PLYMOUTH – It was a clean sweep weekend for Plymouth’s Pilgrims as they wore out Mishawaka 67-44 at Plymouth Saturday night.
The question was; could the Pilgrims repeat the intensity of an outstanding Friday night when two nights in a row. The emphatic answer from the Plymouth bench was yes.
“We exerted a lot of energy last night and (the bench) was really a key for us,” said Plymouth head coach Ryan Bales. “There is no doubt we were a little tired and Josh (Anders) is a little banged up. Brayden (Davidson) was in there because they (Mishawaka) play a lot of zone, he’s someone who can stretch a zone. But he got a lot of hustle plays and competing on the defensive end and he finds ways to make plays at key moments and he was a big part of our win tonight.”
“We had a group in there at the end – Jack (Barron), Cam (Eveland), Brayden (Davidson), Garrett (Tharp) and Nick (Felke) and that five really finished the job for us,” said Bales. “We had other guys step up at moments but it was that five who really executed what we needed to do. I was very proud of that group I think they really stepped up at a key moment for us.”
Davidson gave great minutes to the cause scoring seven points and providing the before mention “hustle plays” at key moments. Tharp ended the night with six points and five rebounds to give the Pilgrim regulars a much needed break.
Nick Felke capped off an incredible weekend with a 20 point game with five rebounds and five assists. Josh Anders had 10 points and five rebounds, Cam Eveland had 10 and six.
Still there will be something to work on at practice Monday.
“Kind of a weird game,” said Bales. “I felt we were on the verge but I don’t know if it was fatigue or what but I didn’t think we were real sharp on some things on both ends of the floor that we didn’t see last night. We just weren’t as sharp.
“For example, they spread the floor well, and it was just little things. (Jordan) Arch came out and was five for five in the first half and our scouting report told them he was going to bury three’s in your face and he did that. But once we got rolling at the end I thought we did an outstanding job.”
And once again the credit went to the bench.
“I think we just brought some energy tonight and our bench is huge in that. If our bench can bring energy – you come over to a bench that’s dead you may not play with a whole lot of energy. They are running out on the court at time outs, picking each other up and that’s huge.”
Plymouth is now 13-4 with a Thursday game at Goshen.
Score by Quarters
Mishawaka 14 19 31 44
Plymouth 12 27 44 67
Mishawaka (44) – Arch 7 3-4 19, Shively 8 2-2 14, Eggleston 1 0-0 2, Hall 2 0-0 4, Orbin 0 0-0 0, Adkins 0 0-0 0, Wakes 1 1-3 3, Williams 1 0-0 2, Rider 0 0-0 0. Totals 18 6-11 44.
Plymouth (67) – Neidlinger 0 0-0 0, Barron 1 0-0 3, Eveland 4 1-3 10, Carmichael 0 0-0 0, Felke 7 4-4 20, Nixon 0 0-0 0, Owen 0 0-0 0, Pavey 0 0-0 0, Anders 4 2-4 10, Friar 4 0-0 8, Davidson 2 1-2 7, Tharp 3 0-0 6, Irwin 1 0-0 3. Totals 26 8-13 67.
3 Pt. FG – Mishawaka 2-14 (Arch 2), Plymouth 7-21 (Felke, Davidson 2).
Rebounds – Mishawaka 18 (Shively 6), Plymouth 34 (Eveland 6).
Assists – Mishawaka 4 (Shively 3), Plymouth 14 (Felke 5).
Steals – Mishawaka 6 (Shively 3), Plymouth 8 (Eveland 5).
Turnovers – Mishawaka 13, Plymouth 11.
Fouls (Fouled out) – Mishawaka 13, Plymouth 13.
JV Score – Plymouth 47, Mishawaka 34.
