Mason Casner led four North Nodaway players in double figures with 16 as the Mustangs snapped a three game losing streak despite being shorthanded. Playing without Trevin Wyllie (ankle), they were in trouble against Tri-County, trailing 31-25 at halftime. In their previous game, a 67-44 loss to Platte Valley, they had gotten away from what had made them click the past two years, stopping teams defensively, and that pattern continued for the first half of the Tri-County game. "Offensively, we were doing fine; we needed to get back to playing defense," said coach Cody Jenkins. "When you get stops on defense, good things will happen on the other end of the floor."
Sure enough, North Nodaway started coming back, fueled by hot shooting. For some reason, the west basket at Gilman City was a puzzle for both North Nodaway teams, with the girls getting only four points at that basket in their previous game while the boys were missing a ton and fueling Tri-County. But the shots started to fall in the second half and North Nodaway regained the lead and hung on to win 51-49 Monday in the first round of the Gilman City Tournament.
At first, it looked like North Nodaway had this game easily as Jordan DeLeon hit two free throws, Blaine Clements hit from the high post, and Mason Casner got a steal and added a 3-pointer as North Nodaway led 9-2. But then Carter Fewins, normally a role player for them, suddenly got the hot hand and sharpshooter Keaton Norman got loose from downtown. By the end of the first quarter, the lead was gone and Tri-County had tied it at 11.
The game was tied at 13 before Fewins continued to have the hot hand, scoring four straight. Gabe Manning added a steal to put Tri-County ahead 19-13. Without Wyllie, their biggest sparkplug, North Nodaway had to find a spark from somewhere and Blaine Clements, normally an inside player, found the range, hitting two 3-pointers to keep it close. Jordan DeLeon was playing good defense on skyscraper Landen Dodds, holding him to two for the half and five for the game. But another role player, Tucker Curtis, stepped up for Tri-County, scoring five points late before Jordan DeLeon cut it to 31-25 at the half.
But somehow, the energy level for North Nodaway was totally different coming out of the locker room for the third quarter. Owen Martin, who had been hampered by foul trouble in the first half, got on the board with two 3-pointers and Jordan DeLeon got a putback to put North Nodaway back in front 33-32 at the 5:09 mark of the third quarter. Mason Casner got a shot from just inside the line to make it 35-32 before Dodds converted a three-point play and Manning scored off a steal to put Tri-County back in front 37-35. But Casner hit from the right baseline for three and Owen Martin scored off a drive over Dodds before Manning cut the Tri-County deficit to 40-39 after three.
But Manning has shown the ability to score in bunches for Tri-County, and sure enough, he started driving at will to push Tri-County back ahead by 45-40. But just as it looked like Tri-County might take over the game, Owen Martin got a tip-in to break the run and make it 45-42. Keaton Norman got a backdoor layup to make it 47-42, but Mason Casner hit a 3-pointer after Owen Martin jumped a pass and Blaine Clements hit from the high post to knot it at 47.
Keaton Norman, who normally spots outside for three-pointers, went backdoor again and put Tri-County in front 49-47, but Jordan DeLeon tied it again at 49 with 1:02 left. Manning tried to counter, but missed a point-blank layup and Mason Casner countered with a free throw on the other end to make it 50-49 with 48 seconds left.
Tri-County tried to work it into the high post, but Blaine Clements got a steal and Tri-County, with only one team foul, was forced to start fouling. They picked up four in rapid succession and put Kaeden Nave on the line with 28 seconds. Nave, who hadn't scored all night, hit one of two to make it 51-49. Tri-County tried to work it inside to Dodds, but he missed and Manning picked up his fifth foul trying to get the rebound from DeLeon with 13 seconds left.
DeLeon missed both free throws, but Tri-County was down their best guard and struggled to get a shot off. Finally, Norman got loose for an NBA 3-pointer, but it bounced off and Blaine Clements got the defensive board as time expired.
Mason Casner had 16 points. Jordan DeLeon had 14, Blaine Clements and Owen Martin 10, and Kaeden Nave 1.
Jordan DeLeon had 12 boards to complete a double-double. Mason Casner had 6, Owen Martin and Blaine Clements 4, Ridge Clements 3, and Kaeden Nave 2.
Mason Casner had 4 assists. Jordan DeLeon, Owen Martin, and Ridge Clements had 3, and Kaeden Nave and Blaine Clements 2 each.
Owen Martin had 4 tips. Kaeden Nave and Blaine Clements had 2 each and Mason Casner 1.
Mason Casner, Kaeden Nave, Jordan DeLeon, Owen Martin, and Blaine Clements all had 1 steal.
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