The North Butler girls led early but were unable to regain scoring traction after Nashua-Plainfield took the lead back in the second quarter and never trailed again. The North Butler boys led by as many as 11, the Huskies rallied but the Bearcat had the final scoring run to put them over the top in their regular season finale. The N-P girls won 57-33 and the Bearcat boys won 53-48 on Tuesday, as aired on 99 The Wave.
In the boys game, North Butler’s defense frustrated N-P, as the Bearcats battled out to their largest lead of the first half at 23-9 with 3:08 to go in the second quarter. The Huskies trimmed the deficit to single digits at 28-17 at the half. North Butler led 37-33 at the start of the fourth. The Huskies outscored the Bearcats 11-7 over the first six minutes of the fourth, to tie the game at 44 with 2:30 to play. North Butler answered with a 9-4 run to take the lead back and seal home win.
North Butler Head Coach Austin Guerrero on protecting the lead in a playoff atmosphere and the lasting impact of seniors Ryan Austin and Kamdon Boos.
“Playing ahead, that’s a totally different style of game sometimes. You’re looking to maybe slow it down and continue to work for just that great shot opportunity every time down the floor. We did that to start and things got away from us but then we came back together. I thought tonight was a tournament type of feel, postseason type of feel to this game. That’s what I was proud of most of our guys is how we came back together and we did make another run. We were glad to put that game away,” says Guerrero. “Hats off to those two, Ryan Austin and Kamdon Boos for taking the reins and understanding what it truly looks like to be a leader for the basketball program. My favorite memory of those guys is they’re going to leave this place in a better place than where they took it over. When you can do that, that means you’re creating great young men and that’s what those two are. I know they’re destined for success.”
Jarret Shear had 14 points and Tucker Pecha had nine points to lead the Bearcats.
In the girls game, it was a back and forth first quarter until North Butler ended the quarter on a 7-0 run to take a 12-6 lead. The Huskies began the second quarter on an 11-0 run to go up 17-12 and held the Bearcats to six points in the quarter to go up 21-18 at the half. The Huskies outscored the Bearcats 36-15 in the second half to pull away.
Bearcats Head Coach Jordan Nolz put on effort against a tough Huskies squad and the example set by seniors Addy Spain and Kimberley Edeker.
“We played really well for three quarters, really well as a team. We really were accountable on each other and stuck to the script. We did a lot of things well. They went on a little bit of a run, our girls were tired and died out at the end but they had a really good effort. Some of the best three quarters we’ve seen from them this year,” says Nolz. “Those girls have been working for three, four years now, playing JV, waiting for their opportunity. They’re extremely coachable kids. They’re accountable on themselves. They’re really fun to coach. I’m going to miss them just from their attitudes. What we told our younger girls, they buy in and they really fight every second. That’s something that you guys need to look up to.”
Zoey Thompson had 12 points and Jady Thorne added nine points to lead the Bearcats.
The North Butler girls (3-17, 2-12 TIC-East) will open the Class 2A postseason at Aplington-Parkersburg on February 18. The North Butler boys (7-14, 5-9 TIC-East) will have a third meeting with Nashua-Plainfield in the first round of Class 1A district play on February 17.
Bearcats Senior Ryan Austin:
Bearcats Senior Kamdon Boos:
