NU senior Zach Vernon (2) cuts the corner on London’s Isaiah Jones (20). Vernon combined with Owen Davis for 46 points in the team’s win over the Red Raiders.
(Journal-Tribune photo by Aleksei Pavloff)
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NU junior Owen Davis (13) attempts to slip past London’s double team of Zach Jones (15) and Brady Carter (23). Davis claimed 23 points in the Wildcats’ win over the Red Raiders.
(Journal-Tribune photo by Aleksei Pavloff)
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“[London] is a really athletic team,” NU boys basketball head coach Brian Terrell said. “It was basically two teams battling it out and exchanging blows.”
That was Terrill’s description of the Wildcats’ 60-43 triumph.
It was a heated contest from the start between the two Central Buckeye Conference opponents.
London’s Isaiah Jones drew first blood by shooting a three-pointer to put the Red Raiders up early in the first quarter.
North Union did not scurry away from the challenge and instead embraced the hostile environment on the Red Raiders’ court.
Around the six-minute mark in the first quarter, NU’s Zach Vernon tied the game at 3-3 after securing a three-pointer of his own.
The two teams battled on the court in what turned out to be a physical matchup from the start. As the first quarter concluded, the Wildcats narrowly led with the score 12-10.
If the initial set was hot, the second quarter felt like an oven. London’s Richard Dodson secured his first three-pointer of the quarter, putting London in the lead at 19-16.
North Union’s Mason Bright rebutted the opposing senior guard’s score with a three-pointer to force a 19-19 stalemate.
Dodson once again had his number called with approximately two minutes left in the first half.
He hit his second three-point goal.
However, a heads-up play by Vernon drew a foul. He tied the game 22-22 with a charity toss.
With 1:30 left in the first half, the two CBC opponents were knotted at 24-24.
“It didn’t surprise me at all,” Terrell said in reference to how competitive both squads played in the first half.
With less than a minute until the break, London’s Brady Carter put the Red Raiders ahead 27-24 with a three-pointer.
North Union’s Owen Davis drove in hard for a layup that reduced NU’s deficit to 27-26.
With 29.5 second left to go, London opted for a timeout.
Taking the ball inbounds, Vernon raced down floor, battling his way through a double team.
The 6-7 senior had his shot blocked, but the Wildcats had another chance to score after the ball traveled out of bounds with 1.4 seconds left in the half.
In a moment of pure chaos, Vernon caught the inbounds pass and scored a field-goal off a shot former NBA star Hakeem Olajuwon would be proud of, giving NU the 28-27 halftime lead.
“That is relentless,” Terrell said about Vernon’s last second shot. “The kids are just getting better at executing the adjustments.”
Taking a step back, the Cats planned to not have another game decided by one point as they convened at halftime.
“I just didn’t want it to get down to the last two minutes,” joked Terrill. “We’ve played five one-point games this year.
“As far as I am concerned, it needs to stay at five.”
Vernon was fouled to begin the third quarter.
He let go of a layup on the play and hit the free throw.
As such, NU extended its lead to 31-27.
The Wildcats kept on track as London struggled to keep up with the pace.
Davis had his best quarter of the night, scoring four field goals and one free-throw for a total of nine points in the period.
He followed that up with a six-point fourth quarter performance as the Wildcats continued to mount a consistent offensive attack.
In the fourth quarter, Davis was called to inbound the ball with a defender’s back toward him. He opted to bounce it off the opponent’s back and followed by a basket.
“That’s just a really smart player,” Terrell said. “He just made a smart play.”
The junior and senior combo of Davis and Vernon proved to be a force on the court for the Wildcats as they combined for 46 points.
In junior varsity action, the Wildcats fell short, 63-35, against London’s squad.
The Wildcats are slated to host Graham on Friday.
North Union
Draper 0-0-0, Vernon 9-4-23, Parish 1-0-2, Bright 2-0-6, Davis 11-1-23, T. Krebehenne 0-0-0, A. Krebehenne 3-0-6, Hall 0-0-0, Keever 0-0-0. Three-point goals: Vernon, Bright 2.
London
Schooley 0-0-0, Smith 1-0-3, Combs 1-0-2, Dodson 2-0-6, Z. Jones 7-0-15, I. Jones 4-0-9, Carter 3-0-8, Payne 0-0-0, Menke 0-0-0. Three-point goals: Smith, Dodson 2, Z. Jones, I. Jones, Carter 2.