The Blackford Bruins hosted Northwestern Tuesday night in another non-conference match-up as they wind down the 2023-2024 season. The Bruins entered Tuesday night coming off 3 straight losses vs Jay County, Tipton, and Oak Hill. Northwestern entered Tuesday night 11-6 overall with a ton of height/size in their line-up. The Northwestern Tigers starting line-up consisted of every player 6'2'' or taller and the Bruins knew they would have to improve in the area of rebounding and protecting the basket to secure their 12th win on the year. Northwestern was able to get off to a great start to the game as they won the tip and then executed a back door play for an open lay-up. Northwestern has typically played a half court man to man defense for the majority of the year, but started the game in a 3-2 match-up zone vs the Bruins. Blackford has struggled in 2 out of their last 3 games vs zone defenses, so the Tigers wanted to utilize their length vs Blackford in their zone defense. Blackford moved the ball well on the first possession of the game before Kian Wells found Vince Oxley in the middle of the zone, Oxley turned and faced the basket finding Ethan Morris on a great back cut to the basket, but the lay-up ended up coming off the rim. Northwestern secured the rebound and ended up setting a high ball screen at the top of the floor, the guard rejected the ball screen and found Kellen Greer for the Tigers on the left wing to drain a 3-pointer. The Tigers quickly jumped out to a 5-0 lead over the Bruins. On the next possession the Bruins exihibited good ball movement vs the Tigers zone before finding Ethan Morris in the left corner for an open 3-pointer, the shot was short and the Tigers secured the rebound. The Tigers moved the ball in the half court before Greer found the ball again and drove the lane to stop, pivot and shoot from about 10 feet to go up 7-0. The Tigers jumped out to a 7-0 lead after the first 3 possessions, Greer scored all 7 points for the Tigers, Blackford called time-out. Out the time-out from Blackford, the Bruins once again displayed solid ball movement vs the Tigers zone before finding Gavin Collett inside the foul line area, Collett turned and shot a wide open 12 footer, the shot fell short and the Tigers secured the rebound. Northwestern pushed the ball up the floor before getting a wide open lay-up to jump ahead 9-0. The Bruins pushed the ball up the floor before Gage Baker tried a bounce pass into the middle of the zone and the Tigers shot the gap to steal and go in for another lay-up to give the Bruins a 11-0 deficit.
The Bruins returned up the floor and had another errant pass out top leading to a fast break lay-up for the Tigers, Baker fouled a Tiger sending him to the line to make both free-throws. Blackford displayed solid ball movement on the next couple of possessions resulting in open 3-point attempts from Jacob Leas and Gage Baker, the shots were off the mark. The Tigers scored on both misses, one in transition drawing a shooting foul and the other on an offensive rebound put back. The offensive rebound put back gave Blackford a 16-0 deficit. On the next possession, Kian Wells drove the lane and had the ball knocked away by a Tiger, Northwestern took advantage scoring another basket to give the Bruins a 18-0 hole about three and half minutes into the first quarter. On the Bruins next possession, Ethan Morris was able to drive into the middle of the lane before pivoting and trying to finish over Northwestern's size. Northwestern was able to deflect the shot and grab the rebound. Northwestern was able to once again find the Tigers guard Kellen Greer on the right wing for an open 3-pointer, nothing but net to extend their lead to 21-0. Blackford called time-out. Out of the Bruins time-out, Kian Wells attempted a 3-pointer from the right wing that fell short, Northwestern pushed the ball up the floor and finally Greer missed a shot from the right wing, but the Tigers came up with the offensive rebound to stick it back in and give the Bruins a 23-0 deficit with 3:25 to go in the first quarter. The Bruins were finally able to get on the board with Vince Oxley missing an open shot in the middle of the lane and securing his own rebound to finish for an And-1. Blackford went to a three quarter court press off the made free-throw, resulting in their first stop on the defensive end as a Tigers player traveled on his way to the basket. On the next possession Blackford found Oxley at the foul line and he turned and fired a pass to Baker on the right wing to drain a 3-pointer. The Bruins stayed in their press as Gage Baker and Jacob Leas trapped out high on the floor leading to a pass stolen by Ethan Morris for a lay-up.
