NV survives test from I-35
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| Nodaway Valley junior TJ Bower drives baseline for a layup around Interstate 35's Zach Goering during the first quarter of the Wolverines' 60-41 over the Roadrunners on Friday. Bower finished with eight points. (CNA photo by SCOTT VICKER) |
TRURO — Alex Welsch did most of the damage, but it was junior TJ Bower who wielded the dagger as Nodaway Valley survived a tough Pride of Iowa Conference road test against Interstate 35 here on Friday, winning 60-41.
After the Roadrunners closed the deficit to 41-36 heading into the fourth quarter, Bower scored six of his eight points during an 11-0 Wolverine run that spanned the first four-plus minutes of the fourth quarter.
Bower went baseline on back-to-back trips down the floor for layups to put Nodaway Valley up 47-36, and then after Brad Baudler made 1-of-2 technical free throws, Bower spun through the lane for another layup.
“TJ took over,” head coach Darrell Burmeister said. “I thought TJ had his best second half of his junior year, on both ends. He got some big rebounds for us, and then our guys really found him when they started to concentrate more on Alex. TJ on that baseline is as good as it gets. He’s a sweet ballplayer and he can take the ball to the rack pretty quick.”
Nodaway Valley, ranked first in Class 2A, held the Roadrunners to just five points in the fourth quarter while handing them their first conference loss of the season. Nodaway Valley improved to 11-0 overall and 9-0 in the POI.
Welsch scored a game-high 23 points on 11-of-13 shooting from the field, while pulling down 15 rebounds to record a double-double. Dan Ehrsam scored 14 points and Baudler netted 12, including 8-of-10 from the free throw line.
Interstate 35 junior Jamal White tied the game up at 17-17 with just over 3:00 left in the first half, but then Ehrsam got loose on back-to-back possessions and knocked down 3-pointers. After a Baudler layup, the Wolverines took a 25-17 lead into halftime.
“Ehrsam hit those two 3’s late (in the half), and that really was a game changer right there, because we missed an assignment,” Interstate 35 head coach Nate Rankin said. “And that’s what great teams do, they kill you on those missed assignments. My hat’s off to them. They’re a great team.”
Roadrunner freshman Jaylan White, who finished with a team-high 13 points, gave the Wolverine defense trouble with his quickness.
But, Burmeister said he felt like his team did a good job of taking away his left-hand drive, forcing him to go right.
Nodaway Valley also defeated Albia 67-41 on Saturday to guarantee the Wolverines’ 19th consecutive winning season dating back to the 1994-95 season.
INTERSTATE 35 (41) — Jaylan White 13, Zach Goering 11, Colton Clarke 5, Mitchell Morris 4, Nick Schaffer 2.
NODAWAY VALLEY (60) — Alex Welsch 11 1-2 23, Dan Ehrsam 5 2-2 14, Brad Baudler 2 8-10 12, TJ Bower 4 0-2 8, Dean Frank 0 3-4 3. Totals — 22 14-20 60. 3-point goals — 2 (Ehrsam 2). FG shooting — 22-41 (53.7 percent). Rebounds — 29 (Welsch 15, Bower 5). Assists — 13 (Baudler 5, Ehrsam 3, Zach Plymesser 3). Steals — 2 (Baudler 1, Welsch 1). Blocked shots — 2 (Bower 1, Welsch 1). Team fouls — 11. Fouled out — None.
I-35 — 10 17 36 41
NV — 12 25 41 60
