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Trappers’ Boucher Continues Hot Streak As NWC Rolls Through Weekend
Sheridan College assistant men’s basketball coach Cody Ball shared his thoughts on defending Northwest College sophomore Chris Boucher following Saturday’s Region IX North battle.
“Nothing works,” Ball told NWC head coach Brian Erickson.
“We tried everything.”
Ball’s frustrations came after No. 20 NWC avenged a Jan. 9 home loss with a 112-82 road thrashing of Sheridan behind Boucher’s 35 points and 19 rebounds. The Canadian product’s monster game came one night after he led the Trappers in a 116-102 victory over Region IX foe Gillette College, also on the road.
During the Trappers’ nine-game winning streak, Boucher, a 6-10 forward, has averaged 28 points, 15 rebounds and five blocks. He hasn’t scored less than 21 since a 13-point effort on Jan. 17, and has led his team in scoring in seven of its last nine wins.
“Chris is just so unique and a very special player,” Erickson said. “What do you do? What do you do to stop him? I can’t even tell you and I’ve coached him all year. I don’t know what I’d do if I had to play against him.”
What makes the Trappers (22-4, 9-1 Region IX North) even more dangerous is that Boucher, a highly sought-after Division I prospect, is surrounded by weapons. His sophomore teammate and close friend Nicky Desilien averages 19.8 points and 4.8 assists, while sophomores EJ Hubbard (11.4 points per), Daryle Morgan (10.7) and Colin May (9.4) round out a potent starting five. Erickson’s top-four bench players, by minutes played, are also averaging a combined 21 points per contest.
“I think guys are clicking together and understanding opportunities for themselves,” said Erickson, whose team averages 98.5 points per game. “Guys aren’t forcing it. Early in the year maybe we were watching Nicky and Chris a little bit, but we’ve gone and changed that. Those guys I think ... when the opportunities are there ... they’re taking them.”
NORTHWEST 116, GILLETTE 102
NWC posted a 94-78 home victory over the then-ranked No. 18 Pronghorns on Jan. 10, but on its home court, Gillette looked determined to give the visitors a game.
The Trappers led by 18 at the half, but, according to Erickson, were caught playing Gillette’s style of basketball in the second half, and nearly let the game slip away.
“We were just playing their style, and taking these jump shots that they were forcing to us,” Erickson said. “Plus, they were getting stops and they got going. Transition-wise, it was one of those games where whoever was doing a better job on offense and defense in transition had the lead.”
Late in the game, Boucher crashed into the hardwood, and went to the bench to be checked by trainers. The Pronghorns rallied during that time and pulled ahead by two. Then, Boucher returned to the court.
“He makes a huge difference,” Erickson said.
Behind Boucher, who played 35 minutes, the Trappers recovered and secured the double-digit win. Boucher drained 32 points to go with 13 points and four blocks. Desilien dropped 21 while dishing out eight assists, and Hubbard and Morgan scored 24 and 16, respectively. May added eight points, but also had an impressive five steals.
NWC shot 48 percent for the game (41 of 84), and knocked down 22 of 25 buckets from the free-throw line. Boucher was 10 of 11 from the charity stripe. Gillette shot just 41 percent from the floor, including 4 of 25 from beyond the arc.
The Pronghorn’s 25 attempts from downtown might have been proof of a hesitance to drive the lane against Boucher.
Three players scored 20 or more points for Gillette, as Brandon Jones (22), Quinten Everett (20) and Kavel Bigby-Williams (20) fueled their team’s offense.
NORTHWEST 112, SHERIDAN 82
Without Boucher on the floor on Jan. 9, Sheridan took advantage for a 109- 88 victory over the Trappers at Cabre Gym in Powell. On Saturday, NWC proved to its Region IX foe that with Boucher, it’s a different team.
“Before the game I told our guys, ‘We’ve shown everyone what we are and the adjustments we’ve made and how much better we’ve gotten — except Sheridan,’” Erickson said. “We’re not that same team. It was good to go out there and show them that.”
The Generals battled early, and despite 14 points and seven rebounds from Boucher in the first half, trailed just 47-41 at the break.
Before the game, under the word “Offense” on the visitor’s locker room white board, Erickson said he wrote the word “Attack.” In the second half, that’s all the Trappers did.
NWC outscored the Generals 65-41 over the final 20 minutes, shooting a robust 57 percent from the floor (27 of 47). The Trapper defense also did its part, limiting the hosts to 33 percent in the second half and 38 percent for the game.
Behind Boucher, Desilien kept the offense going with 20 points, while May added 13 and Tyler Chandler chipped in 10.
May, a sharp-shooting guard from Lovell, scored nine of his points on the three ball and earned high praise from Erickson.
“I thought Colin May played spectacular basketball for us this weekend,” he said. “And not just the points. He was on point in every facet of the game.”
Terrell Butler paced Sheridan with 21 points, followed by Kyi Thomas (15), Jamir Andrews (13) and Abednego Lufile (12).
The Trappers, who sit alone atop the Region IX North standings, battle region opponents Western Wyoming Community College at 7:30 p.m. today (Thursday) at home before traveling to Casper College for a 5 p.m. matchup Saturday.
“I’m happy with where we’re at, but I’m going into it this entire time telling the guys that it’s not over yet,” Erickson said. “We’ve still got four games and we could drop all four of them.
“The biggest thing is just worrying about Western Wyoming. Our goal is to host the (Region IX) tournament and be the No. 1 seed, but we still have to go out and get these last four games.”