Aydan Blackford had 22 points and 12 rebounds for the Mustang boys Thursday, and the Mustangs are no longer winless. They beat Union Star, a team that had beaten them 57-29 in the Platte Valley Invitational, 59-33 Thursday to finally get the monkey off their backs. They did so despite not having Jeremiah Dobbins, who rolled his ankle in the King City loss and is day to day.
Since that game, North Nodaway has been focusing on growth and development throughout the year, even when the scoreboard didn't show it. They nearly broke through against Essex and DeKalb, only to falter in the fourth quarter in both games. But Coach Michael Trautz said the difference this time was that they turned the ball over less and rebounded better. "We're starting to adjust to the physicality of varsity level basketball," he said.
North Nodaway gained some separation early as Mason Richardson got a putback and Brice Trimble scored off a steal to make it 4-0. Bryton Potter's free throws cut it to 4-2, but Damian Dailey's free throws jumpstarted the Mustangs. Aydan Blackford got a steal and fed Brice Trimble and Blackford added a free throw to make it 9-2 at the 2:10 mark of the first quarter.
Ethan Fry's triple at the start of the second put the Mustangs into double digit territory at 15-4, and then Owen Martin scored off a Damian Dailey steal to make it 18-6. But it was only a matter of time before Union Star made a run, and they ripped off seven straight starting with an inside shot from Jacob Dierberger, a putback from Robbie Stubbs, a drive from Aidan Whorton, and a free throw from Dierberger to cut it to 18-13. But instead of unraveling, North Nodaway kept their heads and weathered the first push, getting a 3-pointer from Ethan Fry to make the Mustang lead 23-15 at halftime.
Aydan Blackford had been quiet in the first half, but scored off a drive and two free throws to make it 27-15. Union Star made another push, getting an inside shot from Carter Jackson and a drive from Bryton Potter to make it eight again at 27-19. The Trojans cut it to eight once again at 29-21, but then Aydan Blackford took over, getting a pair of free throws, scoring from inside, and getting a steal and feeding Brice Trimble to make it 35-21 at the 2:29 mark of the third.
Damian Dailey's foul trouble broke the run and the lead fluctuated between 12 and 16 for the remainder of the third quarter. Aidan Whorton's drive cut Union Star's deficit to 41-29 to start the fourth quarter, but instead of folding, North Nodaway, sensing the first win, finally started to pull away. Blackford's three point play and Mason Richardson's putback and three point play in transition made it 47-29. Bryton Potter knocked one down from the left wing, but then Ethan Fry took over, knocking down a 3-pointer to make it 50-31. Following a diving steal from Preston Hansen, Fry hit from just inside the arc in the high post, Hansen got on the board with a free throw, Blackford's free throws, and Brice Trimble's basket put the Mustangs up 57-31 and prompted Trautz to empty his bench. Preston Hansen added two free throws down the stretch for the Mustangs.
Aydan Blackford had 22 points. Ethan Fry had 14, Brice Trimble 11, Mason Richardson 5, Damian Dailey 4, and Preston Hansen 3.
Aydan Blackford had 1 block.
Aydan Blackford had 12 boards. Mason Richardson had 7, Damian Dailey 5, Preston Hansen and Owen Martin 4 each, Ethan Fry 2, and Brice Trimble 1.
Aydan Blackford had 6 assists. Ethan Fry had 4, Damian Dailey 2, and Mason Richardson, Brice Trimble, and Matthew Bird 1.
Damian Dailey had 7 tips. Aydan Blackford had 6, Ethan Fry 2, and Brice Trimble, Mason Richardson, and Preston Hansen 1.
Ethan Fry and Aydan Blackford had 7 steals each. Owen Martin had 4, Brice Trimble and Mason Richardson had 3 each, Damian Dailey 2, and Preston Hansen 1.
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