One night after riding Caleb New’s 40 points to a road win against LeBlond, Worth County’s boys found some newfound balance as they beat South Holt 71-49. Caleb still got his points, getting 23, but this time, he was joined in double figures with Cole Ruby adding 18 and Jordan Dannar getting a career high 12 points. For Cole Ruby, it was his third double figure game in four outings. It was his highest point total since his 25-point outburst against Northeast Nodaway in the Stanberry Tournament.
Besides the balance, the Tigers have improved on the defensive end, giving up 49 or fewer points in each of their four wins.
Brock Healy started off the scoring with a 3-pointer off a pass from Dylan Smith and then Caleb New got loose in transition to make it 5-0. Dylan Smith slashed and scored after getting a pass from Brock Healy and then Caleb New got a tip and Dylan Smith stole the ball, feeding Cole Ruby, who flipped it over his head and into the basket. Brock Healy was hammered on a 3-point attempt and made all three of his shots to make it 12-2.
The Knights tried to hand around as Griffin Kemerling hit a 3-pointer and Tait Morris slashed and scored to make it 14-7, but then Caleb New went off on one of his big scoring bursts, slashing and scoring for two, getting a long pass from Dylan Smith after Dylan had grabbed an offensive board, and spotting up and hitting a triple from Brock Healy before Cole Ruby hit a 3-pointer to make it 25-8 after one.
One of the things that sparked the team was the return of Hayden Sanders; while he was still favoring his ankle and still having to come out after playing in spurts, he made some hustle plays, led the team in steals, and took a charge on defense.
South Holt switched to a 1-3-1 trapping zone and started doing damage with it; Worth County had not turned it over in the first quarter, but started doing so in the second. Mike Quinlin and Cameron Biondo started chipping away at the line, and the Tiger lead was slashed to 25-13. But unlike the Mound City game, where they gave up a big run and didn’t respond, they responded much better when the Knights tried to make runs at them.
The Knight run continued as Biondo cut inside and scored to make it 28-19, but then Caleb New answered with a triple, Hayden Sanders took a charge on defense, Cole Ruby splashed another three, and Jordan Dannar splashed another and the Tigers were back up 37-19. Kameron Noland heated up for South Holt, getting three straight, but Cole Ruby hit two free throws and Jordan Dannar got a putback to put the Tigers up 41-22 at the half.
The third quarter started off well for the Tigers as Ryder Smyser got on the board with a putback, Cole Ruby hit a 3-pointer, and Caleb New went coast to coast to make it 48-22. Will Jackson countered with an inside shot, but Caleb New powered inside after a pass from Cole Ruby and scored to make it 51-24.
But a mixup during substitutions for the Tigers resulted in a technical foul for six players being on the floor during a live ball, and instead of Worth County inbounding underneath the basket with a chance to score, South Holt hit two free throws on the other end and Coltyn Fansher got on the board with a 3-pointer for a 7-8 point swing in the Knights favor. Will Jackson added another triple to slash the Knight deficit to 51-32.
Once again, the Tigers responded as Cole Ruby hit Ethan Lininger for two, Hayden Sanders went backdoor and got another pass from Cole Ruby, and Cole got a pass from Brayden Combs and hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key to make it 58-34.
The Knights rallied again, this time scoring 10 straight and nearly making a game of it. Tait Morris and Cameron Biondo hit triples during that stretch, the latter shot cutting it to 58-44 at the 5:48 mark with still plenty of time. But once again, Worth County broke the run as Caleb New slashed and scored, Dylan Smith knocked one down from the high post, Ethan Lininger got loose in transition and got a pass from Caleb New, and then Jordan Dannar got the hot hand as he drove and cashed in at the line after getting a pass from Lininger and then stealing a pass and scoring after Brayden Combs got a tip. That made it 68-46 with less than three minutes, and Worth County started subbing freely the rest of the way. Dannar continued to lead the reserves, slashing and drawing fouls at will and going three for four from the line down the stretch.
Caleb New had 23 points for the Tigers. Cole Ruby had 18, Jordan Dannar 12, Brock Healy 6, Dylan Smith and Ethan Lininger 4, and Ryder Smyser and Hayden Sanders 2.
Brock Healy and Caleb New had 1 blocked shot each.
Cole Ruby had 8 boards. Caleb New had 7, Ethan Lininger 4, Jordan Dannar, Brayden Combs, and Ryder Smyser 3, Brock Healy and Dylan Smith 2, and Mason Hiatt 1.
Cole Ruby and Caleb New had 5 assists. Dylan Smith and Brock Healy had 3, Ethan Lininger 2, and Hayden Sanders, Jordan Dannar, Ryder Smyser, Brayden Combs, and Tucker Fletchall had 1.
Dylan Smith had 4 tips. Hayden Sanders had 2, and Caleb New, Cole Ruby, Jordan Dannar, and Brayden Combs had 1.
Hayden Sanders had 4 steals. Jordan Dannar had 3, and Dylan Smith, Cole Ruby, Ryder Smyser, Caleb New, and Ethan Lininger had 1.
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