Five Takeaways: Columbia City at FW Northrop
Game Recap: Columbia City at FW Northrop
Final Score: Columbia City 42 – Northrop 39
Columbia City jumped out to an early lead and never looked back. At the end of the first quarter they lead 17-9 behind some early offensive success from their sophomore standout, Mitchell Wilson. He had it going from deep to start the game and really controlled the offensive end of the floor for the Eagles. The second quarter was a little slower and didn’t have as much offense as both teams bought into the defensive strategies their coaches were implementing. The Bruins trailed 25-15 at the half with Isaac Anderson being their best performer at the point guard position.
The third quarter brought the same intensity on defense. Both teams managed to score seven points in the quarter and the Eagles took a 10 point lead into the final quarter of play, 32-22. Trent Simmons hit the glass hard for Columbia City and helped put an end to multiple possessions by tracking down the loose ball.
In the fourth quarter, the Northrop Bruins team that everyone was expecting to see came out. They turned it up on defense and caused multiple turnovers. They weren’t settling for the long ball on offense and had better success getting to the rim. Although they outscored Columbia City 17-10 in the final quarter, they weren’t able to overcome the deficit. They owe much of their second half success to energy and play off the bench.
Mitchell Wilson is the Real Deal
Mitchell Wilson was by far the best and most consistent player on the floor tonight. He played almost the entire game, sat out thirty seconds in the third quarter, and looked poised for a sophomore. He is shifty with the ball in his hands and can get hot from deep. Mitchell finished with a game high 15 points (2-3 2FG, 3-9 3FG, and 2-5 FT), 6 assists, 4 defensive rebounds, and 3 steals. Wilson will be the leader throughout the season for this Columbia City team and he looks ready for the challenge ahead. He brought the team into huddles during dead ball situations, was a vocal leader, and held up his end of the bargain with a great performance tonight. The Eagles will rely heavily on Mitchell throughout the season as their primary ball handler, creator, scorer, and leader. He is on a path to develop into one of the best guards in the Class of 2020.
Northrop’s Youth Showed
Northrop is a young team by nature and will experience some growing pains as they work through rotations to figure out what works best. Northrop started three sophomores and two juniors and didn’t get much out of their smaller senior class until the fourth quarter. Junior point guard Isaac Anderson was one guy that came ready to play tonight but didn’t step up to hold hid team accountable in crucial moments. Coach Chamble is looking for a leader to step up and help lead the team on the floor. They pressed early and often but their youth showed with shot selection and key possessions down the stretch. They have good, young talent but will have to learn to put it together consistently to have a successful season.
Columbia City’s Bench Use
Columbia City is not a deep team. They dress nine players on the varsity roster and really only play six of them considerable minutes. Mitchell Wilson, Ethan Christen, Michael Sievers, Garrett Roehling, and Trent Simmons are the starting five and the guys that will need to come ready to play each and every night for this team to be successful. Max Bedwell and Michael Scott gave good minutes off the bench and will probably find themselves rotating in and out of the starting lineup depending on the matchups. Mitchell Wilson finished with 15 points (2-3 2FG, 3-9 3FG, and 2-5 FT), 6 assists, 4 defensive rebounds, and 3 steals. Garrett Roehling finished with 2 defensive rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal. Ethan Christen finished with 13 points (4-5 2FG, 1-4 3FG, and 2-2 FT), 4 defensive rebounds, and 2 steals. Trent Simmons finished with 3 points (1-2 2FG and 1-4 FT), a game high 11 rebounds (9 defensive and 2 offensive), and 1 block. Michael Sievers finished with 9 points (4-8 2FG, 0-1 3FG, and 1-3 FT), 3 rebounds (2 defensive and 1 offensive), 3 assists, and 1 steal. They accounted for 95% of the scoring for the Eagles tonight.
Trent Simmons Will Be Big for the Eagles
Columbia City is without a true big man and Simmons is the tallest one on the roster. He will find himself playing bigger than he would like most nights and will be crucial to their success down the line. They will rely on him to grab rebounds on both backboards, guard the oppositions biggest player, and be an outlet for their guards when they get pressured. Tonight he didn’t have a huge impact on offense but he did flash to the middle to relieve pressure on the guards from the Northrop press. He grabbed a game high 11 rebounds (9 defensive and 2 offensive), and altered a handful of shots under the rim. They will need him to come ready to make an impact night after night for them to have any success this season. He may go unnoticed in the scoring column on some nights but he was the quiet impact guy that made it possible for Columbia City to sneak out with the win tonight.
Northrop’s Pressure Turns Into Offense
It wasn’t until late in the third quarter and early in the fourth quarter that Northrop saw anything come of their press. Columbia City handled it well for the majority of the game but started to make mental mistakes and tough passes as the game wore on. Northrop turned those unforced turnovers into easy opportunities at a high rate in transition. They will be a team that wants to get up and down the floor. They looked better getting out in transition and scoring quickly than they did in the half court offense against a stout Eagle defense. Northrop doesn’t have a huge inside presence either so they will need their guards to create scoring on offense at the basket. Their young talent will get better as the season progresses and if they can stay the course, they will surprise a lot of teams in the Summit Athletic Conference this season.