Worth County's boys beat North Andrew for the first time since at least the 2006-07 season, as Alex Rinehart went off on them for 28 points and the Tigers pulled away for the 55-42 win. The undefeated Cardinal squad threw multiple looks at the Tigers in an effort to confuse them, but Worth County got stronger as the game progressed and broke up a tight game.
Like the girls, the boys have struggled over the years playing the Cardinals. Unlike the girls, there wasn't any single play that got the Tigers going; they were simply smarter with the ball. At the 3:45 mark of the third quarter, the game was tied at 26-26, and Worth County had 17 turnovers up to that point. But from then on out, the Tigers outscored North Andrew 29-16 and only turned the ball over three times the rest of the way.
Alex Rinehart scored in transition, Jaxon Anderson took a charge on defense, and Alex hit a triple to put the Tigers up 5-0 right off the bat. Jaxon's charge had an effect on the Cardinals, who were afraid to take it in on them for the next stretch. Jaden Baker's three cut Worth County's lead to 5-4, but Alex Rinehart scored one of his own to put Worth County up 11-6 after one.
North Andrew switched between a man to man, a 2-3, and a trapping zone all night to confuse the Tigers, and they rallied to tie it at 15 behind #20, an undersized post who flashed hard, ran the floor, and worked the inside all night long and kept them in the game. But Alex Rinehart scored off a drive and Jackson Runde scored from the right side to put Worth County back in front 20-15.
But the turnovers were mounting for the Tigers, North Andrew was jumping passes, and Baker hit another triple to knot it up at 26. #20 got behind the Tiger defense and got a three point play to make it 29-26, but then the Tigers settled down as Alex scored in transition and Jaxon Anderson scored off a drive to put Worth County back up 30-29. Jaden Baker scored off a steal, but then Jaxon Anderson got loose inside off an Alex Rinehart drive and Alex scored off a drive off a pass from Jackson Runde to put the Tigers up 34-31 after three.
Worth County was shorthanded, playing without Grant Cameron (UTV wreck) and couldn't afford to get in foul trouble. Their starting five of Alex Rinehart, Jaxon Anderson, Jackson Runde, Jackson Smith, and Aydan Gladstone played the whole game, but didn't get in foul trouble, and it was North Andrew who wore down in the fourth quarter.
North Andrew tied it up again at 36 on a guarded three, but then Alex Rinehart hit back to back jacks and then drove into the teeth of the Cardinal defense and scooped it home to put the Tigers up 44-36. #20 brought the Cardinals back to within 44-40, and they had several fouls to give down the stretch, which meant they could afford to gamble and take risks on defense. Frequently, fourth quarter leads disappear in these situations, but Worth County was steady with the ball despite North Andrew's frantic pressure and started pulling away again.
Jaxon Anderson hit from the right side, Aydan Gladstone scored off a drive, and then Jackson Smith got behind the Cardinal defense to make it double digits at 50-40. North Andrew cut it to 50-42, but then had to start fouling and Worth County finally got in the bonus. Aydan Gladstone made one, missed his second, and then Jaxon Anderson outjumped everyone else to secure an offensive board with 58 seconds. Jackson Runde then went 1 for 2, missed the second, and Anderson again outjumped everyone for the offensive board and then Runde hit two free throws with 56 seconds left to make it 54-42; Worth County was able to score four points without North Andrew touching the ball.
Alex Rinehart had 28 points for the Tigers. Jaxon Anderson had 11, Jackson Runde 7, Aydan Gladstone 5, and Jackson Smith 4. Anderson, going up against a post player who was four inches taller than he was, had a monster night on the boards, getting 13 and added seven steals and took a charge on defense. Aydan Gladstone had 7 assists.
No comments:
Post a Comment