The Ousting of Nobal
Defeating a superstar is difficult.
Indiana Elite Central 2019 faced the towering figure of Nobal Days Sunday morning. And they sent the Wisconsin forward back to his nearby Racine home, 64-55.
Guarding For Days
How did IE Central limit a top 50 player nationally in Nobal Days to 14 points?
“We get after it,” said Indiana Elite Central 2019 Head Coach Rick Ellsworth. “We play team defense.”
Days had the reach, height, and touch to dominate the shorter opponent. Coach Ellsworth concocted a strategy to limit his production though. It worked very well.
“We went to a 1-3-1 a couple times, but we couldn’t match up in man because they had the big guy (Days) and then they had the opposite guy (Quinn Cafferty), said Coach Ellsworth. “They would get us on the high-low every now and then.”
Days stepped into the mouth of the defense, elevating into a pure mid-range jumper. His touch hints at greatness. Indiana Elite Central used a couple schemes, but settled on the original.
“We just went back to our man-to-man principles,” said Coach Ellsworth. “We were fronting the post and just playing hard. Playing hard and playing team defense, be ready to rotate.”
Much of the defensive credit goes to a Brownsburg Tri-West forward.
“If we could get him off the block, which is so big…,” said Coach Ellsworth. “Ryan Wiggins did a great job getting low into him. I don’t know how tall he is, about 6’8″, probably 6’9″/6’10”. He is Ryan is 6’5″. We just told him to get low to him, get him off the block, so it wasn’t such an easy post-up move for him.”
Butler Elite does not just feature a single player. In fact, scoring came from three angles. Overplaying Days resulted in those easy scores for Cafferty. Cafferty finished with 13 points, most of them early in the second half.
“And then Justin Hensley was guarding the other big at times,” said Coach Ellsworth. “Justin is quicker than him. He was playing behind him in the block. We just had help on the front. Kayden Key got out there and got a big layup.”
Team Win
IE Central relied upon a multi-pronged attack.
“Different guy every day,” said Indiana Elite Central 2019 Head Coach Rick Ellsworth. “We just play team basketball. We might have different leading scorers every game, but that is how we do it.”
Both teams had strong surges in the second half.
Lead guard James Franklin (Cathedral) offered a jumper from the wing. Days closed out and Nobal tried to block Franklin’s triple. Franklin released and crumpled under the rangy big’s body.
Franklin’s And1 opened up the biggest lead of the second half, 41-33.
“He is just a great ball-handler,” said Coach Ellsworth. “He is an exceptional point guard. He gets after it. The thing about being a good point guard, you put the passes on the money. You don’t want them to have to gather themselves at their feet, or it is too high. He is just a very savvy point guard.”
Through Larry Canady, Days, and Marquise Milton Butler Elite clawed back. The homestanding squad tied it up 43-43 and again 45-45.
Joining Franklin in the scoring column was Chatard guard, Justin Hensley.
“Justin (Hensley) has grown a little bit in the last year, which makes him a better driver,” said Coach Ellsworth. “He has always been a good catch-and-shoot guy. He has added that drive to the basket and it makes him a little more physical. That is where he is able to finish, as well.”
IE Central hopped up 52-47 with 3:00 remaining. Butler Elite called a timeout. The teams traded baskets out of the timeout, making the game 54-49 with 1:13 left.
No shot clock made the Indiana Elite Central lead more difficult to surmount.
When Butler Elite finally accumulated the bonus-inducing number of fouls Franklin hit his two free throws.
The contest entered the final minute, 56-49.
Ozzie Johnson (Ft. Wayne Horizon Christian) blocked Larry Canady and the free throw parade brought about the hallway cheers.
Ryan Wiggins provided a minor impediment towards the earned victory. First, he missed the front end and then he fouled a slasher.
Still Butler Elite 16u could not manage the turbulent road back to salvation.
IE Central 2019 advanced.
Through arduous team defense and spirited rebounding Nobal’s NY2LA run was no more.