Northeast Nodaway's junior high boys got Union Star down to four players, but then had to cling to a lead for most of the second half before holding them off for a 27-22 win Wednesday night. Lance Runde knocked down a shot to start off the scoring for the Bluejays and Drew Dack knocked down another, but Union Star fought back to tie up as their bigs, Carter Jackson and Shea Simerly, each connected.
Dack jumped a pass to make it 6-4 to start the second, but then Jackson threatened to take over for the Trojans, getting the next five for Union Star to put them back in front. Northeast hung around, but still trailed 11-8 before Reid Smith fouled Drew Dack trying to box him out after he had knocked down two free throws to cut it to 11-10. Dack knocked down one of two to tie it at 11 and Smith had picked up his fourth. Union Star had seven players listed, but only five dressed out, so the next foul on Smith would drop them down to four.
Sure enough, on the next trip down the floor, Smith fouled Lance Runde fighting for a board, Union Star was down to four, and Runde knocked down one of two to put Northeast up 12-11. But they had to be careful as Dack picked up his third foul while Lance was attempting his free throws.
It looked like Northeast would take advantage of their numbers as Drew Dack went coast to coast to start the third, then he pushed it up the floor and dropped it off to Reece Gray. Gray followed with a steal and finished to make it 18-11. But just like the King City game, Northeast let Union Star hang around, although they never allowed them to take the lead this time. Lake Klawuhn got the hot hand and dropped a 3-pointer to make it 18-14. Drew Dack knocked down a shot and then pushed one up the floor and dropped it off to Lance Runde to make it 22-14, but then Klawuhn got a putback at the end of the third to cut it to 22-16, and then Simerly hit a shot to cut it to 22-18.
Union Star could afford to be very aggressive on defense as they didn't pick up their first foul in the second half until 4:30 was left in the fourth quarter. Dack knocked down a three point play to temporarily restore order, but then Klawuhn knocked down another shot, and then Kaler Baker knocked one down to cut it to 25-22 with 3:07 left.
Drew Dack missed on the ensuing possession, but Simerly traveled fighting for the rebound, giving it back to Northeast. Dack got stripped in the post, however, and the Trojans had a chance to tie with a three. But Simerly was off with a 3-point try. Union Star got the offensive board, but missed and Gaige Bodle got the defensive board sprawled on the ground and Northeast called timeout with 1:34 left.
After Bodle's hustle play, it was Northeast who had control of the boards. Dack missed a shot, but Lance Runde got a tieup and the arrow pointed to Northeast, keeping the possession alive. Bodle missed, but Reece Gray got an offensive board and Northeast pulled it out with 48 seconds, running the clock. Union Star knocked it out of bounds with 23 seconds left, then started picking up fouls to try and stop the clock. At the 21 second mark, there was a heartstopping moment as Reece Gray tipped an errant inbounds pass into the backcourt, but it picked it up and the violation was not called. Northeast ran the clock all the way down to four seconds before Union Star finally picked up their seventh foul and put Drew Dack on the line. He knocked down both free throws to seal the win.
Drew Dack had 18 points for the Bluejays. Lance Runde had 5 and Reece Gray 4.
Lance Runde and Chase Clabaugh had 1 block each.
Drew Dack had 8 boards. Lance Runde, one of the littlest kids on the team, got 7. "He didn't back down from anyone tonight," said coach Sheldon Saxton. Gaige Bodle and Reece Gray had 4, Chase Clabaugh 3, and Chase Allen 2.
Gaige Bodle and Drew Dack had 2 assists each. Chase Clabaugh and Reece Gray had 1 each.
Gaige Bodle and Reece Gray had 5 steals each. Drew Dack had 4, Chase Clabaugh 2, and Lance Runde 1.
Reece Gray, one of the quietest kids on the team, was flying around the gym Wednesday, and he had 6 steals. Drew Dack had 3, and Gaige Bodle 1.
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