June 10, 2021 at 1:12 p.m.
Season close out for Northland Eagles
Early on the Eagles played as tough as they have all season as the raced out to an early 14-0 lead just over four minutes into the game. The Trojans are a good team and would slowly start nibbling at the lead and used their height advantage to whittle the lead to 19-9 at the 10:21 mark and eventually to 23-22 with 3:09 to go before half. The next couple minutes had the teams swap baskets and the Eagles still leading at 27-26 before Sebeka would force a couple turnovers and score the last six points of the half to head into intermission with a 32-27 lead.
The Trojans would continue to extend the lead early in the second half as they went up 51-40 with just over eleven minutes remaining. The Eagles would score seven of the next nine to close to within 53-47 with 8:57 left, but this was as close as they would get as Sebeka forged a 58-49 lead with 5:00 minutes to go. The Eagles never quit hustling and stayed close the rest of the game before falling 69-61.
It was an encouraging game for the Eagles heading into the playoffs.
Eagles- 27 34 61
Sebeka- 32 37 69
Scoring- M. Johnson-2; M. Woods-10; Z. Greene-9; Z Mayers-5; J. Wicks-9; C. Kovall-15; J. Stefan-8.
With no practice before their first playoff game on Monday, February 23, the Eagles headed west again for a game against the Menahga Braves in a 7 vs. 10 seed play-in game.
Having lost to the Braves in mid-season by forty five points, the squad knew that they were going to need to play their finest game of the season.
The Braves were quick out of the chute as they took 8-2 and 14-6 leads over the first nine minutes. The Eagles would not be going away as neatly as they had on their previous trip to Menahga.
The boys surged back and used a 16-9 run to close out the half to creep back within one at halftime 23-22. The Eagles may have played their finest half of defense all season long, and could have easily been ahead by ten to fifteen points, except for the many turnovers they had.
The second half started as the first ended with the Eagles playing tough on both ends of the court as they had brief leads at 24-23 and 26-25.
The Braves press caused more turnovers again, but unlike the first half, the Eagles were unable to stop them defensively as they turned the turnovers into easy lay-ups. Using 12-2 and 16-2 runs over the next seven minutes, the Braves would blow open the game and would lead 53-30 with 9:25 remaining in the game and Eagle season. The game would end with the Eagles on the short end of a 67-47 score, but knowing that except for a seven minute stretch they had outplayed the favored Braves.
Eagles- 22 25- 47
Menahga- 23 44 67
Scoring- M. Johnson-2; M. Woods-5; Z. Greene-2; B. Swankier-4; J. Johnson-2; J. Wicks-15; C. Kovall-14; J. Stefan-3.
The last game of the season also brings an end of the high school careers for three seniors. Justin Wicks, Marcus Woods and Jarod Stefan, a roundup on these three will be in next weeks edition of the Pine Cone Press- Citizen.
Although those three will be missed the Eagles should return some key members from this year's squad.
Juniors - Center Michael Johnson, Frankie Smith, Benji Swankier, Jeremy Johnson, Dustin Sepin, Austin Cash and Zach Carney.
Sophomores - Zach Greene, Zain Mayers, Grant Hofius and Cooper Kovall.
If these underclassmen continue to work on their game in the off-season and use any experience gained this season, they should provide an exciting season next year for the local basketball fans.
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