 13 points in the second half and 11 points in the two overtimes combined.
“Just give him the ball and watch out,” said Schindler of what it was like playing with Jones Saturday. “Let him do his thing.”
Remarkable season continues for Riley boys basketball
Incredibly, the Wildcats only had two other players score five or more points in the game ― Schindler had 10 and Barbara eight.
“I can’t believe it,” Schindler said. “I cried to my mom; like, it’s crazy. This is a big moment. I hadn’t won anything yet, so to win sectional and regionals is a big accomplishment.”
Riley (22-4) advances to the Class 4A Semi-state round this Saturday, March 22. Who the Wildcats will face in the semifinal, at what time and where will not be announced by the IHSAA until 4 p.m. Sunday.
“I don’t care who we play and where we play ― I get another week of practice with these dudes, and I’m so excited to be with them,” Daniel said.
Follow Austin Hough on X (formerly Twitter) @AustinRHough and on Facebook at "Austin Hough - South Bend Tribune." Hough can be emailed at ahough@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Tyrese Jones authors masterpiece in South Bend Riley regional victory
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