Tyler Bix Returns as Mustang Boys Roll Northeast

Tyler Bix, who had been out with a football injury for the first two weeks of the season, returned Friday and the North Nodaway boys showed their three point win over NEN in the tournament was no accident, as they won 44-26 Friday.

Finishing games was an issue for the Mustangs so far this year. Against Union Star, they played well in spurts, but allowed them to make a run in the fourth quarter. Against South Nodaway, they faded badly in the second half. And in Tuesday’s 62-54 loss to DeKalb, they had led the whole game behind Cody Wood’s 23 points, only to fade in the last four minutes against the Tigers. But against Northeast Nodaway, there was no fade job as Tyler Bix scored 11 fourth quarter points and the Mustangs pulled away for the win.

For Northeast, they had every right to expect a close game after having only lost by three in the first meeting the week before. They had been making strides, and broke out in a big way Tuesday, downing Nodaway-Holt in resounding fashion 60-18. But they were snakebit in the first quarter, only scoring three points in the period. They fought back in the third quarter to tie, only to get victimized by the same problems which did the girls in – rebounding woes and foul trouble. North Nodaway outrebounded the Bluejays 37-24 in the game.

The game was tied 3-3 early, but then Karson Oberhauser hit a 3-pointer for the Mustangs to break the tie. The score was stuck at 6-3 for a long time, until Ryan Riley hit another one, an NBA three, to make it 9-3. Down the stretch, Cody Wood for North Nodaway and Dylan Vore both picked up their second foul. But while the Mustangs were able to play through their foul trouble, NEN was not.
Ben Boswell came off the bench for Northeast to try and provide a spark, and he initially did after Riley’s triple put North Nodaway in front 12-3 to start the second. He hit one of his own, and his tip and steal led to Chet Spire’s layup to make it 12-8 with 5:49 left. But he also picked up three quick fouls, sending him to the bench with 5:46 left. Spencer Weir and Dylan Vore followed him as North Nodaway rebuilt their lead back up to 14-8 at the break.

The Bluejays finally started getting some boards and they got right back in the game to start the third, tying it at 14 at the 4:41 mark. But then Tyler Bix’s drive put North Nodaway back in front, and then the fouls started mounting again for the Bluejays, with Vore getting his fourth. The teams traded free throws and the Bluejays only trailed 17-15 with two minutes left. But then Austin Bird hit a 3-pointer, Arron Coleman got a putback, and Austin Bird hit Ryan Riley, who hit a three with a hand in his face to put the Mustangs up 25-15 after three.

NEN had every right to expect to make a run at some point in the fourth quarter, as North Nodaway had lost to DeKalb the game before after having led most of the way. But instead, Tyler Bix scored the first five points of the fourth quarter to put North Nodaway up 30-15. Austin Bird added a drive and a floater, and Ryan Riley followed his own missed three and drew a foul, hitting both free throws to make it 34-15.

Mitchell Sherry did all he could to get the Bluejays back in the game, picking up nine points in the fourth quarter, but Spencer Weir fouled out with 1:46 left, and there was nobody else for Northeast to pick up the slack. The steady hand of Bix kept North Nodaway in front, as he had 11 points in the period, and the Mustangs hit their free throws down the stretch, going 12 for 17 in the period.
Tyler Bix had 15 points to lead the Mustangs. Ryan Riley had 11, Arron Coleman 6, Austin Bird and Karson Oberhauser 5 each, and Cody Wood 2.

Arron Coleman had 3 blocks, and Cody Wood 1.

Arron Coleman had 13 boards. Ryan Riley morphed from being just a three point shooter into a rebounder as well, getting 10. Karson Oberhauser had 6, Cody Wood and Tyler Bix 3 each, and Wyatt O’Riley and Austin Bird 1 each.

Tyler Bix had 4 assists for the Mustangs. Arron Coleman had 2, and Cody Wood, Karson Oberhauser, and Austin Bird had 1.

Tyler Bix had 3 tips for North Nodaway. Cody Wood and Ryan Riley had 2 each, while Austin Bird, Arron Coleman, and Karson Oberhauser had 1 each. Karson Oberhauser and Tyler Bix had 2 steals each, while Cody Wood and Arron Coleman each had 1.

For Northeast, Mitchell Sherry had 9 points. Dylan Vore had 6, Spencer Weir and Ben Boswell 3 each, Chet Spire and Ethan Adwell 2, and Reed McIntyre 1.

Mitchell Sherry had 3 blocks for the Bluejays, while Spencer Weir had 1.

Chet Spire, Spencer Weir, and Mitchell Sherry each had 5 boards. Dylan Vore and Ethan Adwell each had 3, Reed McIntyre 2, and Ben Boswell 1.

Mitchell Sherry, Ethan Adwell, Spencer Weir, and Chet Spire all had 2 assists. Ben Boswell and Drew Wiederholt had 1.

Chet Spire had 3 tips for the Bluejays. Ben Boswell and Spencer Weir had 2, while Ethan Adwell, Austin Bird, and Mitchell Sherry had 1.

Spencer Weir had 3 steals for NEN. Chet Spire, Reed McIntyre, and Dylan Vore had 2 each. Ben Boswell and Mitchell Sherry had 1.