In this file photo, Zach Vernon of North Union leaps for a baskeet against Fairbanks’ Andy Higinbotham. Vernon tallied a team-high 18 points against Graham on Tuesday to help the Wildcats beat the Falcons, 71-49. (Journal-Tribune photo by Sam Dillon)
The North Union boys basketball team has been going through a transformation. After suffering its only loss of the season to Fairbanks, coach Brian Terrill made the decision to get more of his bench involved.
The plan has been paying off for the Wildcats.
NU picked up its seventh win in eight outings over Central Buckeye Conference foe Graham, 71-49, on Tuesday.
“I’m thankful I made the change to play faster, deepen the bench and get the freshmen involved,” he said. “It is almost impossible to press like we do with only seven guys.”
Terrill said defense was the reason the Wildcats won.
“We took away their offense,” he said. “The press affected them and in the half court we didn’t let them run their stuff.
“They probably tried to run (a ball screen) 35 times and got it once. That’s pretty phenomenal.”
NU’s shooters executed well.
Aaron Krebehenne drill five shoots from beyond the arc, two of which opened the game.
Preston Crabtree also found a bucket from three-point land, while Zach Vernon, Owen Davis and Trevyn Feasel worked the ball inside to pick up a combined 10 points.
As such, NU took a 24-12 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Krebehenne’s hot hand continued in the second period with a pair of treys.
Vernon and Feasel each notched a pair of buckets as NU led, 40-22, at the turn.
Terrill said his team’s intensity level resulted in the lopsided win.
“At Northmor, it was just kind of (flat),” he said. “We didn’t have the intensity against Fairbanks and they made us pay.
“The Kenton Ridge game was OK, but the challenge right now is to get the kids to consistently come out and play at a high level of intensity.”
NU continued with its stiff press after the break.
The Falcons were limited to only seven points in the third quarter.
Krebehenne buried his fifth trey,
Vernon stepped up in the low post for three buckets as NU took a 51-29 point lead.
NU’s freshmen took over the torch in the fourth set.
Mason Bright tallied a pair of trifectas, while Max Parish scored down low.
Brothers Owen and Hudson Davis combined for 10 points as the Wildcats outscored the Falcons 20-17 to claim the win.
Terrill said his freshmen have been producing, while progressing in the right direction.
“Every night it is a different guy with our freshmen,” he said. “Those guys just give us extra players when we run a fast break and who can hit the corner three.
“Once we hit on all four cylinders, that is going to be a big part of it.”
With the victory Terrill picked up the 299th win of his career.
He will now go for No. 300 when NU hosts Indian Lake on Friday.
Terrill expects the contest to be an offensive explosion as each team will try to use quick offense to score.
The game is scheduled to tip-off after the JV game, which starts at 6 p.m.
North Union
Vernon 8-0-16, Krebehenne 5-0-15, O. Davis 5-0-10, Crabtree 3-2-9, Feasel 4-1-9, Bright 2-0-6, H. Davis 2-0-4, Parish 1-0-2, Totals: 30-3-71.
Three-point goals: Krebehenne 5, Bright 2, Crabtree 1
Graham
King 9-1-21, Black 3-0-7, Sells 2-0-6, McGuire 2-0-5, Goodard 1-1-3, Hollingsworth 1-0-2, Ludlow 1-0-2, Macrice 1-0-2, Vanscoy 0-1-1, Totals: 20-3-49.
Three-point goals: King 2, Sells 2, Black 1, McGuire 1