Chris Collins’ scouting report was emblazoned with the words ‘You ready to start swinging?’
The Wichita Northwest boys’ basketball coach meant it figuratively. After two straight losses, Collins wanted the team to show some fire.
But when Bishop Carroll was literally swinging – taking out Northwest guard Chris Nicholson’s front tooth in the process – it was time for the Grizzlies to clamp down.
“We had to wait until they knocked us in the mouth, then we knew we had to respond back,” Nicholson said.
Carroll stormed to an 18-11 edge two minutes into the second quarter, taking advantage of sloppy passes and foul trouble for the Grizzlies. Nicholson, recently sans tooth after a collision, was called for a technical foul with four minutes to go in the quarter that put Carroll up 20-13.
It was just enough to spark Northwest.
“He’s going to be running because of it. That’s our rule,” Collins said. “I love the fire and I love the passion. It was more out of frustration. In another situation, a similar situation, it could have gone the other way. I think the guys saw that, and they were like ‘Ok, well here he’s fighting.’”
The Grizzles used an 8-2 run to cut the halftime deficit to 22-21. Northwest kept the momentum going, grinding to a three-point advantage heading into the fourth quarter.
Carroll’s Jordan Bieberle brought the score to 39-37 with a 3-pointer with six minutes to go. From there, however, Northwest broke away with 12 straight points. The Grizzles rolled to a 57-41 win.
“The last game (against Carroll), we were kind of out of sync, too, in that game,” said Northwest’s Spenser Gales. “Us playing together and sharing the ball opens up the court and allows everybody to make their own moves. Everybody on our team can score, and that helps us make a run.”
Nicholson dropped 20 points, while Gales and Kendrick Miller each added 12 for the Grizzlies (14-5). Gales also gobbled up 13 rebounds for a double-double.
Bieberle led Carroll’s offense with 14 points. The Golden Eagles (8-11) shot 2-for-16 from beyond the arc.
“If you give their team any time, then they’re going to knock shots down,” Collins said. “We were trying to speed them up, close out, make them swing the ball, make them think about it a little bit longer. I really was pleased with our defensive effort coming out of halftime.”
Nicholson and Gales credited this past Saturday’s practice for a more determined attitude come game time. Collins said the practice was one the players will “probably tell their grandkids about.”
More specifically from the players, it involved lots and lots of running.
It paid off.
“I don’t know what was wrong with us. We weren’t playing good at all. I guess we needed a reality check, and practice helped out with that,” Gales said. “Then when they hit us in the mouth today, they came out and were beating us, jumped out to an early lead – it was a reality check.”
