•December 14, 2016•
Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond Knights and Tuscola Warriors December 6 game in Arthur ended 43-21 in Tuscola’s favor.
Tuscola started the first quarter with a 11-6 lead, taking it to a 20-6 advantage at the half. The Warriors outscored the Knights 9-4 in the third to make it 29-10 heading into the fourth quarter.
Tuscola continued its momentum with a 14-11 fourth quarter and 43-21 total.
Tuscola made 45 percent of their field goals with ALAH hitting 35 percent. Read More
•December 14, 2016•
The Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond Knights girls’ basketball team got a three point home win over the Tri County Shiloh Raiders December 6.
Fueled by a 16 point fourth quarter the Knights benefitted from big trips to the free stripe from Kimberly Davis, making four and one field goal; Hannah Wallen, three free shots and Payton Wellbaum, two field goals and a free throw.
Catching the Raiders with a 16-13 fourth quarter the Knights went into overtime with Hannah Wallen sinking two free throws and Megan Fifer one more for the 46-43 victory. Read More
•December 14, 2016•
Kirk Whitaker
NP Sports
Paige Robinson absolutely went off for Okaw Valley in the first half in Altamont Thursday.
The junior smoothly took a rebound coast-to-coast before draining three 3-pointers, two on back-to-back, to help the Lady Timberwolves race out to a 15-5 lead after the first quarter.
“That first quarter, and really first half, was one of the better halves of basketball we have had in my year and a half here,” Timberwolves head coach Brad Akers complimented. “I have never questioned the competitive spirit of these girls.”
Jesse Robinson added an offensive rebound put-back to extend the lead, but Altamont rebounded from an off first quarter to cut the lead to five thanks to a last second jumper. Read More
•December 14, 2016•
By Kirk Whitaker
NP Sports
Connor Cloyd, Garrett Fritz and Ty Nichols would not be stopped from getting Okaw Valley its third win on the young season against Tri-County in a home game Dec. 9.
Cloyd and Fritz were forces down low, combining for 28 in the second half. It was Nichols who added seven points at crucial times for the ‘Wolves in their 59-52 win over the Titans.
“Connor is normally our main source of offense,” Okaw Valley head coach Brooks Inman explained. “Garret played well too, but I think Ty’s drives were the points that stood out to me. They came at very crucial times of the game. He didn’t have the shooting night he wanted early, but he kept playing and helped us get the win.” Read More
•December 14, 2016•
Kirk Whitaker
NP Sports
Several things were learned in Sullivan’s 53-34 triumph over Meridian at home Dec.12.
First, nobody enters Chloe Riley’s lane one-on-one and leaves with a layup.
Second, the Redskins can win without multiple threes from Addison Darush.
And third, half a second is more than enough time for Haley Rose to get off a three pointer. Read More
Photo by Darian Hays
Sullivan Redskins Ricky Yang and Queintan Britton fight for a rebound during the home game against Neoga Dec. 9.
•December 14, 2016•
By Matt Kracht
NP Sports
Sullivan men’s basketball took losses against Neoga 61-57 Friday and Heritage Villa Grove 70-45 Saturday.
Now 0-5 on the season the Redskin defense struggled with outside shooters in both contests. Head coach Chester Reeder noted that teams are too relaxed against the Redskins right now. “We let them be comfortable. Anytime, I don’t care how good or bad of a shooter you are, if you are comfortable, they go in. We never put them under duress.”
Sullivan fell behind 6-0 early against Neoga in a scoreless first four minutes of the contest. Bryce Farris ended the drought and poured six of the first seven Redskin points.
Sullivan trailed 15-7 at the end of the first quarter, but Farris’s strong play continued in the second quarter with two baskets in under two minutes. The scores kept Sullivan within six points at 17-11. Farris would finish with a team high 18 points.
Brett Tuttle canned a deep three pointer to make it a three point contest at 17-14 with 5:40 left in the first half. After another Farris score, Neoga got the last five points of the half to lead 22-16 at the break. A back and forth start to the second half saw Sullivan get within four points of Neoga’s lead at the two minute mark 34-30, thanks to consecutive baskets by Farris, Sowers, and Jacob White.
White, who finished with six points off the bench, gave the Redskins much needed energy and was complimented by Coach Reeder after the game. “Jacob had a pretty solid game tonight. Still some things we have to fix defensively with him. But it was probably his best game.” Read More
•December 14, 2016•
Sullivan’s Lady Redskins’ team came together for a 51-35 win over Warrensburg-Latham Cardinals, Dec 8.
“First time this year we played as a team both offensively and defensively,” coach Sheri McCain said of Sullivan’s consistency.
“Everyone who came off the bench contributed in one way or another,” McCain continued, emphasizing Tatum Ellis had a great all around game.
Ellis led the Redskins with three steals, making four field goals and four from the free throw line for 12 points. Read More
•December 7, 2016•
Kirk Whitaker
NP Sports
For all but eight minutes and three seconds of Monday night’s non-conference game between Sullivan and Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond’s girls’ basketball teams, the contest was close, intense, and hard fought.
The only problem for Sullivan were those eight minutes and three seconds that were the difference. From the end of third and into the final quarter.
Sullivan and ALAH swapped two point advantages after the first two quarters respectively--ALAH having no answer for Addison Darush, and the Redskins being unable to contain Peyton Wellbaum in the post.
It looked as though the Knights would take just a three point lead into the final quarter, but then Megan Fifer got the ball from the left wing beyond the arc. Read More
•December 7, 2016•
Kirk Whitaker
NP Sports
Although the scoreboard read a 30-point defeat for the Redskins boys’ basketball team Monday night against St. Anthony, not everything was as bad as it seemed.
Sullivan kept the deficit manageable before the fourth quarter, staying within eight points the majority of the way. At the start of the fourth the wheels fell off the wagon.
Bulldogs junior Drew Gibson went on a personal 7-0 run—three layups and a free throw to finish — to start what would end as St. Anthony’s 21-2 run to finish the game. The rest was history thanks to their length and 1-2-2 press defense. Read More
•December 7, 2016•
Arthur Lovington/Atwood Hammond Knights basketball hosted Martinsville November 29 winning 55-34.
The Knights hit 75 per cent of their free throws and 57 percent from the field to dominate the Bluestreaks 70 percent free throw, 38 percent field goal totals.
ALAH started the first quarter leading 10-8, with a 14-9 second quarter, sending them into the half ahead 24-17.
The Bluestreaks broke double digits with a 10-14 third quarter, but the Knights retained their scoring run with a 17-7 fourth quarter. ALAH controlled rebounds with 21 over Martinsville’s 15. Read More