MIDDLEBURY – It was simply too high a hill to climb for Plymouth’s Pilgrims as they spotted Northridge a quick 11-0 lead and dropped another NLC road game by a final of 58-47.
Spotting the Raiders a quick run in the first quarter, the Pilgrims played even the rest of the way but unfortunately couldn’t have the first four minutes back.
“I can’t explain the poor start as a coach you thing you’re ready to play,” said PIymouth head coach Ryan Bales. “I think we were. I just think they came out in that first quarter and outplayed us.”
“They came out and executed extremely well and got off to a great start, after the first quarter I thought we settled down a little bit kind of went to a zone defense and got ourselves back in the game by getting stops.”
The Pilgrims had trouble cracking the Raider defense in the first half but got some much needed scoring from Nathan Patterson who put up six in the first half and was joined with seven from Kadin McCrammer.
“For us I thought Nate Patterson played well,” said Bales. “He was a great bright spot for us. He posted hard, he rebounded, he was always being aggressive.”
Patterson ended the night with nine rebounds and 10 points.
“We didn’t get production from the guys we needed production from, that’s the bottom line,” said Bales. “(Luke) Morrison came out and gave them 14 first half points. He’s their best player and he had 14 and that tells me Northridge was executing. He made some big plays. (Nick) Yoder had some big plays, especially the one in transition early on.”
Down by as many as 12 in the first quarter the Pilgrims got a defensive shot in the arm and climbed back into the game from the second quarter on. They were able to cut back the Northridge lead but could never get it below six.
The Raiders held Plymouth’s Nick Felke scoreless in the first half but he led the second half charge scoring seven in the third quarter and ending the night with 12.
“We put on the board in the locker room tonight ‘You can’t play tentative’ and for whatever reason we did,” said Bales. “I mean how many times did we get the ball to the paint from the guard stand point? There was a few times I thought we had a shot and those were the times we were passing. There were times when we got in the lane with two or three guys on us and those are the ones we were shooting. I guess we just have to keep communicating.”
Plymouth is now 9-7 on the year, Northridge is even at 7-7.
Score by Quarter
Plymouth 8 20 34 47
Northridge 22 30 40 58
Plymouth (47) – Benji Nixon 0 0-0 0, Clay Hilliard 3 0-0 8, Cam Dennie 0 1-2 1, Ryan Carmichael 0 0-0 0, Nick Felke 3 4-4 12, Nathan Patterson 4 2-2 10, Travis Owen 0 0-0 0, Kadin McCrammer 5 2-2 13, Dyllon Pavey 0 0-0 0, Cole Filson 1 0-0 3, Payton Skirvin 0 0-0 0, Tyler Games 0 0-0 0, Garrett Tharp 0 0-0 0. Totals 16 9-10 47.
Northridge (58) – Connor Utley 2 2-4 7, Justin Wine 1 1-4 3, Jackson Erekson 4 2-2 13, Nick Yoder 1 5-5 7, Luke Morrison 6 8-8 26, Kyle Carson 0 0-0 0, Micah Yoder 1 0-1 2, Zack Welker 0 0-0 0, Totals 15 18-24 58.
3 Pt. FG – Plymouth 6-20 (Hilliard, Felke 2), Northridge 10-21 (Morrison 6).
Rebounds – Plymouth 29 (Patterson 9), Northridge 24 (Erekson, Yoder 5).
Assists – Plymouth 7 (Hilliard 3), Northridge 7 (Utley 3)
Steals – Plymouth 1 (Tharp), Northridge 5 (Wine 2).
Turnovers – Plymouth 10, Northridge 5.
Fouls (Fouled out) – Plymouth 23 (Nixon, Dennie), Northridge 13.
