By The Columbus Dispatch
The City League championship game yesterday, featuring two of the state’s top five Division I teams, wasn’t all that it was supposed to be. Northland made sure of that with a fiery second-half defensive effort that left Walnut Ridge flat on its feet.
Although the new-look Vikings under first-year coach Sean Taylor are better known for an up-tempo style, their hard-nosed defense was most responsible for carving out a somewhat ragged 66-55 victory before a capacity crowd at East. It marked a record sixth straight City title for Northland.
There were nine lead changes in the first half, but Northland used a 13-1 run in the third quarter to take command.
“In the first half, we were too tentative because we were trying to avoid foul trouble,” said Devon Scott, a 6-foot-8 senior center. “In the second half, we were determined to play our style. We challenged ourselves to show a little pride in our defense and not let them get rebounds and second-chance points. From there, everything else fell into place.”
Added Scott’s 6-8 bookend, Jalen Robinson: “You’ve heard the old saying, ‘Defense wins championships?’ Our old coach (Satch Sullinger) used to say that all the time. That held true today.”
The second-half scenario became all too familiar: Unable or unwilling to run any semblance of set plays, Walnut Ridge settled for hurried jump shots and one-on-one moves. In turn, Northland dominated the glass, sprinted downcourt in transition and got easier scoring opportunities. A snowball effect ensued, presenting a big advantage for the top-ranked Vikings (19-1).
Scott was the chief beneficiary, finishing with 23 points and seven rebounds. Robinson added 14 points and 11 rebounds. Both were defensive forces, blocking shots and swatting away interior passes. The Dayton-bound tag team also assisted each other on several high-low plays.
Read the full article here
No comments:
Post a Comment