Thursday, December 19, 2019

Shorthanded Mustang Boys Grind Out Win Over Bobcats

North Nodaway's boys came in shorthanded into Thursday's game with East Harrison, playing without Cameron Wilson (family) and Austin Bird (leg), but they were able to grind out a 57-51 win over East Harrison. Tyler Bix stepped up his game, getting 21 points, frequently driving into the teeth of a huge front line anchored by Austin Vaughn. Despite using just five players, North Nodaway built up a nine point halftime lead and then turned back repeated Bobcat efforts to get back into the game.

Both teams started off red hot, with North Nodaway leading 12-11 late in the first quarter before the orange shirts pulled away to a 20-14 first quarter lead after Adam Rinehart's triple. It looked like a repeat of the Christian game, where the Lions made shot after shot with a hand in their faces, but the Bobcats cooled off in the second while the Mustangs heated up. Tyler Bix and Ryan Riley each had 7 points in the second; after Riley opened with two free throws, the Mustangs hit three straight 3-pointers to go up 25-20 with 5:24 left in the second.

The teams went through a three minute scoring drought, and then Austin Vaughn hit an inside shot to break the ice for the orange shirts. But then Ryan Riley got a putback and Andrew Blackford hit a 3-pointer to make it 30-22, and the Mustangs pulled away to a 34-25 halftime lead.

The lead grew to 13 early in the third as Karson Oberhauser hit Tyler Bix backdoor, and Ryan Riley scored off a steal to make it 38-25, but then East Harrison started to rally as Hunter Kirk scored from inside, Mark Willis hit a 3-pointer and scored off a cut inside, and big man Austin Vaughn converted a 3-point play as the Bobcats closed back to within six. But then Andrew Blackford drove down the right side and finished over the teeth of the Bobcat defense and Tyler Bix scored after Karson Oberhauser got a tip, Blackford got a steal, and Ryan Riley got it to him to make it 45-35 late in the third.

Adam Rinehart cut it to 45-37 at the end of three, but then Karson Oberhauser scored off a putback, and then Bix made three out of four at the line to make it 50-37 again. Wyatt O'Riley scored to make it 52-38, but then East Harrison started getting it into their bulldozer, Austin Vaughn, and Mark Willis hit a 3-pointer to cut it to 52-43. Bix hit at the line to make it 53-43, but then Adam Rinehart hit a guarded three from the left wing to make it seven again. Karson Oberhauser got a putback, but Willis' putback for the Bobcats made it seven again at 55-48, and they got the ball back after a back court violation with 1:05 left with a chance to cut it to four or five. But Willis' baseline shot went astray, Bix got behind the defense for a layup to make it 57-48, and East Harrison could not get another basket until Hunter Kirk hit a triple with three seconds left.

Tyler Bix had 21 points to lead the Mustangs. Karson Oberhauser had 12, Andrew Blackford and Ryan Riley 11, and Wyatt O'Riley 2. Ryan Riley and Karson Oberhauser had 12 boards each. Tyler Bix had 8, Wyatt O'Riley 5, and Andrew Blackford 3. Ryan Riley and Karson Oberhauser had 5 assists each.

No comments: