Your future, our focus
After losing to Sheridan on a clock-beating 3-pointer, the Northwest College mens basketball team welcomed the blowout it earned over Little Big Horn College.
The split of two games last week could easily have turned into 2-0. The Trappers fell to Sheridan 90-87 in the last second of play, then thumped the Rams 106-61.
“Hopefully we can get another winning streak going,” said Trapper guard Seth Bennett, a redshirt freshman from Meeteetse.
Northwest is 15-11 after not long ago seeing a four-game win stretch end.
The overpowering victory over Little Big Horn was good for the psyche.
“Everyone got to play a lot,” said Bennett, who scored 5 points off the bench.
Northwest promptly established the tempo, trapping and pressuring on defense.
“We came out pretty quick and got a lot of steals,” Bennett said of the opening minutes against the Rams.
Center Joel Maumba also seemed to have free rein on drives to the hoop for an assortment of short shots. Maumba pumped in 27 points, leading four other players in double figures.
The 6-foot-7 freshman also threw down 25 points against Sheridan, and complemented that total with 12 rebounds.
“He’s starting to play so much better,” coach Brian Erickson said.
Northwest played without top scoring guard Grantham Gillard in both games because of a sprained ankle. The scoring against the Bruins reflected that with Maumba, Sukhjot Bains (24 points, 16 rebounds) and Levi Londole (9 points, 10 rebounds) keeping things close because of their inside play. It was 45-44 Sheridan at the time.
The Trappers had other injury woes too. Jordy Telfort, coming back from knee surgery, had to sit out against Sheridan. Forward Dan Milota, who had knee surgery a month ago, is on the verge of returning but had not yet been cleared to play.
“The guys really stepped up but we got tired,” Erickson said. “It was an inspirational game to be part of as a coach and that’s hard to say because you lost.”
Erickson could only shake his head when a Bruin hit a 25-foot shot with time running out to decide the contest.
Against Little Big Horn Jordon Rood (17 points), Bains (16) Skyler Zabriskie (15) and Londole (13) joined Maumba in double figures.
Damon Leach grabbed 9 rebounds and freshman Joey Jewell from Cowley scored 8 points.
With everyone getting playing time and doing well the team seemed to add a new layer of camaraderie, Erickson said.
“The bench was jumping up and down,” he said. “We grew for sure.”