Worth County's boys avenged an earlier loss to Nodaway-Holt as they beat them on the road 48-46 Thursday in the last game before districts. The Tigers had clinched a winning season last weekend against Ridgeway, beating the Owls 55-46 at Ridgeway, always a difficult place to play. In addition, the Tigers crashed Ridgeway's Courtwarming; it was the third Courtwarming celebration that they crashed this year along with Albany's and Princeton's; the Tigers successfully defended their own Courtwarming as well. It seemed like other teams thought they could easily handle the squirts from Worth County, only to have another think coming.
Against Nodaway-Holt, the Tigers were dealing with one of the most dangerous shooting teams in the area. But they were able to contain them enough to win and beat their second quality opponent in a week, a perfect way to tune up for districts.
The difference between the Ridgeway and Nodaway-Holt games was clear -- the Tigers jumped both teams and came away from the first quarter with the lead; in losses to South Harrison and Stanberry, the Tigers had dug themselves in a big hole and couldn't come back. They fell behind Nodaway-Holt 3-2 early, but then Alex Harmening got behind the Trojan defense to put them up 4-3 at the 5:00 mark. That play seemingly gave Worth County the confidence to believe they could run with the speedy Trojan team as Eli Mullock added a free throw and then Jordan Harding ran the floor after a Todd Harding steal to make it 7-3.
Nodaway-Holt was getting none of their open looks or transition baskets that they got last time, only managing a fast break from Carson Long before Todd Harding went coast to coast and found Eli Mullock open to make it 9-5 after one quarter of play.
Long finally got untracked for Nodaway-Holt, getting a free throw and a drive; Zach Harmening countered with a steal to keep it at 11-8. Cole Buffington kicked it out to Garrett Hawk, whose drive with 4:29 left made it 15-11. Long's free throw cut it to 15-12; however, Jordan Harding, playing one of his best offensive games of the year, drove down the right side of the lane and threw up a floater that went in. Alex Harmening added another floater to make it 19-12 with 2:50 left. Long, who had 8 points in the second, began going to the basket again and got a layup and a pair of free throws to make it 21-18; however, Todd Harding beat the Nodaway-Holt press and Garrett Hawk added a free throw to put Worth County back up 24-18. One of the most telling stats of the half was the fact that Worth County only allowed one 3-pointer.
Zach Harmening took two charges right off the bat early in the second half and Bryce Ross cut inside to give Worth County its biggest lead of the night at 26-18. But then Nodaway-Holt finally got its running game going, getting layups from Blake Shamberger, Zach Lemar, and Patrick O'Riley to cut it to 28-24 at the 5:09 mark. Todd Harding hit a baseline 3-pointer off an inbounds pass from Zach Harmening, but then consecutive baskets from O'Riley made it 31-28 with 2:28 left in the third. Todd Harding lobbed it into J.J. Mullock and then scored off an Eli Mullock steal, but then Carson Long countered with a steal of his own to make it 35-30 after three quarters of play.
The Trojans kept coming and finally took the lead as Worth County went the first four minutes of the fourth quarter without scoring. Cody Ridler scored from inside, Blake Shamberger scored off a drive, and then there was a two-minute scoring lull as Worth County could not take care of the ball and Nodaway-Holt could not take advantage. Finally, Brandon Saxton hit a pair of free throws to give Nodaway-Holt its first lead since the first quarter at 36-35 with 4:07 left.
Worth County had three attempts miss as Zach Harmening missed a runner, J.J. Mullock missed a putback try, and Todd Harding got rejected out of bounds. But finally, J.J. Mullock got a putback try to go in to give the Tigers the lead back at 37-36 with 3:30 left. Carson Long hit a free throw to tie it at 37; after Bryce Ross missed two free throws that would have put Worth County back ahead, Patrick O'Riley hit a free throw to put Nodaway-Holt back in front at 38-37. Zach Harmening then got a free throw off a drive to tie it again at 38, but then Carson Long went to the rim again and hit two free throws to put Nodaway-Holt back in front at 40-38 with 2:25 left.
Eli Mullock then threw the ball away on Worth County's next possession and Nodaway-Holt had a chance to run a huge chunk of time off the clock or extend their lead. But a five-point swing that swung the momentum back in Worth County's favor happened as Michael Brown's drive attempt missed and Zach Harmening grabbed the defensive board and converted a 3-point play at the other end to put Worth County back in front at 41-40 with 1:45 left. Instead of Nodaway-Holt being up 42-38, it was Worth County who was back in front.
Michael Brown missed another runner, but Carson Long got the ensuing board after a scramble and made one out of two to tie it up again at 41. Dylan Kinsella missed an inside shot, but then Alex Harmening got the ensuing offensive board and was fouled, hitting one free throw to put Worth County back up 42-41. Zach Harmening picked up his 5th foul on the next play trying to guard Michael Brown, but Brown's two free throws both missed and then Worth County ran 20 seconds off the clock before Todd Harding made one free throw to make it 43-41 with 38 seconds left.
On its next possession, Nodaway-Holt tried to work the ball to 3-point shooter Zach Lemar to take the lead, but Alex Harmening jumped the pass intended for him and made a layup at the other end to make it 45-41. Harmening had another such steal in the closing seconds of the Gallatin game that helped preserve the win in that game. Nodaway-Holt came right back down the floor, getting Patrick O'Riley to the line to cut Worth County's margin to 45-43 with 20.1 seconds left. Nodaway-Holt put on the full court press needing to get the steal or foul to get the ball back. But J.J. Mullock beat the Trojan defense down the court and took a long pass from Garrett Hawk and drew the foul with 15.1 seconds, and he made both free throws to make it 47-43.
But the game was not over, as Nodaway-Holt took their time on the ensuing possession and set a screen for Zach Lemar to the top of the key; his NBA 3-pointer went in with 4.5 seconds left and it was still a game at 47-46. With 2.9 seconds left, Todd Harding was fouled and he made the back end of a two-shot foul to make it 48-46, with Nodaway-Holt needing to go the length of the floor for a chance to tie. They threw to half-court and Bryce Ross knocked the ball out with 1.8 seconds left, with Nodaway-Holt needing to inbound from half-court and catch and shoot. They tried an alley oop play to Brandon Saxton, but his off-balance shot from the left baseline went astray and Worth County came away with the win.
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