Mustang Boys Survive Mound City; Magic Number for Winning Season is 1

North Nodaway’s boys survived a trap game with Mound City as the Panthers gave them all they wanted before they escaped with a 38-35 win Friday. The magic number for the Mustang boys is now one game. If the Mustangs win their game against Union Star Tuesday, they will secure a winning season.

At first, it looked like a long night for the Mustangs. They didn’t match up well against the much taller Panther squad, who has six players between 6’1” and 6’3”, including Chauncey Brown, who can break down defenses like a guard. And they have Keaton Zembles, who is one of the better on the ball defenders in the conference and who can rush the ball up the floor and pull up for a 3-pointer if the defense is not watching. They got off to a bad start this year, but have shown some life lately and played Platte Valley tough in the North Platte Tournament.

At first, the Mustangs couldn’t figure out what to do against the much taller Panther front line, and it didn’t help that they gave up a pair of cheap buckets, a steal from Brown and a putback from Zembles. They fell further and further behind until Creyton Roup hit a 3-pointer to put the Panthers on top 13-6. The Mustangs rebounded well against the Panthers in the quarter, but struggled to take care of the ball, turning it over five times in the period.

Brown’s free throws put Mound City up 15-8 early in the second, but then North Nodaway started coming back as they finally started getting downhill on their drive attempts and getting to the free throw line. Blackford went four for four from the line during the next stretch, Mason Casner went two for two, and added a drive. Blaine Clements stepped outside and added a 3-pointer to put the Mustangs ahead 19-15. Keaton Zembles’ putback cut it to two, but Brice Trimble’s baseline drive put the Mustangs up 21-17 at the half.

But the third quarter turned into a defensive standoff, and it didn’t help that Zembles jumped a pass for an easy layup and Ernie Peters got a putback to cut it to 23-21. But Mason Casner’s drive stopped the bleeding and he converted the three point play to make it 26-21 although the Panthers continued to hang around.

Mound City twice cut it to three, but then Aydan Blackford got loose in the post to score and Casner hit two free throws and got one of the Panthers’ more physical players, Cole Gillenwater, out with his fifth foul. That made it 33-26. But then Keaton Zembles twice rushed it up the floor, pulled up, and hit 3-pointers to cut it to 35-32 with 1:21 left before Blackford hit a free throw to make it two possessions at 36-32 with 47 seconds left as North Nodaway was trying to run out the clock.

Chauncey Brown made one of two with 39 seconds left to cut it to three and Mason Casner went one for two with 25 seconds to make it 37-33. North Nodaway played tough defense for 17 seconds and forced a miss, but then Brown got loose on the boards and scored with 8 seconds left to make it 37-35. North Nodaway was able to get it into Aydan Blackford, who made one of two with 5 seconds left. Mound City rushed it up the floor, but Creyton Roup’s off balance three missed and North Nodaway survived.

Mason Casner had 14 points. Aydan Blackford had 13, Blaine Clements 7, and Ethan Fry and Brice Trimble 2 each.

Blaine Clements had 1 block.

Blaine Clements had 7 rebounds. Aydan Blackford had 5, Brice Trimble 4, Owen Martin and Mason Casner 3 each, and Ethan Fry 1.

Aydan Blackford had 5 assists. Brice Trimble and Mason Casner had 3 each, and Blaine Clements and Ethan Fry 1.

Brice Trimble had 5 tips. Mason Casner had 4, Owen Martin 3, and Ethan Fry 1.

Aydan Blackford had 3 steals. Ethan Fry and Brice Trimble had 2 each, and Blaine Clements, Kaeden Nave, and Owen Martin had 1 each.