Bluejays bounce back with win over Osborn
By DAVID MERRILL/DAILY FORUM
Northeast Nodaway’s Spencer Weir goes in for a layup against Osborn during the Bluejays’ 62-35 win over the Wildcats on Tuesday. Weir finished with a team-high 16 points.
OSBORN — It could have been the change of venue, but the Northeast Nodaway boys’ basketball team defeated Osborn 62-35 on Tuesday in the consolation side of the Platte Valley Invitational.
Bluejay head coach Vance Proffitt said he could see the difference from his team’s loss to St. Joseph Christian the night before.
“We didn’t do much better in the first half, but in the third quarter, we came out and let our defense transition into our offense and we scored some points,” he said. “We made it easy on ourselves. We gave up way too many points in the first half, but did a great job in the second half turning that around.”
The Bluejays led by just three at the half (23-20), but then outscored the Wildcats 39-15 over the final two quarters. Spencer Weir and Mitchell Sherry led the Bluejays with 16 and 12 points respectively, but it was a very balanced scoring effort. Twelve different players scored at least one basket for Northeast Nodaway.
Weir gave NEN a boost to start the third quarter as he drained a 3-pointer to on the first play. It sparked an 8-2 Bluejay run before the Wildcats pulled back within seven at 33-26 with just under three minutes left in the frame.
Northeast Nodaway (2-1) countered with an 9-1 run to pull out to a 42-27 lead and Osborn never gained any more momentum.
Weir and Sherry have been pacing the Bluejays as underclassmen (Weir is a sophomore and Sherry a freshman) through the first few games and Proffitt has been impressed.
“Mitch is a sparkplug who is coming into his own as a freshman,” he said. “He still does some freshman things, but we’ll get past that. He’s a nice sparkplug and he allowed Weir to get inside and get some easy baskets. We benefitted from a freshman stepping up tonight and we’re a team that is going to benefit from anybody stepping up.”
Osborn head coach Jonathan Hall said the momentum got away from his team in the second half.
“Northeast Nodaway played really well in the second half and they were able to get inside and score on us better than they did in the first half,” he said. “We need to play better defense, but that will come with experience.”
The Wildcats are a young squad as well. They have five freshmen, two sophomores, one junior and one senior.
Northeast Nodaway will take on DeKalb Thursday at 5:30 p.m. in the consolation championship.
NORTHEAST NODAWAY (2-1): SCORING (FG made-att., 3 PT made-att., FT made-att.)- Weir 16 (3-10, 2-7, 4-7); Sherry 12 (6-8, 0-4, 0-1); Auffert 6 (3-4, 0-0, 0-0); Vore 5 (2-5, 0-1, 1-2); Scroggie 5 (2-4, 0-0, 1-2); Freemyer 4 (2-4, 0-0, 0-1); Welch 3 (1-1, 0-0, 1-2); Bredlow 3 (0-1, 1-2, 0-0); Spire 2 (1-4, 0-0, 0-0); Adwell 2 (1-1, 0-0, 0-0); McIntyre 2 (1-2, 0-0, 0-0); Gray 2 (1-1, 0-0, 0-0). TOTALS: 62 23-46 (50%); 3-14 (21.4%); 7-15 (46.7%).
OSBORN (0-2): SCORING (FG made-att., 3 PT made-att., FT made-att.)-Hill 16 (7-14, 0-0, 2-4); Sanderson 8 (2-3, 1-1, 1-2); Miller 4 (2-9, 0-0, 0-1); Detweiler 4 (1-1, 0-0, 2-5); Dorton 3 (1-2, 0-0, 1-5). TOTALS: 35 13-33 (39%); 1-1 (100%); 6-17 (35%).
REBOUNDS: NEN- 47 (Weir 12, Spire 6) OS- 19
STEALS: NEN- 15 (Weir 5); OS- 0
BLOCKS NEN- 0, OS- 0
ASSISTS: NEN- 22 (Weir 5, Spire 5, Scroggie 3)
TURNOVERS: NEN- 11
FOULS (FOUL OUT): NEN- 20 (none)
By DAVID MERRILL/DAILY FORUM
Northeast Nodaway’s Dalton Auffert finds room for a short jump shot while being guarded by Osborn’s Caleb Sanderson on Tuesday. The Bluejays rolled to a 62-35 victory in the Platte Valley Invitational contest.
By DAVID MERRILL/DAILY FORUM
Northeast Nodaway’s Eli Scroggie guards Osborn’s Brayden Detweiler during the Bluejays’ 62-35 win over the Wildcats on Tuesday. Scroggie scored five points in the win.
