Defense the difference in Longhorns’ loss

By Phil Cobb | January 11, 2017 |

By DAVID MERRILL/DAILY FORUM
South Nodaway’s Taylar Freemyer goes in for a layup against Worth County on Wednesday in the Stanberry Invitational. He had 20 points, but the Longhorns lost 63-55.

STANBERRY — The South Nodaway boys’ basketball team saw its Stanberry Invitational play come to an end on Wednesday with a 63-55 loss to Worth County. It marked the fourth straight loss overall for the Longhorns.

The game, however, was a vast improvement from the first time the two teams met in Barnard and the Tigers left with a 60-point win.

That being said, head coach Dustin Skoglund said his team needs to improve in a number of areas.

“We were more consistent on both ends of the floor, but not consistent enough,” he said. “It’s one of those situations where, numbers-wise, we’re so much smaller than teams like Worth County and North Andrew, that we have to play clean. If we don’t play clean, we don’t win.

“I was disappointed that we weren’t able to play a clean game, but we definitely played a lot better than the last time we played them.”

South Nodaway sophomore Taylar Freemyer, who finished with 20 points, helped keep the Longhorns in it with numerous big shots in the second half when the team needed them.

The Longhorns trailed 32-23 at the half, but Freemyer gave them the lead at 33-32 with a layup at the 3:17 mark in the second half.

Worth County then called a timeout and took the momentum back from South Nodaway. The Tigers owned the final 3:17 of the third quarter and went on a 13-4 run to close the frame and take a 46-37 lead into the fourth quarter.

Worth County tried its best to not let South Nodaway back in the game, but Trey Farnan and Freemyer kept up the scoring load as Freemyer cut the Tiger lead to six at 52-46 with 4:11 left in the game.

South Nodaway never got any closer than six points the rest of the way, however, as it trailed 57-51 and 59-53 before the Tigers made their free throws down the stretch.

Skoglund liked what he saw out of Freemyer despite the team not coming away with the win.

“He played about as clean of a game as anybody on our team,” Skoglund said. “He’s a kid that’s got some innate basketball skills. It comes naturally to him and he works really hard at it. In all reality, he’s probably our best player. It’s important that he continue to do that and do that consistently.”

Freemyer said the difference in Monday’s game came down to mental mistakes on the defensive end.

“We just needed to play better defense,” he said. “We didn’t get the stops we needed at the end or throughout the game. You have to be smarter on defense. We can’t lose our man and things like that. It’s just basic stuff and we have to get better at it.”

Logan Harlan put in 17 points and five rebounds while Trey Farnan finished with 12 points and 13 rebounds.

South Nodaway finished with 14 turnovers.

The Longhorns, who fall to 6-7, will have eight days to correct their mistakes before they travel to Nodaway-Holt for a 7:30 p.m. tipoff on Jan. 19.

South Nodaway beat Nodaway-Holt 49-41 when the two teams met in Barnard on Dec. 9, but Skoglund said that may make it even harder.

“They’re incredibly athletic like the last two teams we’ve played and the recipe will be the same,” he said. “Keep them out of the paint while we try and get buckets in the paint. We’ve played some great offensive games and great defensive games.

“We need to play one where we do both. We did that last time we played them and we won, so I’m sure they’ll be hungry.”

We need to play one where we do both. We did that last time we played them and we won, so I’m sure they’ll be hungry.”

SOUTH NODAWAY (6-7): SCORING (FG made-att., 3 PT made-att., Ft made-att.) — Tay. Freemyer 20 (9-10, 0-0, 2-4); Harlan 17 (4-7, 2-6, 3-4); Farnan 12 (6-18, 0-0, 0-2); Tris Freemyer 4 (2-4, 0-2, 0-0); Prettyman 2 (1-4, 0-0, 0-0). TOTALS: 55 19-39 (48.7%); 2-8 (25%); 5-10 (50%).

REBOUNDS: SN — 34 (Farnan 13)

STEALS: SN — 8 (Harlan 4)

BLOCKS: SN — 0

ASSISTS: SN —12 (Tris. Freemyer 4)

TURNOVERS: SN — 14

FOULS (FOUL OUT): SN — 16 (Tay. Freemyer)

By DAVID MERRILL/DAILY FORUM
South Nodaway’s Tristan Freemyer gets past his defender while head coach Dustin Skoglund watches on from the bench during the Longhorns’ game against Worth County on Wednesday. South Nodaway took the 63-55 loss, putting it at four straight.

By DAVID MERRILL/DAILY FORUM
South Nodaway’s Trey Farnan takes a shot in the paint against Worth County on Monday. He had 12 point and 13 rebounds, but the Longhorns took a 63-55 loss.