Mustangs bounce back with rivalry win over Thunder
JON DYKSTRA/THE FORUM
North Nodaway’s bench celebrates in the fourth quarter on Wednesday against Nodaway Valley in Hopkins.
HOPKINS, Mo. — The North Nodaway Mustangs have enjoyed the best season they’ve had since any of their players have been in high school, but the losses this year have tended to come in pairs.
On December 1 and December 4, the Mustangs (11-7) lost to St. Joseph Christian and Worth County, but responded with a 64-16 win at East Harrison. On December 19 and December 21, they lost to Stewartsville-Osborn and Rock Port, but responded with a 83-60 win over DeKalb.
East Harrison and DeKalb have combined to win two games all season though. After losses to Princeton and East Atchison, North Nodaway faced its biggest challenge yet to avoid a 3-game skid.
On Wednesday, 275 Conference rival Nodaway Valley (9-10) came to visit Hopkins playing some of its best basketball of the year. North Nodaway picked up the hard-fought 48-41 win.
“We’ve been talking about adversity all year long,” North Nodaway coach Cody Jenkins said. “What are we going to do when the adversity hits us? Are we going to respond to it and rise above it or are we going to kinda fold like we have in the past?”
The Thunder jumped on the Mustangs early too with senior Michael Cook finishing a 3-point play for a 17-12 lead in the second quarter.
The Thunder had the size advantage on the Mustangs and were bringing the physicality with Tyler Gray and Preston Jenkins controlling the paint.
“I’ve seen a lot of growth from Tyler,” Nodaway Valley coach Shawn Emerson said. “We know Kayden (Conn) is out. We know that a bulk of our scoring is on the bench with us. Tyler has really taken the last couple days and we have seen some growth out of him.
“Then with Preston, you know he is going to work.”
The Mustangs play at most one post player at a time and oftentimes lean on their 5-guard lineup, but the game shifted as the smaller guards showed they could still get to the basket through the physicality. Senior Aydan Blackford converted a 3-point play with 2:01 left in the half to pull the Mustangs within 19-18.
“When people are physical, you just got to be physical back,” North Nodaway junior Mason Casner said.
The teams traded baskets, but Owen Martin closed the half with a bucket to put the Mustangs up 22-21 at the break.
Blackford scored again to open the third quarter and Brice Trimble who had missed two 3-pointers on the first possession of the half hit a 3-pointer and then came up with a steal that Blackford turned into two points to push the lead to 29-21.
“That kid has got confidence like no other,” Cody Jenkins said. “That is what I tell him. Shooters shoot the basketball. You can’t be afraid to miss the next one when you’ve missed a couple.”
The Thunder fought right back and Preston Jenkins had a putback finish before Cook scored again. Blackford quelled the run with another 3-point play, but the Thunder added a Lane Larabee 3-pointer and a Jenkins bucket to trim the margin to 32-31 entering the fourth quarter.
Larabee gave the Thunder the lead back at 33-32, but Blackford answered with a score before Casner converted for an and-1 with 3:56 left.
“Energy is a big thing on our team, we preach that a lot,” Casner said. “We have a whole sheet that says EGBs on it for how much energy we have during the game.”
Then the new guy in the lineup made his presence felt. Sophomore Kaeden Nave wasn’t able to play early in the season with a cast on his arm, but the ball found him with three minutes left and he didn’t hesitate — knocking down a 3-pointer to cap the decisive 8-0 run.
“It was a tight game near the end and I know that I am going to shoot it if I’m open,” Nave said. “And it went in.”
Gray scored on the other end, but Trimble knocked down another 3-pointer. Another Gray bucket led to the fouling game starting with 1:35 left. Nave split a pair as did Martin, but the Thunder couldn’t score on the other end. Blackford essentially ended the game by knocking down two foul shots to make it a 10-point lead before the margin eventually settled at 48-41.
Blackford finished with a game-high 17 points while Casner had eight, and Trimble and Martin each had seven. Nave added four, Ethan Fry had three and Clements had two.
For the Thunder, Gray had 14, Jenkins had eight and Cook, Deontae Mincy and Larabee had five each. Tye Hoyt and Cooper Snodderley each had two.
The Thunder face a tough upcoming slate with a trip to Rock Port (12-4) on Friday and a home game with Platte Valley (17-1) on Tuesday. The Mustangs host Mound City (5-12) on Friday and Union Star (1-11) on Thursday.
