By Mark Carpenter-
While their varsity counterparts have posted a 13-3 record to this point in the 2018-19 campaign, Coach Rob Meade and his JV North Adams Green Devils have also been putting together a quite successful season, improving their record to 12-3 with a thrilling double overtime victory on their home court over Lucasville Valley on Saturday, Jan. 26.
The first six minutes of Saturday’s JV game was not exactly a clinic on offensive basketball as both teams struggled to burn any light bulbs on the NAHS scoreboard, as the Devils managed just a single basket, that by Fulton Kennedy, and trailed the visiting Indians 4-2 after the first quarter.
The scoring picked up a little in the second period, each team tallying seven points, six for North Adams coming on three-pointers from Jentry Crawford and Andrew Brand. Valley got a triple from Marion Phillips and took a slim 11-9 lead into the intermission, only a slight foretelling of things to come.
In the third quarter, the Green Devils grabbed the lead back with the aid of another Brand three-pointer and a three-point play by Hunter Hoop. The third stanza concluded with North Adams now holding the advantage, though a small one, at 18-16.
The fourth quarter action was tight and intense, with the Devils again using the three-point goal as a weapon. With Hoop scoring five points and Brand firing in another long one, the home team still trailed 29-26 as time was running out. to the rescue came North Adams’ Seth Vogel, who drilled a clutch three-pointer from the top of the key with five seconds left to tie the game. The Valley inbounds pass was stolen by Hoop but his shot at the buzzer was off the mark and the game was headed into overtime.
In the first three-minute extra period, the Devils found themselves in the same situation, trailing by three late, but a three-pointer by Carter Crawford tied the game at 33 and forced a second overtime. In that second OT, neither team scored a field goal, and the Devils got all six of their points from the charity stripe- two each from Vogel and Jentry Crawford and were able to hold on for a 39-34 victory.
“We had too many turnovers early in the game and missed some easy shots at the basket,” said Coach Meade about the overtime victory. “Fortunately, we hit some big shots late to extend the game until we were finally able to pull ahead.”
Brand led the winners with 12 points, followed by Hoop with 8 and Vogel with 6.
On Friday, Feb. 1, the JV Devils will get the opportunity to avenge one of their three losses as they travel to Ripley. The JV Jays won their first meeting on Dec. 21 by a final score of 35-18. On Saturday night, the JV Devils will host the Northwest Mohawks.
Valley
4 7 5 13 4 1 —34
North Adams
2 7 9 11 4 6 —39
Valley (34): Stuart 2 4-4 8, Ellis 1 0-2 2, Phillips 2 1-3 7, Gahm 3 0-2 6, Greathouse 0 0-2 0, Holbrook 2 3-4 7, Wood 1 2-2 4, Team 11 10-19 34.
N. Adams (39): C. Crawford 1 1-2 4, Vogel 1 3-4 6, J. Crawford 1 2-2 5, Brand 3 3-4 12, Hoop 3 2-5 8, Kennedy 1 2-4 4, Team 10 13-21 39.
Three-Point Goals:
Valley (2)- Phillips 2
N. Adams (6)- C. Crawford 1, Vogel 1, J. Crawford 1, Brand 3
