On the strength of a quartet of three-point goals, North Adams junior Konnor Rogers (11) scored 15 points in the Devils’ win over Peebles on February 2. (Photo by Mark Carpenter)
North Adams winning streak extend to 13
Peebles junior Carson reed (12) led the Tribe with 14 points in their 66-37 loss at North Adams on February 2. (Photo by Mark Carpenter)
By Mark Carpenter
People’s Defender
The winning ways continued last weekend for Coach Nathan Copas and his North Adams Green Devils as they extended their winning streak to 13 in a row and improved their overall record to 15-3 for the season. The Devils also remained unbeaten (11-0) in the Southern Hills Athletic Conference with the two wins, Friday night at home over Peebles (55-37) and Saturday night at Eastern Brown (65-52).
There was no sign of Bob Saget, Dave Coulier or John Stamos on Friday night in Seaman, but there certainly was a “Full House” in the NAHS gymnasium as the Devils welcomed in county rival Peebles. Two teams that know each other so well were meeting for the third time this season, North Adams taking both of the previous meetings. The familiarity between the Indians and the Devils often leads to low-scoring game and that was pretty much the case on Friday night as the first quarter went back and forth with the teams combining for a trio of three-point goals and the Devils led 10-9 after one.
The second quarter was definitely a low-scoring one with the Indians only managing a single bucket, that from Hayden Browning at the 2:55 mark. Meanwhile, the home team got a pair of three-balls from Konnor Rogers and another from Connor Young to take a 21-11 halftime lead.
North Adams maintained the lead through the third stanza with Rogers hitting another triple and after three, the Devils lead stood at 32-21. Over the span of the game’s final eight minutes, the two teams found some offense with the Devils connecting three more times from beyond the arc, one by Rogers and two from Carson Osborne, while Peebles got a trey from Gage Grooms. The Tribe also got four buckets in the fourth quarter from guard Carson Reed but the deficit for the Tribe was too much to overcome as the Devils made it 12 consecutive wins.
Rogers and Osborne led the North Adams offensive attack with 15 points apiece with Breestin Schweickart pitching in 11.Carson Reed led Peebles with 14 with Gage Grooms adding 9 as the Indians fell to 8-10 on the season, 5-7 in conference action.
The SHAC gold ball hopes remained alive for the Green Devils on Saturday night as they faced the hostile environment at Eastern Brown High School for a marquee match up with the host Warriors. The Devils were up to the task as they downed the Warriors 65-52 to go 15-3 on the season, holding steady at #2 in the Division III RPI rankings with the boys tournament brackets being released this weekend.
The win at Eastern Brown clinched the SHAC big school division championship for the Green Devils with two conference games remaining, Tuesday, February 6 with West Union and at Lynchburg on Friday, February 9. North Adams also has a pair of non-conference games to wrap up the regular season, a February 13 home date with Georgetown and a make up game at home with South Webster.
Peebles was also back in action on Tuesday night, hosting Blanchester in a non-conference battle, then will be back in conference play on Friday night with a trip to Eastern Brown.
Peebles
9 2 10 16 —37
North Adams
10 11 11 23 —55
Peebles (37): Shiveley 2 0-0 5, Reed 7 0-0 14, Grooms 4 0-0 9, Johnston 2 1-4 5, Browning 2 0-0 4, Team 17 1-4 37.
N. Adams (55): Rothwell 2 0-0 4, Hesler 2 1-1 5, Young 1 0-0 3, Copas 1 0-0 2, Rogers 5 1-2 15, Osborne 6 0-0 15, Schweickart 4 2-2 11, Team 21 4-5 55.
Three-Point Goals:
Peebles (2)- Shiveley 1, Grooms 1
N. Adams (9)- Young 1, Rogers 4, Osborne 3, Schweickart 1
