NWOAL OPENER … Evergreen’s Riley Dunbar elevates for a shot in the lane. Dunbar had 18 points to lead Evergreen in a 50-44 win. (PHOTO BY RENEA KESSLER / THE VILLAGE REPORTER)
By: Joe Blystone
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
publisher@thevillagereporter.com
METAMORA (January 11, 2024) – What was that ESPN 30 for 30 about Jim Valvano and North Carolina State’s NCAA title season called? Survive and Advance?
Evergreen (8-2, 1-0 NWOAL) took a 12-point fourth quarter lead, then had to survive a spurt of missed free throws to hold off Delta 50-44 on the opening night of league play in the NWOAL.
“Defensively we gave up some things we shouldn’t have early on, but I think we got better in the third quarter,” expressed Viking coach Jerry Keifer.
“We all of a sudden remembered what we worked on in practice and guarded the high post and when that happened, we slowly gained some ground.”
The Vikes took a fast eight-point lead only to have the Panthers come back to go up in the second quarter.
Riley Dunbar twice got inside early on feeds from Drew Gillen and Blade Walker, Tyson Woodring scored on a runout and Walker added a pair from the line for an 8-0 Viking bulge with 5:10 left in the first.
Two foul line jumpers from Alex York brought Delta within 10-8 before Woodring buried a deep triple at the buzzer to make it 13-8.
The Panthers then answered with an 8-0 run of their own. Luke Reinhard started the burst with a three-ball, Jude Gibbons scored a floater then Walter Hallett split two from the stripe and got a putback that gave Delta a 16-13 advantage with 5:39 to go in the half.
The teams traded hoops until the 1:54 mark when with the Panthers ahead 22-19, Eli Keifer scored on a drive, Troy Manz nailed a triple and Keifer found Dunbar on a fast break to regain a four-point Viking lead that was maintained when Gillen hit an angle jumper at the buzzer.
“Those two shots we hit at the end of each quarter in the first half were a big difference in the first half,” said Keifer. “Instead of going in maybe down a basket, we are up four.”
Evergreen took the same four-point margin into the fourth at 36-32 when they hit the Panthers with a second 8-0 salvo.
Dunbar and Keifer each scored inside, Manz stuck back his own miss off a triple and Keifer went 2/2 from the line to make it 44-32 with 4:28 to go.
Then Keifer, Woodring and Manz all had shots at the line roll off the rim and go in and out during a streak of seven of eight misfires that helped Delta climb back into contention.
Justin Ruple hit twice from inside 10 feet as Delta closed to within 47-41 with just over a minute to go. Tyler Ruple would hit a corner triple for the Panthers with 17.4 on the clock to make it 48-44.
However, Dunbar closed the door, hitting 2/2 at the charity stripe, putting the cap on an 18 point, 12 rebound, three blocked shot night.
“It’s a good win because it’s a league win on the first night of league play,” Keifer explained. “You can’t compete for an NWOAL title if you don’t win the first game at home.”
Woodring added 10 points for the Vikings who had just six turnovers on the night to offset a subpar shooting night from both the floor and the foul line.
Justin Ruple had 10 to pace Delta, who fell to 6-4 on the season and 0-1 in the NWOAL.
DELTA 8 16 8 12 – 44
EVERGREEN 13 15 8 14 – 50
DELTA (44) – J. Ruple 10; T. Ruple 3; J. Gibbons 2; W. Gibbons 0; Reinhard 8; York 8; Hallett IV 7; Brasher 4; Bower 0; Hoffman 0; Eberly 2; Totals: 14-3-7 – 44
EVERGREEN (50) – Manz 5; Keifer 8; Woodring 10; H. Vaculik 1; Gillen 4; Walker 3; Dunbar 18; Totals: 17-2-9 – 50
JUNIOR VARSITY: Delta, 47-35