Northwest basketball team uses hot start to get past Lumen 49-39
By Mike Moore
Staff Writer
Jackson – Erasing a 21-point second-half deficit back in December against Lumen Christi served as a sort of proof to Northwest coach Justin Brown that his guys could hang with the Titans on the basketball court, even if that game ended in a two-point loss.
Well, nearly two months later, there was no more sort of.
The proof was front and center.
The Mounties turned a 14-4 start to Friday night’s home contest with the Titans into a 49-39 victory that, for large portions of the game, didn’t even seem that close.
“This was good. It felt great,” Brown said afterwards. “I think, even more than for me or us, it’s so big for the school and for these players. We came out and played good basketball. We had guys play very good tonight, guys who maybe don’t always have this type of intensity. It shows how tough when can be when we play like this.”
With Lumen struggling to find any sort of rhythm on the offensive end, Northwest led 14-4 after the first quarter and 18-5 early in the second quarter.
“That may be the first time we’ve come out and been ahead after the first quarter,” Brown said with a smile. “We didn’t want to be the team that came out and was punched in the mouth this time. We wanted to the aggressor. I think that led to us playing more comfortably and playing our game.”
Lumen made a run, though, closing the half on a 12-2 run of its own for a 23-17 Mounties lead at the break.
But the third belonged to the guys in red and white, as Northwest jumped out to a 40-24 advantage entering the fourth.
But Lumen again came roaring back, going on a 9-0 run of its own to pull within six.
The deficit could have been four, a lay up inside was missed, and Northwest went the other way to score, and then ended the game on a 9-4 run.
“Missed a lay up. That’s been the story of the year,” Lumen coach Pat Neville said. “When we needed that big shot, we haven’t been able to get it.”
Brown credited seniors Connor Iott and Curtis Glaspie afterwards.
Iott finished with eight points and a number of defensive plays.
Glaspie scored 10 points, eight of which came in the second half.
“Connor and Curtis are seniors, and as they go, everyone follows,” Brown said. “They took over a few times when things could have gone badly.”
Devyn Garner led Northwest with 13 points, while Donovan Boyd added 12.
The Mounties improved to 3-9 and avenged a 58-56 loss at Lumen Dec. 18.
Kristopher Wallace was the only consistent threat for Lumen all night, finishing with 10 points, nine of which came in the second half.
Zaylen Moore scored eight points, all in the first half.
The Titans fall to 1-12 with the loss.
“I have some great kids, some great athletes,” Neville said when asked how he’s going to keep the team on track as the season winds down. “We played hard tonight. When they play hard, you can see they care.”
Mike Moore is a play-by-play commentator and Sports Writer for JTV Sports. You can reach him atmjm12@albion.edu. He’s also the author of ‘Love, Defined; A Dedication to the Love, Sacrifice, and Magic of Motherhood.’
Love, Defined is available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Tate Publishing or by contacting Mike directly.