With just six games under its belt and four postponements in the past month, Northwestern’s boys basketball team was eager to stretch its legs and show progress Saturday morning in the opening game of the Howard County Tournament.
Riding a wave of intensity and pent-up energy, the Purple Tigers unleashed a strong defensive effort and efficient offense in taking down Taylor 61-52 in the semifinal round to book a place in the final against Western.
“The kids came out defensively wanting to set a tempo. We’ve put a lot of focus on it,” NW coach Jim Gish said. “Only playing six games like we have, they’re ready to play some basketball. I thought they played like that.”
Taylor connected on just 17 of 54 shots while Northwestern hit more than half its shots, canning 23 of 43 and holding the lead for the entirety of the last three quarters.
“I’m pretty pleased and I’ll be honest, it’s a very good Taylor team so to walk off the court with a win is a good feeling,” Gish said.
Wing forward Zech Sanders got the ball rolling for Gish’s squad, scoring the Tigers’ first two buckets and canning 10 of his team-high 15 in the first half. Post players Jimmy McKee and Jared Treadway combined for 24 more points. Treadway had six in the first quarter en route to 13 while McKee had nine of his 11 in the second half, helping keep the Titans at arm’s length.
McKee and Treadway each hit on 5 of 6 shots from the field, and combined for 14 rebounds. Treadway scored a big hoop early in the fourth on a rebound stickback in which he got fouled. He knocked down the free throw to push Northwestern’s advantage to 48-38. Later, Taylor closed the lead to six points, but got no further.
“The kids got the ball where it needed to be,” Gish said of his team’s offense. “Our post guys really stepped up big, going to the glass, being a force on the glass.
“Treadway and Jimmy McKee both, I thought, played probably their best games. It’s nice to have some big guys step up and play their best games in a game like this. They played aggressively offensively and defensively, they didn’t back down. I thought they really looked to put the ball in the hole when they got it.”
Brayden Merrell added eight points and seven rebounds for the Tigers, who put up just four 3-pointers, hitting one. Taylor launched 25 treys, hitting five.
Northwestern took the lead for good in the first quarter on a forceful post bucket by Treadway to give the tourney hosts a 12-11 lead. Taylor played catchup the rest of the way.
“The two things that killed us are turn the ball over and not rebounding,” Taylor coach Jeff Fisher said. His team had turnovers in four of its first five possessions and was outrebounded 37-25. “I just think Northwestern played better than we did. They went after it.
“We talked about players win games and they’ve got to take some responsibility and win games, and until they do that, we’re going to struggle, and Northwestern did. They took control and did what they wanted to do. We did not.”
Reomey Northington led Taylor with 20 points. Tyler Simmons added a dozen and Drake Herr had 10. Simmons grabbed a team-best eight rebounds.
Sports
NW defense halts Taylor
Tigers show hunger in semifinal victory
- Sports
-
-
Smith pitches Panthers to sectional baseball title
WEST LAFAYETTE — The game of baseball can be cruel with its nuances and bad bounces. And, with the flick of the wrist, it can turn right back in your favor.
-
Franchitti outduels Sato to win his 3rd Indy 500
For the second consecutive year the Indianapolis 500 was decided by a last lap crash Sunday, but this time Takuma Sato crashed battling for the win allowing Dario Franchitti to score his third win.
-
Rivalries are part of the Indy tradition
The Indianapolis 500 is known for many traditions.
The ceremonies at the start of the race are legendary. You have the Spectacle of Bands in all of their glory, the flyover of military jets, the balloons and flying start of 11 rows of three. The singing of “America the Beautiful,” “God Bless America,” “Back Home Again in Indiana,” and the “Star Spangled Banner” are all are examples of the pageantry that kickoff the “Greatest Spectacle Racing.” And let’s not forget the famous words “Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines.”
-
Fritz, other friends help carry on Gabriel’s vision
Tony Gabriel was an easy pick for the Howard County Sports Hall of Fame in 2007. He was a four-sport standout at Taylor High School and later a seven-time state racquetball champion in singles and doubles.
-
Comets making progress
Much like any coach would expect in his first season leading a young team, Eastern baseball coach Nick Sale has helped his team deal with the growing pains that come with regime and philosophy changes.
-
Tipton survives M-G, savors softball sectional 3-peat
It looked like a blowout early and turned into a nail-biter late, but in the end, Friday’s Class 2A Eastern Sectional Softball final between Tipton and No. 3-ranked Madison-Grant turned out the same way as each of the previous two years.
-
Schubert wraps up standout collegiate track career
Megan Schubert could easily lament lost opportunities and think about ‘what if’ scenarios looking back at her track and field career at the University of Louisville.
-
Comets, Kats, Panthers sending athletes to state
After announcing his retirement late last week, Eastern boys track and field coach Paul Nicholson knew Thursday’s Kokomo Regional could be the final meet of his 43-year career. Senior Josiah Price and junior Grant Cole made sure it wasn’t.
-
New Western basketball coach is right at home
Bart Miller’s passion for Western basketball runs deep.
Miller, like his father and brother before him, played for the Panthers. He started and was the third-leading scorer on the Panthers’ 1990 Kokomo Sectional championship squad.
-
Tipton, Madison-Grant reach final of Eastern Sectional
Tipton’s softball team had enough to get past Elwood and into the championship of the Class 2A Eastern Sectional on Wednesday night. Friday night, the Blue Devils will need more to hoist the hardware.
- More Sports Headlines
-
Smith pitches Panthers to sectional baseball title
Sister Says She Reported Brother in Patz Killing
Patz Suspect's Sister: I Went to Police in 1980s
Diplomatic Expulsions Follow Fresh Syria Report
15 Dead in Northern Italy's 5.8-magnitude Quake
Angry Birds Spreading Their Wings
Witness Describes Fla. Face-chewing Attack
Man Falls Off Crane, Dies After Police Standoff
Russia Condemns Ally Syria Over Massacre of 108
Dairy Farm Uses Chiropractor to Help Cows
Unexpected Smog in Pristine National Parks
Air Canada Plane Makes Emergency Landing
New Ticks Spread Across Southeast, Diseases Rise
Bring Your Own Tech Programs Charge Up Students
Pope's Butler Vows to Help Vatican Investigation
Mother of Allegedly Abused Girl Denies Claims
Raw Video: 19 Dead in Qatar Shopping Mall Fire
Service Dogs Help Wash. Soldiers Battling PTSD
Raw Video: Heckler Bursts in on Blair Testimony
Japan Farmers Plant, Seek Radiation-free Rice
