Northeast Nodaway’s Junior High boys put everything together Saturday night to claim the Northeast Nodaway Tournament Title, beating Maryville 37-34. They had taken their lumps against good teams, falling to the likes of Platte Valley and Stanberry. But then, after beating Worth County in the first round of their home tournament, they got a pass to the championship round when Avenue City had to drop out because of players allegedly having been “close contacts.” They were matched up with Maryville, who had beaten Platte Valley to get to the title round. Normally, the Spoofhounds dominate this tournament, but when the chips were on the line, it was the Bluejays who came out on top.
Both teams went toe to toe for most of the first quarter, with Ethan Gascoigne getting six and Landon Wilmes four for the Bluejays and Matthew Walter, who had 27 of Maryville’s 34 points, getting 11 first quarter points. It looked like Maryville was in control after he got a steal to put his team up 15-10 to start the second. But Northeast got right back in the game when Jacob Meyer hit Ethan Gascoigne inside and then Drew Dack got a steal on the subsequent possession to make it 15-14.
For the next four minutes, Northeast controlled the game on the floor, but could not get anything to drop that would have put them in front. But finally, Drew Dack found Ethan Gascoigne running down the floor with 33 seconds left to put the Bluejays up 16-15 at the half.
It looked like Northeast would take control when Drew Dack scored off a drive and then stole the ensuing inbounds pass, missing the shot but converting the putback try. Dack scored off another drive to make it 22-15. But then Northeast lost Walter on defense, and his triple put Maryville right back in the game. Grant Smail hit a shot from the top of the key to make it 22-20 again. Drew Dack scored off a Gascoigne steal and Gascoigne went coast to coast after a defensive board, but Major Scarborough got loose on a fast break and Walter scored off a steal and converted a three point play to cut Maryville’s deficit to 26-25 after three.
Ethan Gascoigne scored inside off a pass from Drew Dack, but then Walter added a free throw and scoring a driving layup to knot it at 28 with 3:20 left to go in the game.
But then Drew Dack hit a free throw and then Walter was called for a charge, giving the ball back to Northeast. Jake Redden got a putback with 1:42 left and Landon Wilmes added a steal to make it 33-28 with 1:24 left.
But missed free throws and fouls by Northeast complicated their efforts to close out the game. George Groumoutis scored off a backdoor layup and then Walter hit two free throws after Northeast missed a 1-1 to make it 33-32 with 54 seconds left.
Jacob Meyer had a good look from the left baseline for Northeast with 40 seconds, but missed. However, the ball went out of bounds off Walter, giving the ball back to Northeast. This time, they converted as Drew Dack inbounded to Ethan Gascoigne with 35 seconds left and he converted from the right baseline to make it 35-32.
But Northeast missed a 1-1 after getting a steal and Walter put Maryville right back in it at 35-34 with two free throws with 20 seconds. Maryville fouled Drew Dack right away, and he hit both free throws with 19 seconds to make it 37-34. Dack picked up his fifth foul trying to contain Walter; however, Walter missed both his free throws with 12.7 seconds left. Ethan Gascoigne missed two free throws with 10 seconds, but an errant Maryville pass with 3.7 seconds went out of bounds. Landon Wilmes missed two free throws, but Ethan Gascoigne got a hand on the ball during the rebound scramble. By the time Maryville corralled the ball in the backcourt, they didn’t have time to rush it up the court for a tying three.
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