LINDEN — North Montgomery’s basketball team celebrated Senior Night before the varsity game on Friday. Hot shooting by Sagamore Conference foe Tri-West made sure the Chargers would not be celebrating a victory. Using a barrage of three-point baskets, the Bruins won going away 67-32.
Tri-West controlled the game with a suffocating defense and efficient offense.
North Montgomery (5-16, 0-7 SAC) had a hard time defending Tri-West (10-11, 3-4 SAC) shooters. Charger Coach Chad Arnold bemoaned that fact after the game.
The Chargers scored the first five points of the game but the lead did not last long. Seven quick points by the Bruins put them in the lead and they never looked back. Tri-West led 16-10 at the end of the first quarter.
The Bruins and Chargers traded baskets for the first part of the second quarter. The Chargers never got closer than four points. Tri-West took advantage of late Charger miscues to score the final 12 points of the quarter to take a 30-17 lead at halftime. The Bruins hit four-of-five three pointers. Every field goal in the quarter for the Bruins was from behind the arch.
“We lost shooters and in the second and third quarter they got hot and they didn’t stop,” Arnold said. “Our rotation was never there. We were in the game and suddenly when we made a mistake they went down and scored. They took the air out of the gym.”
Tri-West continued dominating the game in the third quarter. With North Montgomery struggling to get any uncontested shots, the Bruins continually found the open man. The Bruins outscored the Chargers 26-9 and led 56-26 going into the final period.
On the evening the visitors connected on 14 3-point attempts. Junior Max Robinson had five treys. Junior Landon Gardner finished with five treys including four in the third quarter and finished as the game’s leading score with 23 points.
The Bruins had two other players finish with double figures. Robertson had 17 markers and senior Grant Oldham finished with 13.
North Montgomery was led in scoring by senior Drew Norman’s seven points. Colton Zachary had six points. Jarrod Kirsch and Ross Dyson had five points each.
The loss is the nineteenth consecutive SAC loss for the Chargers after finishing 0-7 this season. Tri-West finished 3-4 in the conference.
Both teams will be back in action Tuesday. North Montgomery will play North Putnam at home and Tri-West will entertain Hamilton Heights.
