Menu
Knights’ pressure too much for Lakers
BRAZIL — The Shakamak Lakers got lost in the forest during its trip to Northview on Thursday evening as the Knights came away with a 66-31 girls’ basketball victory.
The Knights boast a roster with four varsity regulars that are five-foot-11 or taller and Northview used that length on both ends of the court. Shakamak struggled to find its shooting range during the first half as Northview played a full court pressure defense that forced 14 turnovers before intermission. Meanwhile, the Knights got everything it needed on the offensive end from senior six-foot-one guard Stacy Payton, who poured in 26 of her 29 points before halftime, hitting five 3-pointers.
“They are a really good team. Northview puts a lot of pressure on the ball and that forces a lot of turnovers,” Shakamak coach Kris Davis said. “We only had one or two (girls) that could even come close to handling (Northview). They move the ball well and are just a complete team that did everything right tonight.”
The Lakers battled their way into the post against the Knights, but found a swarming group of Northview defenders. Shakamak was just 5-of-15 from the field over the opening two periods. The Lakers only attempted four shots in the second period as Northview forced the tempo and some rushed shots by Shakamak.
“We have been working on it in practice the last couple weeks,” Northview coach Zack Keyes said of the full court pressure defense. “Finding ways to create turnovers and to create easy buckets. We did a pretty good job of that tonight.”
Northview was efficient with the extra possessions created by those turnovers hitting 8-of-12 from the field in the opening period and 14-of-24 before halftime.
Payton, who signed her letter-of-intent to play college softball at Ball State University next year, was on fire from 3-point range during the first half.
The senior nailed 5-of-7 from long range while scoring 26 points on just 14 shots over the opening two periods.
“We shot the ball very well tonight. It makes coaching a lot easier when you have a player score 26 points in one half. Stacy got hot and really carried us there in the first half,” Knights’ coach Zack Keyes said of Payton. “It really opened things up for us and we were able to get the ball inside for some action in the post.”
Northview scored the game’s first 11 points before the Lakers got on the board as Moriah Messmer scored four points and Rachel Wise added two more. The Knights led 18-7 at the first stop and turned up the defense in the second period, holding the Lakers to just four points while building the lead to 34-11 at the break.
Payton’s first half outburst led to a change in defensive schemes for the Lakers.
“We came out defensively and tried something we have never tried before with the box-and-one on (Stacy) Payton,” Davis noted. “That seemed to frustrate her a little and cause a few extra turnovers. We were able to put the ball in the hole a little bit easier because we were moving the ball like we should have been the whole game.”
Shakamak held Payton to just three points in the third quarter, but the Knights were able to throw the ball into the paint to Jenny Lundy, who had four points. Addy Thompson nailed a 3-pointer for Northview and added seven of her nine points in the third quarter.
“If people are going to play a box-and-one on her it is beneficial for us because we get to send the ball to the post and get easy stuff down there,” Keyes said. “That is the benefit of having the two Lundy sisters. They are hard to guard when you are guarding with five (players) and really hard when you are trying to guard with four.”
With Payton on the bench in the fourth quarter, Northview got six of Jenny Lundy’s 14 points and a 3-pointer apiece from Abby Conrad and Haley Richey to close out the win.
“Getting nine points from Addy Thompson was huge and I thought it was one of her better games,” Keyes said of the sophomore guard. “Chelsea Vanatti played outstanding and this was a great team effort and even Abby Conrad and Haley Richey got in there and knocked a ‘3’ down.”
Alyssa Garo and Messmer lead the Lakers with 10 points apiece.
Northview (2-0 overall) travels to Riverton Parke on Tuesday. Shakamak (1-2 overall) hosts Cloverdale on Saturday.
Northview (66)
Buell 1-2 0-0 2, Thompson 4-7 0-0 9, Vanatti 0-1 0-0 0, Payton 11-17 1-2 29, O. Lundy 2-5 0-0 4, Hill 0-0 0-0 0, Sparks 1-2 0-0 2, Conrad 1-2 0-0 3, J. Lundy 7-12 0-2 14, Nelson 0-0 0-0 0, Richey 1-2 0-0 3, Spears 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 28-50 1-4 66.
Shakamak (31)
Huddleston 0-2 1-3 1, Garo 3-11 4-4 10, Hinkle 2-5 0-0 4, Messmer 4-8 0-0 10, Kairies 0-2 0-0 0, Gamble 0-1 0-1 0, Wise 3-4 0-1 6, Lash 0-0 0-0 0, Busenbark 0-0 0-0 0, Walters 0-0 0-0 0, Pierce 0-1 0-0 0. Totals: 12-34 5-9 31.
Northview 18 16 16 16 - 66
Shakamak 7 4 8 12 - 31
3-point field goals - Nv 8-16 (Payton 6-9, Thompson 1-3, Richey 1-2, Sparks 0-1, Vanatti 0-1), SH 2-8 (Messmer 2-3, Garo 0-3, Huddleston 0-2). Total Rebounds - Nv 28 (J. Lundy 9, Thompson 5), SH 21 (Garo 5). Total Fouls - Nv 14, SH 8. Turnovers - Nv 16, SH 21.
Junior varsity: Northview 31, Shakamak 12.
Northview: Haley Richey 17 points. Adrienne Combs 4, Addison West 4.
Shakamak: Abbigayle Gamble 5.