Portage Improves to 15-0 as Kobe Scores Career-High 34

Karter Kobe poured in a career-high 34 points on 74 percent shooting to propel Portage to a 95-71 victory over Griffith on Jan. 27, a win that extended the Indians’ unbeaten start to 15-0. Portage paired Kobe’s efficiency with team play and physicality, finishing with 24 assists and 15 offensive rebounds that kept possessions alive and the scoreboard ticking.

Dennis Moran III was a secondary engine for Portage, contributing 20 points and four steals. Moran’s activity on the perimeter and his ability to convert turnovers into points complemented Kobe’s hot hand, creating a two-pronged attack that Griffith struggled to contain. Portage’s assist total illustrates how Kobe’s scoring came in the flow of an offense that shared the ball, rather than a solo scoring binge.

Griffith, now 7-8, got 14 points from Ventris Tetter but could not match Portage’s depth or offensive rebounding. The 15 offensive boards by Portage translated into repeated looks and helped erase any momentum the visitors briefly built. Griffith’s defense had moments of resistance, but persistent ball movement and second-chance opportunities allowed the Indians to sustain scoring runs and control the pace late.

This result matters far beyond a single midwinter box score. For Portage, a 15-0 record cements the program’s status as one of the state’s most consistent high school teams this season, boosting expectations for sectional and regional seeding and putting players like Kobe and Moran on the radar of in-state recruiting conversations. For local fans and the high school sports economy, continued success tends to increase attendance and attention at the gym, underscoring how standout performances can ripple through community identity and local businesses on game nights.

On the court, the game highlighted two distinct strengths for Portage: elite shooting efficiency from Kobe and collective execution reflected in 24 assists, and a willingness to attack the glass, evidenced by 15 offensive rebounds. Those specific assets give Portage multiple ways to win against different stylistic opponents as they move through the season.

For Griffith, the loss underscores a need to shore up defensive consistency and find additional scoring sources beyond Tetter to climb back above .500. The Hornets must convert positive possessions into sustained runs if they hope to challenge top-tier Hoosier programs in the weeks ahead.

Portage carries momentum and growing external attention into the next stretch of the schedule, while Griffith looks to regroup and refine the fundamentals that will be necessary to navigate the late-season grind.