FIELD TWP- The North Wood Grizzlies were raining trifectas at home Monday against Blackduck, but it was a three-pointer they didn’t take that sank them in a heartbreaking 94-91 loss.
The Drakes put a sturdy, tall five on the floor against the Grizzlies, effectively clogging up the middle and daring North Woods to beat them from the perimeter. Jared Chiabotti picked up the teams first trey for a 7-6 lead, and Jonah Burnett canned another the next trip down the floor for a 10-8 edge. That tight early battle characterized the entire first half as the teams battled fiercely to a 45-45 halftime tie.
Brenden Chiabotti got the Grizzlies out of the blocks quickly with a rainbow three to start the second half, and picked up two more from Burnett and Louie Panichi to keep close at 57-56, but the Drakes soared as the Grizzlies turned cold, putting together a 14-2 run to go up by 14, 71-59. Ben Kruse started the Grizzlies’ long climb back with a three, and then with three minutes left and the Drakes’ lead whittled down to 82-80, Brenden Chiabotti got hot from long range. On three consecutive trips down the floor Chiabotti connected on treys, the second an acrobatic off-balance stunner, and the third the score that tied the game 86-86. North Woods regained the lead on a Jared Chiabotti steal and fast break, causing Blackduck to take a time out with 1:18 left.
When they came out of the huddle the Drakes scored a trey of their own, going back in front 91-89. Two North Woods three-pointers missed the mark, and the Drakes added a free throw following a Grizzlies’ foul. With both teams scoring from the free throw line in the last 30 seconds, Blackduck led 94-91 when North Woods’ Eli Smith rebounded a missed charity and the Grizzlies calling time out immediately with 5.9 seconds to set up for a three-pointer to send the game to overtime.
But on the inbounds pass from Panichi to Jared Chiabotti, a Blackduck defender reached in and knocked the ball off Chiabotti’s leg, sending the ball out of bounds and the Grizzlies’ hopes with it. The Drakes ran out the final seconds to escape with the win.
Threes kept the Grizzlies in the game, as five North Woods players hoisted up a combined 35 long balls and connected on 14 for 40 percent, one of their best efforts from beyond the arc for the season. Blackduck’s attack inside was even more effective, with the Drakes shooting 65 percent on 30-of-46 shooting and a 52-32 edge in points scored in the paint.
Brenden Chiabotti led the North Woods offense with 24 points, including six treys. Burnett scored 22, Jared Chiabotti had 21, and Panichi added 12.
Greenway
The Grizzles fared better last Friday on a road trip to take on Greenway in a game where their performance is aptly described relentless. North Woods raced to a 21-8 lead, withstood a comeback attempt that got the Raiders within five, and closed out the first half with a 47-35 lead. The Grizzlies lead steadily grew in the second half, due in large part to lockdown defense that created easy scoring opportunities, and North Woods ran away with this one 87-60.
The Grizzlies forced 28 turnovers with 22 steals and scored 37 points off Raiders miscues. Offensively the Grizzlies shot 51 percent from two-point range and 44 percent overall.
Burnett was the leading scorer with 19, Brenden Chiabotti had 17, Jared Chiabotti hit for 14, and Smith broke into double-digits with 14.