Zach Vernon (2) of North Union leaps for a lay-up while a pair of Urbana defenders attempt to block his shot. Vernon picked up three points during the Wildcats’ 68-49 win. (Journal-Tribune photo by Sam Dillon)
The North Union boys basketball team is an unstoppable force this season and has leaned heavily on solid defense to do so.
Friday’s game against Urbana followed the Wildcats’ playbook of a tough press and solid shooting from beyond the arc as NU remained unbeaten with a 68-49 victory.
The contest was the second meeting for two Central Buckeye Conference schools for the season.
NU coach Brian Terrill said it is more of a challenge to beat a team twice in the same season, however, his Cats are playing even better basketball then they were during their first meet-up.
“We are better in the press,” Terrill said. “We are moving the ball better. We have three presses now instead of one.
“The other team knows what we are going to run, what those presses look like,” he said. “It doesn’t seem to matter. I think that is the most encouraging thing.”
The Wildcats looked shaky to start the game, giving up 7-0 lead to Urbana.
Terrill, though, put pressure on the inbound spass and three baskets later, the Wildcats found themselves even at 7-7.
Connor Terrill buried a three to even the score.
The three-point goal would be the first of six for NU’s leading scorer, who tallied 21 points.
Brian Terrill said the offensive hot hand changes from game-to-game.
“You never know who is going to be hot on offense,” he said. “We’ve just got so many guys who are unselfish, they just don’t care who it is.
“Everybody makes good passes and we run our offense and play team ball.”
The Wildcats kept the defensive pressure high, which allowed them to swing the lead in their favor.
Urbana’s 2-3 zone was something the Wildcats haven’t seen in a while.
That slowed their offensive momentum a bit.
“Offensively our challenge tonight was we haven’t seen guards in three weeks and they ran zone for 32 minutes,” Terrill added. “This was a really good game for us so we could keep the rust off of our zone stuff.”
With the zone keeping the North Union starters at bay, Terrill called upon Gavin Webb and Trevyn Feasel from the bench to give some offensive support.
The pair tallied combined five points to help NU take a 13-11 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Connor Terrill lit up the net in the second quarter by picking three additional treys.
Owen Davis added a perimeter shot as the Wildcats worked around the zone.
NU’s defense held Urbana to only four points in the second set.
The Wildcats’ offense picked up 17 to take a 30-15 lead into the break.
The large lead continued to grow NU’s offense found numerous ways to get over, around or through Urbana’s defense.
Connor Terrill added his fifth three-point goal.
Harley Day put in some minutes in the post for six points, while Preston Crabtree added seven of his 16 markers.
NU took a 49-30 lead by the end of the third stanza.
The three-ball continued to fall for North Union in the fourth quarter.
Connor Terrill drilledd his sixth, while Webb, Crabtree and Hudson Davis all added their own trifectas.
With the win, North Union is now 12-0.
Brian Terrill said the bull’s eye is now on his team as the Cats try to finish up their regular season with a perfect record.
“We are going to be getting the best game from everyone left on the schedule,” he said. “It is a welcome challenge and the key is to take it one game at a time. We don’t worry about our record. We just play.”
North Union will return to action Tuesday when it hosts Bellefontaine in a CBC crossover game.
North Union
Terrill 7-1-21, Crabtree 7-0-16, Day 4-1-9, Webb 2-0-6, O. Davis 1-1-4, Feasel 2-0-4, H. Davis 1-0-3, Vernon 1-1-3, A. Krebehenne 1-0-2. Totals 36-4-68.
Three-point goals: Terrill 6, Crabtree 2, Webb 2, O. Davis 1, H. Davis 1
Urbana
Krebehenne 6-0-13, Hower 5-1-11, Weyrich 3-0-8, Cochran 2-1-6, Teets 1-2-4, Rayner 1-1-3, Portis 1-0-2, Rooney 1-0-2. Totals 20-5-49.
Three-point goals: Weyrich 2, Krebehenne 1, Cochran 1
Trevyn Feasel of North Union leaps for a lay-up during a Central Buckeye Conference game against Urbana. Feasel tallied four points during the win to help the Wildcats remain unbeaten at 12-0. (Journal-Tribune photo by Sam Dillon)