NASHWAUK- The North Woods boys basketball team moved to 3-1 on the season early this week, bouncing back from a 70-60 loss at Moose Lake on Monday with a convincing 99-70 win over Nashwauk-Keewatin on Tuesday.
The Grizzlies led Moose Lake in the second half, but Head Coach Andrew Jugovich said that the Rebels dictated the pace toward the end to pull this one out.
“Their game plan was to slow us down, spread us out and force us to make a few mistakes on defense, and they did,” Jugovich said. “And when we made those mistakes, they were able to hit an open three or layup. It was tough for our boys to adjust, and then we felt rushed at the end. Even for how fast we normally go, it was definitely rushed.”
Back on the road on Tuesday, the Grizzlies found themselves down quickly to N-K and had trouble containing Spartans senior guard Marcus Moore in the first half.
“He was unstoppable,” Jugovich said. “He scored 25 of their 45 points in the first half.”
But the second half was a different story. With some defensive adjustments, the Grizzlies took Moore and the crowd out of the game, while North Woods geared up their game on both ends of the floor. They held Moore and the other Spartans to only 25 second-half points while piling up 56 points of their own to breeze to the 99-70 win.
Jonah Burnett continued to be a force for the Grizzlies’ offense, hitting a team leading 23 against Moose Lake and piling up 32 against N-K. Jared Chiabotti edged Burnett out for top scorer against N-K with 34 points.
The Grizzlies had a home contest scheduled for Friday against Northland, and will play Wrenshall in Babbitt in the Northeast Range gym on Monday.