UPDATE: In a shocking defeat, the Valwood Valiants fell to the Brookwood Warriors, 83-56, in their region opener on January 6, 2026. The Warriors showcased their dominance, winning their 26th consecutive region game and improving to 12-3 overall and 1-0 in the region.
Valwood struggled defensively and dropped to 11-4 and 0-1 in the region, marking their third consecutive loss. Head coach Tim Finlayson expressed frustration post-game, stating, “We were really undisciplined defensively. We got backdoor cut so many times. There’s just a lot that went wrong defensively, so we’ve got to be better.”
The Warriors took control with a decisive 17-7 run in the second quarter, leading to a 38-23 advantage before halftime. By the end of the third quarter, Brookwood had outscored Valwood 28-17, extending their lead to 70-46.
Star player Levi Williams led the Warriors with 21 points, while Jordyn Jean contributed 19 points with two three-pointers, and Roscoe Jones added 18 points. The Warriors knocked down a total of eight three-pointers and led by as many as 27 points during the game.
Valwood’s Chase Helfer, despite battling injuries to his shoulder and wrist, managed to lead his team with 19 points. However, he faced relentless double teams from the Warriors, which hindered his scoring opportunities. Finlayson acknowledged the challenge, stating, “As we get deeper into the season, he’s going to see some double teams. He’s going to have to make good reads off of that.”
Valwood saw three players in double figures, with Richard Hunter scoring 12 points and Cort Kurrie adding 11 points. Coach Finlayson remains optimistic, noting, “We’re not as far off as we think from being a Final Four team.”
Looking ahead, the Valiants will attempt to rebound on the road against Deerfield-Windsor on Friday, January 9, at 7:45 p.m. Meanwhile, the Brookwood girls also secured victory over Valwood, winning 41-21, marking Valwood’s seventh consecutive loss.
Stay tuned for further updates as Valwood aims to bounce back in their next matchup.
