Brown says his Northwest team embracing tonight’s chance to beat rival Lumen Christi
By Mike Moore
Staff Writer
Jackson – The first time around, Justin Brown watched as his Northwest boys played “one of our worst two quarters of basketball.”
The result was a 21-point halftime deficit at Lumen Christi on Dec. 18.
The final two quarters that night, “were probably our best two of the season,” Brown added with a laugh regarding the game, where Northwest eventually tied the Titans late in the fourth before falling 58-56.
Well, nearly two months later the same two teams are set to meet, and Brown said his guys are embracing the opportunity to pull off what would be a pretty big upset.
The teams meet tonight at 7:30 p.m. at Northwest.
“We have to play 32 minutes,” Brown said when asked about the key for tonight. “We have to be ready to play a full game. “Execution is so important. We want to limit their best players and force some of their other guys to have to beat us. But I really think that second half in the first game proved to our guys how well we can play.”
The up-and-down game against Lumen the first time around has pretty much been symbolic of the Mounties’ entire season.
They are 2-8 heading into action tonight, having lost five in a row to start the year, then winning back-to-back games, only to drop their last three, including Tuesday’s 59-54 setback to Eaton Rapids in overtime.
“We’ve been very hot and cold all season,” Brown said. “We beat Western for one win, then came back in the next two with two of our worst games.”
Which brings him to tonight, a game at home, against a top rival, with a pretty good opportunity.
“The thought is to get back on the right track,” Brown said. Lumen is 1-11 on the year and fresh off another close loss (49-47 against Charlotte) last week. “We’re the kind of team where it’s tough to explain, but when we come to play, we hang in there.”
A win tonight could do wonders for his guys’ confidence and momentum.
“I think a part of sports that gets overlooked is momentum,” Brown added. “We were 5-7 to start the season last year, then won eight in a row and went into the district and played one of our best games. To get that feeling of winning and get some confidence would be big for these guys.”
“It’s fun to be in these spots,” he added in regards to facing a program like Lumen at home. “This was a game you always look up for. We’re going to be at home with the breast cancer awareness going on. We have every reason to want to go out there and win.”
Mike Moore is a play-by-play commentator and Sports Writer for JTV Sports. You can reach him at mjm12@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.