North Nodaway’s teams have been heading in opposite
directions this year. Normally, the girls have been winning more than the boys in recent years. But after a promising start, North Nodaway’s girls have been
mired in a losing streak, including several close games, a shocking 42-32 loss
to Union Star in Gilman City, and a 42-36 heartbreaker to East Atchison after a promising start.
That trend continued with a 57-25 running clock loss Tuesday to powerhouse Nodaway
Valley. The boys, on the other hand, have seen their fortunes on the rise this
year. They gutted out two close games in the Gilman City Tournament before they
were in over their heads against Princeton and lost 55-22 in the championship,
extending a nine year tournament title drought. Seemingly hung over from that,
they went to sub .500 East Atchison, but lost again despite 25 from Aydan
Blackford. With no rest for the weary, they were pitted against Nodaway Valley,
their archrival. But after staying hung over for a while in that game and
giving up as many offensive rebounds (16) as they grabbed themselves, they
finally came out of it and won 48-41 to get back on track.
The magic number for a winning season for the Mustangs is
now two games. With Tuesday’s game, they raised their record to 11-7 and only
need to win two more games to get a winning season for the year.
The game came down to an unlikely hero in Kaeden Nave
stepping up in the fourth quarter, North Nodaway holding the Thunder scoreless
during a five minute stretch in the fourth, and the Mustangs hitting enough of
their free throws to keep the Thunder from coming back.
At first, Tyler Gray had the hot hand inside for Nodaway
Valley, getting four of his team’s ten points and four different green shirts
getting on the board as Mason Casner was the only player hitting for North Nodaway
in the early going. Despite getting killed on the boards by Preston Jenkins and
Gray, the Mustangs kept hanging around and finally took the lead when Aydan
Blackford converted a three point play and Blaine Clements scored from inside
to make it 20-19 at the 1:40 mark. The Mustangs got lost on defense and
Deontrae Mincy got loose inside, but Owen Martin hit a drive and floater with
30 seconds left to put the Mustangs up 22-21 at halftime.
It looked like North Nodaway would pull away to start the
second half as Owen Martin aired one out to Aydan Blackford, Brice Trimble hit
a 3-pointer after Blaine Clements got him the ball, and Blackford hit a pullup
to make it 29-21. But then the rebounding woes resurfaced as Jenkins got a
putback for the Thunder, and they started coming back again. Four different
green shirts stepped up and scored for the Thunder, who fought back and got
their deficit down to 32-31 by the end of the third quarter.
Michael Cook drove and scored at the 7:12 mark of the fourth
quarter to make it 33-32, and the score stayed there for the next two minutes.
But then Aydan Blackford cut inside and scored to make it 34-33. Then, Mason
Casner, normally a left-hander, drove with his right hand and turned it into a
three point play after North Nodaway had isolated him and Blackford. On the
next trip, Casner wanted the ball in the post again, and this time, he kicked
it out to little-used Kaeden Nave, and he buried a three to make it 40-33 at
the 2:58 mark.
Gray got loose again on the offensive glass for Nodaway
Valley and scored twice to make it 43-37, but then they had to start fouling
and Kaeden Nave, Owen Martin, Aydan Blackford, and Brice Trimble all hit free
throws down the stretch to seal the win. Aydan Blackford and Bryce Trimble got
two key deflections down the stretch on defense that took valuable seconds off
the clock.
Aydan Blackford had 17 points for the Mustangs. Mason Casner
had 8, Owen Martin and Brice Trimble 7, Kaeden Nave 4, Ethan Fry 3, and Blaine
Clements 2.
Blaine Clements had 4 blocks.
Brice Trimble and Aydan Blackford had 5 boards. Ethan Fry
and Owen Martin had 2, and Blaine Clements and Mason Casner had 1.
Mason Casner had 3 assists. Aydan Blackford, Brice Trimble,
Blaine Clements, and Owen Martin had 2 and Ethan Fry 1.
Brice Trimble had 4 tips. Mason Casner and Owen Martin had
3, Aydan Blackford and Kaeden Nave 2, and Blaine Clements 1.
Ethan Fry, Brice Trimble, and Owen Martin had 2 steals.
Aydan Blackford had 1.
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