NTL BOYS' BASKETBALL: NEB USES STRONG SECOND HALF START TO DOWN BLUE RIDGE (2024-12-14)
BY CHRIS MANNINGNorthern Tier Sports ReportROME — In a game of runs a 12-0 start to the second half by NEB proved to be the difference in their 69-57 win over Blue Ridge during non-league boys’ basketball action Saturday.
“That’s been a couple of games now where were able to come out at halftime like gangbusters,” said NEB coach Paul Burgert. “And that’s something we do talk about.”
The Red Raiders never really recovered, getting as close as eight early in the fourth, but no closer.
Four different Panthers reached double figures in scoring, led by Tanner Herb’s 16 points on 6-for-11 shooting. He also had five boards, three assists, and two steals.
Cooper Brown added 15 points, going 5-for-10 from the field, with six boards, and two steals.
Tyler Thoman had 11 points, going 3-for-4 from deep, while adding five assists, and two steals, as Eli Stanton had 11 points, eight boards, three assists, and four steals.
Dayton Russell came away with nine points, five rebounds, and two steals, while Mac Burgert had three points.
Brennin Thoman netted two points to go with four assists, as Clay Wilks came away with two points, and five rebounds.
William Hobart led Blue Ridge with 15 points, while Paxton Pingerrelli netted 14, and Brayden Smith added 13.
NEB forced 19 turnovers in the game, but had to to make up for the 18 offensive rebounds by Blue Ridge.
It was a hot start for both squads as NEB hit four 3-balls in the first quarter to take a 22-21 lead at the first horn.
The Raiders led for much of the frame until the last 40 seconds when Russell hit a put back to put the Panthers up one.
NEB would continue that momentum into the second quarter, scoring eight straight points to take a 29-21 lead, five of them from Stanton.
Blue Ridge rallied the second half of the frame, going on a 10-0 run to take a 31-29 advantage.
Down the stretch, though, Brennin Thoman went 2-for-4 from the free throw line to knot the game up at 31-all at the break.
NEB then started the third with their 12-0 run, as part of a 22-10 third frame in their advantage. Herb had nine points for the Panthers, while Brown scored seven.
They went into the fourth with a 53-41 lead, which Blue Ridge would cut to 55-47 with just under six minutes left in the frame.
Brown answered that with a runner, though, followed by two freebies out of Russell to make it 59-47.
NEB would turn their 4-0 spurt into an 8-0 run as Herb found Stanton for a bucket, followed by Tyler Thoman assisting Russell for a basket.
Blue Ridge would cut it to 12 points again with two minutes left to play, but NEB forced them to turn it into a free throw competition.
In the final two minutes NEB went 6-for-8 to seal the win.
The victory is NEB’s fifth straight as they improve to 5-1 early this season.
“We’re really pleased with where we’re at, and where we’re headed,” Burgert said. “I think we can still improve quite a bit.”
Next week is another big week as they host Elk Lake on Monday, then welcome Troy on Tuesday.
“Our schedule doesn’t do us any favors,” Burgert said. “It’s just one game after the next, and they’re all physical teams. We’ve just got to do a better job of being physical on the glass.”
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PHOTOS BY CHRIS MANNING
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