Northwest takes aim at district crown, has to get past Jackson first
By Mike Moore
Staff Writer
Jackson – The regular season came and went, and in the end, there was one opponent able to defeat the Northwest girls basketball team.
So, after an 18-2 regular season (both losses came to Marshall), the Mounties are unofficially 0-0 as the postseason begins tonight with a Class A district opener against Jackson at 6 p.m. from Okemos.
“The goal is focus on our game and how we play,” Mounties coach Ryan Carroll said.
His statement had plenty to do with a playoff approach, but also the need to look past the first meeting of the season between his girls and the Vikings (11-8), one in which Northwest rolled to a 61-25 victory on Dec. 15.
“Truthfully, that first game isn’t on our minds at all,” Carroll said. “Jackson isn’t the same team. They are better. They were better that night than the final score shows.”
Still, plenty of what made Northwest so strong all year led to the overwhelming victory that night.
The Mounties were strong on defense, didn’t turn the ball over much, and used pressure all night to “frustrate” Jackson, as Carroll put it.
“I’d love the same result,” he said with a laugh. “When we’re on the defensive end, I want to be strong on the boards. We can play unselfish and get some good looks. If we do that and knock down shots, I think we’ll be in good shape.”
Jackson went 3-2 down the stretch of the regular season, and enters the playoffs averaging roughly 45 points per game while giving up about 40.
The game’s winner faces Everett at 6 p.m. March 2 in a semifinal.
The district final is set for 7 p.m. March 4, and will feature Okemos, Mason or Holt.
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.