Northeast Nodaway's boys matched their highest win total in three years, getting their 17th win as they got back on the winning track with a 60-42 win over Nodaway-Holt Saturday in the first round of districts. Previously, Northeast had played their worst half of the year against West Nodaway; they were not getting out and guarding shooters, and the hot-shooting Rocket squad raced out to a 23 point lead in the first half. Northeast was left for dead, but then a frantic fourth quarter rally, in which the Bluejays scored 32 points in the period, nearly brought them back from the dead, but they fell short 72-67 Thursday.
But that lesson stuck with the Bluejays for Saturday's game, and they showed a lot more energy and effort in their second meeting with the Trojans in a week; they set the tone early, did a much better job of contesting shots, and came away with the solid victory.
Auston Pride scored from inside to start the scoring after a high/low look from Zach Pride, Ben Boswell got a steal and fed Dylan McIntyre, Ben Boswell got loose in transition and fed McIntyre for another finish, and then Auston Pride got a tip and steal as Northeast scored the first eight points of the game. Blake Bohannon countered with a free throw, but then Zach Pride got loose in transition and got a pass from Dylan McIntyre, Pride hit McIntyre backdoor, McIntyre cut inside and got a pass from Colton Swalley for a score, and Zach Pride added a steal to make it 16-1 at the 2:12 mark.
For the rest of the half, the two-headed monster of Blake Bohannon and Brilyn DeVers did all they could to keep the Trojans in the game, both hitting shot after shot with a hand in their face. Out of Nodaway-Holt's 18 first half points, 16 were heavily contested shots from either the 3-point line or the outside. Bohannon hit a contested three and DeVers hit a contested drive to bring the red shirts back to within 18-6 at the end of one, but Northeast continued to pull away despite their best efforts.
First, Auston Pride knocked one down from the right wing. Then, Nodaway-Holt tried their half court trap that they had success with in the previous meeting between the two teams, but Ben Boswell saw it coming and split the defenders and got to the rim for a layup to make it 22-9. DeVers buried a contested three to make it 22-9, but Zach Pride hit Dylan McIntyre backdoor and Dylan drove down the left baseline to set up Lane Dack on the right baseline to make it 26-9.
Bohannon knocked another shot down to make it 26-12, but then Auston Pride aired one out to Lane Dack and then Dylan McIntyre added two free throws and scored two transition baskets and Ben Boswell got loose in transition after Auston Pride got a tip and Ben Boswell the steal and got it to Zach Pride. DeVers knocked down a triple and Bohannon an elbow jumper, both with a hand in their face, to make it 36-18, but then Dylan McIntyre scored from inside after Auston Pride hit him with a high low pass to start the second half, Ben Boswell took a charge on defense, and Auston Pride hit a shot from the left side after a Dylan McIntyre drive set him up to make it 40-18.
Nodaway-Holt started getting some of their other players involved as Hunter Clement got a putback, James Herr got another, and Noah Farnan got on the board as the Trojans closed to within 45-27 late in the third. But then Northeast, who was holding the ball for much of the period and draining the clock, got a long possession and Nodaway-Holt finally overextended, leaving Zach Pride to hit Auston Pride all alone to make it 47-27. Colton Swalley stole a lazy inbounds pass and a frustration foul put him on the line, where he hit one of two to make it 48-27. Northeast nearly got a spectacular tipin at the buzzer on the ensuing free possession, but it was wiped off. While Nodaway-Holt was able to make a run at one point, Northeast did a much better job of not letting them back in the game than they did the previous game between the two teams, in which there were some anxious moments before Northeast finally pulled away.
DeVers hit a heavily contested baseline shot to start the fourth, but Northeast scored the next ten as Colton Swalley hit Ben Boswell cutting inside, Auston Pride got an outlet to Ben Boswell who fed Dylan McIntyre for the finish, Pride scored four straight on an inside shot and two free throws, and Zach Pride went backdoor to Dylan McIntyre to give Northeast its biggest lead at 58-29.
Dylan McIntyre continued his big run of 20+ point games as he had 24 for the Bluejays. He has scored 20 or more in each of his three games since his return from an ankle injury. Auston Pride made good use of his size advantage against the Trojans as he added 16. Ben Boswell had 11, Zach Pride and Lane Dack 4 each, and Colton Swalley 1.
Colton Swalley, who started Saturday's game, only scored 1, but led in rebounds, tips, and steals while tasked with guarding Bohannon and DeVers. He had 8 boards. Auston Pride had 7, Dylan McIntyre had 5, Ben Boswell 4, Zach Pride 2, and Lane Dack 1.
Zach Pride had 10 assists, constantly seeing open people behind the Trojan defense and finding them. Dylan McIntyre had 4, Colton Swalley, Ben Boswell, and Lane Dack had 3 each, and Auston Pride 2.
Colton Swalley had 5 tips. Ben Boswell had 4, Zach Pride, Dylan McIntyre, and Auston Pride each had 2, and Lane Dack 1.
Colton Swalley had 4 steals. Zach Pride, Ben Boswell, and Auston Pride had 3, and Dylan McIntyre had 2.
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