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Trappers Improve Record With Wins Over Dawson, Yellowstone Christian On The Road Last Week
The Northwest College men’s basketball team added two more wins to push their overall season record to 10-3.
The wins included hanging on for a 85-80 victory over Dawson Community College on Dec. 6 and a 78-64 win over Yellowstone Christian College on Dec. 7.
The Trappers went back and forth against Dawson, with seven lead changes and six ties throughout course of the game.
Despite the close score, the game was not physical.
“The officials set the tone real early on. They called any kind of touch, on both ends,” said Brian Erickson, head coach. “They weren’t letting anybody play physical; there was no physicality.”
About three minutes into the game, NWC already had picked up enough fouls to put Dawson in the bonus.
“We really had to adjust to it,” said Erickson.
Erickson said that, because of the tone set by the officials, some easy buckets were given up. But he said he was proud of the adjustments made by the players.
The players changed how they were playing on defense to keep themselves out of foul trouble and Dawson off the free throw line — then attacked the basket more on offense to draw fouls and put themselves at the free throw line, Erickson said.
Because of the adjustments made, NWC wound up earning 35 attempts from the free throw line — and made 25 of them, or 71.4 percent — compared to Dawson’s 22 attempts (and 63.6 percent shooting).
The Trappers also got some valuable experience — learning the game isn’t over until the buzzer sounds.
With about five minutes left in the game, the Trappers led by 17. Dawson, however, cut the cut the lead to only three points before the Trappers secured the 85-80 win.
“Showed our guys, that the game isn’t (ever) really over. You got to hear that buzzer,” said Erickson. “Proud of them, win No. 9.”
Jonathan Koud paced the Trappers with 35 points. That included four 3-point baskets and a 17-for-20 showing at the free throw line. Koud also had six rebounds, five assists and two steals.
“JoJo (Koud) played unbelievable,” said Erickson.
Also scoring in double digits was Skyler Zabriskie with 15 points and Blake Hinze with 11. Hinze also had three steals.
The Trappers shot 41.4 percent from the 3-point line, and 40.7 percent from the field; Dawson shot 19.4 percent from the 3-point line and 40.5 percent from the field.
After the win against Dawson, the Trappers played Yellowstone Christian College the next evening.
“We did it by committee again,” said Erickson of the 14-point win. “We had a bunch of different guys that did a great job offensively and defensively.”
Statistics were not available from the Yellowstone Christian College game.
The NWC men’s basketball team plays tonight (Thursday) at 7 p.m. against North Idaho College and then again at noon on Saturday against the All- Stars. Those will be the last two games before the Christmas break.
After the break, the Trappers will return to host Dawson Community College at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 7.