NorthWood Basketball: Panthers Remain Unbeaten
LAGRANGE – The winning ways continued for the NorthWood boys basketball team Saturday night.
The Class 3-A top-ranked Panthers used a hot shooting effort to down host Lakeland 60-49 in non-conference action.
Undefeated NorthWood, coming off a thrilling 51-50 home win over conference foe Goshen Friday night, improved to 14-0. The start is the best in program history and the 14 straight wins are also a program best mark.
NorthWood remains one of just three undefeated boys teams in the state. South Bend Riley and Brownstown Central, who are both 13-0, are the other two.
The Panthers led 12-6 after the opening period and 29-19 at halftime en route to downing the Lakers, who fall to 3-11.
Vinny Miranda, who hit the game winning free throws Friday night in the win over Goshen, continued his stellar season. The senior point guard had 18 points for the Panthers, including hitting 4-7 from distance. Miranda also dished out six assists.
Caleb Lung turned in an outstanding effort for the Panthers. Lung hit 9-13 shots from the field to tie Miranda for game-high scoring honors with 18 points. He also pulled down eight rebounds.
Luke Zurcher added 14 points and grabbed a team-high nine rebounds for NorthWood.
The Panthers shot 18-33 overall from the field, including 8-14 in the first half. NorthWood was 7-18 from 3-point range and 3-9 from the free throw line. The Panthers had 30 rebounds and just nine turnovers and a 10-0 edge in second chance points.
Cole Harp scored 17 points and Camron Bontrager 16 to lead Lakeland.
The Lakers shot 11-19 from the field, including 6-13 from deep. The hosts were 9-15 from the line and had 19 rebounds and 14 turnovers.
NorthWood won the junior varsity game 53-34. Nick Bean had 12 points and Kaden Gongwer 11 to pace the winners.
NorthWood will play at Warsaw next Friday night in a huge Northern Lakes Conference clash. The Panthers are 4-0 in NLC play, tied atop the league standings with Warsaw. The Tigers, who have won the last two NLC championships and 18 straight conference games, are 11-5 overall after a 50-46 loss in overtime at Crown Point Saturday night.
Lakeland returns to action at Garrett on Friday night.