Northmor gets key win

Northmor’s bid to win the KMAC title in boys’ basketball received a big boost on Wednesday night when the Golden Knights were able to avenge their one loss to date in league play.

Hosting Cardington, Northmor was able to absorb a fourth-quarter rally by the Pirates and cement a 65-57 win at the free throw line.

The Golden Knights entered the final period with a 46-38 lead and were able to increase that margin to 49-40 after Jax Wenger hit a three-pointer with 6:06 remaining in regulation. However, A.J. Hall connected on three straight three-pointers to spark an 11-2 run that knotted the score at 51.

“There’s no doubt about it, that is an extremely talented basketball team,” Northmor coach Blade Tackett said about Cardington. “When we came in the fourth and we’re up eight, the first thing we said is this game could be tied in 30 seconds because that’s how fast they can score and you look at A.J. Hall, who hit the game winner on us last time, and that kid is just burying three after three.”

Northmor would respond, though, and didn’t let Cardington get the momentum boost that would come from taking the lead late. After Drew Hammond and A.J. Brehm traded shots to keep things tied at 53, Northmor got back-to-back buckets from Grant Bentley and Hammond to take a four-point lead.

Cardington would cut their deficit to 58-57 with just under a minute on the clock, but A.J. Bower responded with a basket. The Pirates then missed a three-pointer and would have to foul to stop the clock and extend the game. Bentley connected on both his free throws, Cardington turned the ball over and Northmor would get three more points from the charity stripe in the final seconds to pick up the hard-fought win.

“A.J. Hall caught fire for about a four-minute span where if he shot it, it was going in the hoop,” said Cardington coach Jason Rice. “I thought we had them on the ropes. Sometimes, the ball doesn’t bounce your way. We got the shots I’ve seen our kids hit all season and in practice.”

Tackett was proud of how his kids responded down the stretch.

“Luckily in the fourth, they hit a three and we responded and I think that is the important thing,” he said. “That shows the experience of our team and maturity of our team and the mental toughness.”

Much like in the first game between the two teams — a 51-49 Cardington win on Jan. 5 — the lead was traded back and forth.

Five points by Hammond and four each from Bentley and Wenger helped Northmor snag an 18-14 lead after one quarter of play, but Cardington rallied in the second half. Trailing 22-17, the team got a three-pointer by Warren Garrison and the junior followed with a steal and score to tie the game. Bentley would hit from the field for the Golden Knights, but Brehm connected for two and Isaiah Ward added a three-pointer to give the visitors a 27-24 lead.

Northmor would regain a slim advantage by halftime. Back-to-back shots by Bentley and Bryson Keirns gave the Golden Knights a one-point edge and Wenger followed with a three-pointer. While Brehm finished the half with a basket and free throw, the Pirates trailed 31-30 at the break.

Shots by Garrison and Kalin Briggs helped Cardington take a 34-33 lead at the 6:22 mark of the third, but Wenger picked up another three and Hammond followed with an offensive rebound and bucket to put Northmor in front by four at 38-34.

The Golden Knights would then finish the quarter with a flurry. Holding a 40-38 advantage after a Brehm basket, Wenger scored the final six points of the period to put his team up by eight going into the fourth. While Cardington would have one more big run in them, Northmor was able to hold them off and stay in the KMAC driver’s seat.

“Credit to Northmor, credit to coach Tackett and their guys,” said Rice. “We knew it’d be a heavyweight battle that would got down to the fourth quarter. They went up 10 at one point, we got it back, they went on another run and we said whoever ended with the ball last going to win the game.”

Rice — whose team got 17 points by Brehm, 13 from Garrison and 11 from Hall, who hit those three fourth-quarter three-pointers — added that his players have a lot to be proud of for their improvement over the past calendar year.

“Last year at this time, we had four wins and got hot towards the end of the year,” he said. “They’ve come a long way, battling for a conference title and in the top two. We just couldn’t come through it, but I’m proud of the guys’ effort tonight.”

Northmor got 22 points and four three-pointers by Wenger. Bentley finished with 17 points and Hammond added 15. With his team potentially closing in on a league title if they can continue to take care of business, Tackett gave a lot of credit to the chemistry his players have developed.

“I’ve never been around a closer group of players,” he said. “They hang out all the time and love each other. They’re always having fun in the locker room, they’re always having fun at practice. I think in games that are the closest and come down to the end, that’s what’s important. When you come to the huddle and you know every single player in the huddle has everyone’s back and we’re going to do whatever we can to get this victory for us and for Northmor, that’s a special thing.”

Rob Hamilton can be reached at 419-946-3010, ext. 1807. Connect with him on Twitter at @SportsMCS