By JOSH BURRIS
The Norwell Knights made things look easy against a strong Jay County Patriots team Friday night at The Castle, sending their visitors home with a 71-44 loss.
The Knights (18-3) got going early, making 7 of their first nine shots to take a 21-11 lead early in the second quarter. They ended the game shooting 26-of-40 overall and 12-of-21 from the 3-point line.
The Patriots (17-3) entered the game allowing just 35.7 points per game, which ranked third best in the state. The most points they had allowed all season was 59 against Indianapolis Tech.
“They control the tempo a lot. Their zone is really good. I mean, it’s a really good 3-2 zone,” Norwell coach Mike McBride said after the game. “They play it really well. They’ve got good length in it. I thought we executed pretty well offensively what we wanted to do against it.”
Lleyton Bailey led the Norwell charge with 17 points, followed by Luke McBride with 16, Luke Graft with 13, and Jake Parker with 12.
Besides shooting the basketball well, Coach McBride was also pleased with the ball movement he saw from his team as the Knights finished with a season-high 19 assists.
“We obviously shot the ball well,” McBride said. “But again, I think it just goes back to we have good shooters, and if we take good shots we have a chance to shoot a high percentage. I think that’s the main thing. I think right now we are just playing really unselfish. We are moving the ball and sharing it. And we are finding that open guy. It’s just difficult for teams that have to match up with that.”
A layup and jumper by McBride sandwiched around a layup and free throw by Graft helped the Knights double up the Patriots at 28-14 with 4:28 left in the first half.
Graft hit two more shots in the quarter, McBride hit a three, and Jon Colbert got a layup to help Norwell take a 37-19 lead at halftime.
Threes by Parker and Bailey early in the third quarter pushed Norwell’s lead to 20 at 43-23. The Patriots kept the deficit right around that mark, ending the quarter down 53-35.
A bucket by Graft with 1:55 remaining put Norwell ahead 68-44, and the Knights played the remainder of the game with their subs.
The Patriots ended the game shooting just 15-of-41 from the field and were outrebounded 25-15. Ethan Dirksen led their offense with 21 points, and Dusty Pearson followed with 13.
McBride said his team’s defensive effort helped create opportunities on offense.
“I was just really pleased with our effort tonight. I thought our defensive intensity though was the key. I thought it got us going, and then I thought it led us to going on the offensive side of the ball,” he said.
Norwell took the JV matchup 41-35 as well, but lost 30-29 in the freshman game.
The Knights will return to action on Saturday at Concordia.
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NORWELL 71, JAY COUNTY 44
At Norwell High School
JAY COUNTY (17-3): Brady Davis 0-2 0-0 0, Josh Dowlen 1-4 0-0 2, Gavin Muhlenkamp 2-8 2-4 6, Trenton Alexander 0-1 0-1 0, Ethan Dirksen 6-12 7-9 21, Blake Bogenschutz 0-1 0-0 0, Dusty Pearson 6-10 0-0 13, Bennett Weitzel 0-3 2-2 2. TOTALS: 15-41 11-16 44.
NORWELL (18-3): Jon Colbert 3-3 0-0 7, Gavin Hoeppner 0-0 0-0 0, Jake Parker 4-10 0-0 12, Luke Graft 6-6 1-3 13, Cohen Bailey 0-0 0-0 0, Lleyton Bailey 5-9 2-2 17, Luke McBride 6-10 2-2 16, Ashton Federspiel 1-1 0-3 2, Cade Shelton 0-0 0-0 0, Brody Bolyn 1-1 2-3 4. TOTALS: 26-40 7-13 71.
Jay County 11 8 16 9 –– 44
Norwell 18 19 16 18 –– 71
Three-point Goals: 3-15 (Dirksen 2-7, Pearson 1-3, Dowlen 0-1, Muhlenkamp 0-1, Bogenschutz 0-1, Weitzel 0-2), Norwell 12-21 (L. Bailey 5-8, Parker 4-8, McBride 2-4, Colbert 1-1). Rebounds: Jay County 15 (Dowlen 3, Muhlenkamp 3, Dirksen 3, Pearson 3, Weitzel 2, Davis 1), Norwell 25 (Parker 4, Graft 4, Federspiel 4, Bolyn 3, McBride 3, L. Bailey 3, Colbert 2, C. Bailey 2). Turnovers: Jay County 9, Norwell 10. Fouls: Jay County 13, Norwell 15. Fouled Out: Pearson. Technicals: None.
JV: Norwell 41, Jay County 35
Freshman: Jay County 30, Norwell 29
