Mustangs outlast shallow Bluejays’ lineup
HENRY JANSSEN/DAILY FORUM
Audrey Trimble prepares to convert a layup for North Nodaway in Friday’s win 48-26 win against Northeast Nodaway as Gabby Briney looks on. Both teams are back in action on Tuesday night.
The North Nodaway girls’ basketball team put together a dominant performance in the second half against Northeast Nodaway on Friday night, outscoring its opponent 23-7 in the final 16 minutes of play and walking away the victors, 48-26.
After an exchange of several leads, the Mustangs entered the second quarter with a 15-14 lead. Of the Bluejays’ five made field goals in the first half, four of them were 3-pointers. Sophomore forward Gerry Runde knocked down three of her four triples in the first eight minutes of play.
“In the beginning, Runde started to hit some stuff,” North Nodaway senior forward Bethany Herndon said. “At halftime, we went back to a box-and-one because they’re not as strong in the paint as our girls. We knew if we got her shut down they’d have to do other things.”
The lack of depth for the Bluejays meant exhausted legs throughout the second half. The seven-girl roster – who will lose Vanessa Riley to season-ending shoulder surgery on Tuesday – was outrun by the Mustangs in the later stages of the game.
North Nodaway capitalized on fatigue by winning the third quarter 13-3, and the fourth 10-4.
“North Nodaway’s so tall inside, we knew we wouldn’t get a lot of looks in the paint tonight,” Northeast Nodaway head coach Joyce Stiens said.
North Nodaway has three players, including Herndon, who are listed as 5’10” or greater.
“We work on our outside game a lot because we don’t have that strength inside this year. When they switch and really start pressuring, we’ll have to try to get an inside game going but we’re taking steps at a time. We have to get in better shape, we can play a really strong second half. They give all they’ve got, and that’s all I can ask of them.”
Runde’s 12 points was a team-high for the Bluejays, tied with freshman guard Jana Walker.
North Nodaway’s offensive production came largely from Herndon in the first half. All 12 of her points were scored in the first 16 minutes. Senior center Madison Thompson was close behind with 10, and sophomore Audrey Trimble accrued nine.
North Nodaway head coach Sami Jackson likes the direction her team is heading at what she believes to be a pivotal point of midseason play.
“Our guards did a great job of containing the drive on them,” she said. “Runde was knocking them down, and we changed up our defense successfully. Doing that helped us keep their girls out of the middle. Once we started trusting our post and taking away the outside shot, we became successful. We played our game in the second half.”
North Nodaway will host Mound City on Tuesday night for a 6 p.m. tipoff. Northeast Nodaway travels to Tarkio the same night for a 6 p.m. competition of its own. The two teams are not scheduled to meet again in the regular season.
HENRY JANSSEN/DAILY FORUM
North Nodaway guard Alisha Davison glares at the basketball as Northeast Nodaway point guard Makayla Adwell looks for opportunities to create offense. North Nodaway was the victor, 48-26.
HENRY JANSSEN/DAILY FORUM
Northeast Nodaway’s Gerry Runde – who had a hot hand from 3-point territory in the first half of Friday night’s game – is forced into a predicament by North Nodaway’s Kristin Herndon. Runde finished with a team-high 12 points.
