Your future, our focus
Things work so much better when there is gas in the tank, the oil has been refreshed and the wheels are in alignment.
After last week’s play the Northwest College men’s basketball team, which began the season seemingly in need of a tune-up, has won 10 straight games while fulfilling the precise prediction of coach Brian Erickson.
The Trappers are not a team featuring a superstar or two. They are learning that it takes a village to win a basketball game.
Erickson said the 2016-17 Trappers were going to be a win-by-committee squad, with different leaders and standouts each game.
After an 0-3 stumbling start while the players were getting to know one another, Northwest has won big, won close, but won.
“It’s been pretty good,” said freshman guard Blake Hinze of Cody. “We know what we need to do. We just keep feeding the player who is hot. We’re not being selfish.”
In recent action the Trappers defeated Eastern Wyoming 84-81, Rexburg United 97-73, Dawson Community College 85-80 and Yellowstone Christian 78-64.
The game against Eastern was a bit of an adventure. Eastern attempted a stunning 44 three-pointers and led by 18.
But guard Skyler Zabriskie nailed a three-point shot with nine seconds left and Eastern’s try for a tie missed.
Hinze scored a career high 23 points against Rexburg, and totalled 22 points against Eastern.
The transition to college play for Hinze was more like work in the early going than in recent games.
“You’re really nervous in the first games,” he said. “Then you think, ‘I can play with these guys’ and then it’s just a normal game. The coaches are allowing me to shoot more.”
Erickson said the turning point for Hinze was the home game Northwest played Nov. 19 at Cody High School, his old gym.
“His confidence from that day on and his confidence in his shot have been obvious,” Erickson said.
Sophomore guard Seth Bennett of Meeteetse said the whole team is playing more relaxed and more confidently.
“We knew we were pretty good, but we had to loosen up,” Bennett said. “We have gotten to the point where we always have someone who steps up.”
The 10 Ws in a row?
“It’s awesome,” he said.
Against Dawson most of the points came from the back court. Hinze contributed 11 and Zabriskie 15, but swift guard Jonathan Koud pumped in 35 points.
Koud is quicker than most defenders and seizing the opportunity he repeatedly slashed to the hoop. That resulted in being constantly fouled and he made 17 of 20 free-throw attempts.
“He just goes to the rim so hard,” Erickson said. “He just lived at the free-throw line.”
Northwest had five double-figure scorers against Yellowstone Christian with forward Luc Lombardy leading the troop with 13 points and center Levi Londale adding 12.
“We’re growing every game,” Londale said.
He did not see such a dominant stretch coming.
“Honestly, no,” he said. “It feels pretty nice.”
One surprising aspect of this Trapper run is it has been accomplished mostly without forward Sukhjot Bains, one of the team’s best players, who has been out for the last six games with a toe injury. Being forced to sit out is driving Bains nuts.
“It is,” he said.
Bains is hopeful of playing Thursday and Saturday when the Trappers play their final contests until Jan. 7 because of semester break.
The Trappers do not believe they have reached their peak.
“You hope it motivates us to do better,” Hinze said. “We’re playing as a team and we know we have to play as a team to win.”
(Lew Freedman can be reached at lew@codyenterprise.com.)