Northwest's Tyree Tuggle (30) blocks the shot of Kapaun's Michael Martin (5) in the 4th quarter at Northwest High Friday night. (Dec.9, 2011) Fernando Salazar/The Wichita Eagle | Buy this photo
Northwest grabs third straight win
The game would come when an opposing defense found a way to slow down Craig Nicholson. Northwest coach Chris Collins knew this.
But that has never worried him because he has faith in first-year starters Dauntae Carter and Tyree Tuggle.
Kapaun Mount Carmel held Nicholson, Northwest’s star point guard, to six points, but couldn’t contain the other Grizzlies in a 58-52 loss to Northwest on Friday night.
Carter and Tuggle combined for 27 points in the win. The two had combined for just 20 points in Northwest’s first two games.
“It’s something that we know they’ve had the ability to do, or they wouldn’t be in the starting rotation,” Collins said. “I knew they would get acclimated soon enough.”
After nearly upsetting No. 1 Heights on Tuesday, Kapaun first-year coach John Cherne employed another effective defensive strategy.
The Crusaders set senior Jack Martin on Nicholson, and whenever he needed help, they weren’t shy in bringing extra defenders. It worked, as Nicholson made two of eight shots.
“My only responsibility was Craig Nicholson tonight,” Martin said. “I didn’t even pay attention to where the ball was or anything. All I did was look at Craig.”
But when Kapaun collapsed, Carter and Tuggle were open on the perimeter.
Both knocked down three three-pointers. Carter’s third three broke a 35-35 tie near the end of the third quarter, and Tuggle’s third three ignited a 9-0 run that gave the Grizzlies a 10-point lead.
“I feel like it was the boost we needed to make it through the fourth quarter,” said Tuggle, who led all scorers with 17 points. “We just had the intensity and the hustle after that.”
Kapaun hit just 21 of 66 shots.
“When you get to eight or more (points behind), that’s four possessions,” Cherne said. “When they got up to that, that put a lot of pressure on us to score every time. Before that, we were playing possession basketball and that was allowing us to keep the game close.”
Kapaun received strong performances from Nick Cook, Braden Hullings and Toby Baxter, who combined for 35 points. But leading scorer Michael Martin never found a rhythm, finishing with nine points on 2-of-17 shooting.
Northwest improved to 3-0 and also got big performances fromveterans Spenser Gales (seven points, 14 rebounds) and Kendrick Millers (nine points).
“We felt like if we shut (Nicholson) down, we would win the game,” Jack Martin said. “We did a good job on him, but his teammates stepped up and hit shots.”
Just like Collins knew they would.
“Those guys have been contributing their whole careers,” Collins said. “It’s just when you have an individual like (Nicholson) that puts up the numbers he’s been putting up over his career, sometimes the other guys get over-shadowed.”
Kapaun (1-2, 1-2) 8 15 14 15 — 52 Northwest (3-0, 3-0) 12 7 19 20 — 58
KAPAUN: Young 1 2-2 4, M. Martin 2 4-6 9, J. Martin 0 0-0 0, Hagan 0 0-0 0, Cook 6 2-2 14, Hullings 6 0-0 12, Baxter 4 1-1 9, Lickteig 2 0-0 4, Akao 0 0-0 0. Totals 21 (1) 9-11 52.
NORTHWEST: Nicholson 2 2-2 6, Carter 3 1-2 10, Tuggle 5 4-4 17, Miller 3 3-3 9, Gales 2 3-5 7, Jones 3 0-0 7, Moncada 1 0-0 2, Smith 0 0-0 0. Totals 19 (7) 13-16 58.