On the next possession, Blackford was able to get a stop on the defensive end as Mason Kitterman drew an over the back foul as he blocked out the 6'6" Preston Sims. On the next Bruins possession, Oxley once again pivoted and made a beautiful pass from the foul line area to Kitterman on the right block, Kitterman displayed great patience shot faking and sending Sims sailing past him as he scored it for a basket. Northwestern passed the ball up the floor and Greer drove to the rim for another easy Tigers basket. Blackford displayed great ball movement on the next possession, with Gavin Collett kicking it out to Wells who swung the ball to Baker in the right corner for an open 3-pointer, the shot was off the mark and the 1st quarter ended with the Bruins down 25-11.
Blackford dug themselves a 23-0 deficit to start the game and would have to attempt to claw back into the game vs Northwestern. In the 2nd quarter, the Bruins played Northwestern close to even, with Kian Wells scoring 10 of his 17 points in the 2nd quarter. Wells was able to drain two 3-pointers and score a couple lay-ups. The Bruins also received a 3-point play from Gavin Collett and couple baskets from Baker and Oxley. The Bruins struggled to get stops on the defensive end, as Greer scored 19 points in the first half vs the Bruins, including three 3-pointers. Blackford entered half-time down 43-28. Vince Oxley ended up injuring his ankle midway through the 2nd quarter, as he rolled his ankle and could not return for the game. Gavin Collett ended up getting sick on the court towards the end of the 2nd quarter, putting the Bruins down two players as they headed to half-time.
Blackford returned for the 3rd quarter and outscored Northwestern by 1 point 15-14. The Bruins were able to get the score to 10 point deficit several times in the 3rd period with chances to get it under 10, but could not execute on the offensive end to trim the lead down. Gage Baker drilled three 3-pointers in the 3rd period for Blackford, Mason Kitterman scored a basket and Kian Wells hit his 3rd 3-pointer of the game for the Bruins. In the 4th quarter, the Bruins pressed with the goal of trying to get the game to single digits before the final 4 minutes, and Blackford was able to get it to a 9-point deficit with a chance of getting it to a 2-possession game, but could not get over the hump. Gage Baker hit three more 3-pointers in the 4th quarter and Ethan Morris hit a 3-pointer, giving the Bruins 8 made 3-pointers in the 2nd half. Baker hit his last 3-pointer with about 7 seconds left in the game and the Bruins were down 69-60. Baker drained a career high seven 3-pointers for the Bruins, 6 of them in the 2nd half. The Bruins hit a season high eleven 3-pointers on a season high 34 attempts. The loss drops Blackford to 11 - 10 on the year. Blackford travels to Eastern Friday night for their final road game of the regular season.
Varsity game STATS:
Gage Baker - 25 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 blocks, 2 steals and seven 3-pointers
Kian Wells - 17 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists, and three 3-pointers
Mason Kitterman - 9 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 blocks, 1 steal
Ethan Morris - 5 points, 2 assists, 3 steals and one 3-pointer
Vince Oxley - 4 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists
Gavin Collett - 3 points, 1 rebound
Jake Leas - 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals
In Junior Varsity action, the Bruins were defeated 50-49 vs Northwestern. The loss drops the Bruins to 10 - 10 on the year. The turnovers really hurt the Bruins, as they finished the game with 20 team turnovers. Blackford plays Friday night at Eastern at 6:00 pm.
JV STATS:
Kentral Toomer - 18 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals
Reggie Duren - 15 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 block, 1 steal
Mason McFeely - 9 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals
Jacob Dillon - 5 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block, 1 steal
Eli Morgan - 2 points, 1 rebound, 3 blocks
THANK YOU TO LEVI GROOMS FOR THE PICTURES!!!
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