Your future, our focus
Jonathan Koud’s stat line explained the deciding slice of the game.
The Northwest College point guard finished with 14 points and 7 assists during the Trappers’ suspenseful 81-76 victory over Western Wyoming last Saturday at Cabre Gym.
Deadlocked at 66 with a little more than five minutes to play, Koud, who possesses the acceleration power of a Corvette, floored it.
In the space of one-and-a-half minutes, the Trappers ripped off eight straight points, six by Koud as he darted down the lane, skipped past defenders, threw in reverse lay-ups and utterly broke down the Mustangs.
“Coach told me to be aggressive,” Koud said.
Nice for coach Brian Erickson to be able to flip a switch like that.
For the most part the Trappers played a symphony, unlike their musically tone deaf 72-61 loss to Miles Community College last Wednesday, or their record would be better than 18-10.
Although four players, Sukjot Bains (12 points), Koud (11), Marshall McArthur (11) and Blake Hinze (10) scored in double figures, the Trappers were outshot.
“We didn’t have good ball movement,” Erickson said. “We didn’t play half as good as we did (against Western).”
Northwest displayed brilliant ball movement against Western and shot 54.7 percent from the field.
Bains, the 6-foot-6 forward, made five 3-pointers, scored 19 points and grabbed 7 rebounds.
“Suk was great,” Erickson said.
He was not alone. Levi Londole was a beast with 17 points. Hinze hit critically timed jumpers for 11 points and McArthur scored 9. Luc Lombardy, back from France and attending his father’s funeral, hit long-range shots for 8 points that energized the fans.
During the game-breaking run, McArthur turned in a highlight-reel, coast-to-coast drive that split the defense under the hoop.
“I was planning to pass,” McArthur said. “I thought the center would come over to cover me, but he didn’t come.”
The Trappers shot 52 percent in the first half and 57.1 percent in the second half. Good passing put shooters in good spots for open looks.
“That’s how we win,” Hinze said.
(Lew Freedman can be reached at lew@codyenterprise.com.)