Ben Vincent and NorthWood shot its way to a win over West Noble in the semi-finals of the NorthWood Boys Basketball Sectional Friday night. (Photos by Mike Deak)

NAPPANEE – Both NorthWood and Wawasee were tested, but came away with wins in the semi-finals of the Class 3-A NorthWood Boys Basketball Sectional Friday night at The Pit.

NORTHWOOD 52, WEST NOBLE 33

NorthWood’s Jamarr Jackson takes the rock to the rack against West Noble.

The final score may not reflect it, but NorthWood was pushed hard by West Noble in the night’s first contest. The Chargers opened with a 6-0 lead and held the Panthers scoreless for the first four minutes of the game. But once NorthWood got going, it really got going.

Runs of 13-0 and 18-0 helped NorthWood pull away, much in the way it has done so often this season.

Trent Edwards was in the middle of it for NorthWood, taking an open look to the rack for a bucket to put the Panthers up 27-16, then took an alley opp from Ben Vincent to push the score to 36-23 during a 17-5 NorthWood third quarter. Edwards finished with 19 points, four assists and three boards to lead the Panthers.

“They were tilting their defense toward Trent early, and I think his versatility and his ability to pass was really important tonight,” said NorthWood head coach Aaron Wolfe. “If you look at the assisted baskets we got in the front of the rim, I thought our guards did a really good job of when they were helping.”

Jason Borkholder was 5-6 from the floor to finish with 11 points and added three rebounds and three blocks. Vincent chipped in eight points.

West Noble (8-15), which started the game red hot, fizzled to a 30 percent shooting figure in the first half and were just 12-42 in the game (29 percent). Joel Mast and Austin Cripe both finished with seven points for the Chargers.

“I can promise you it did not feel easy,” Wolfe said. “I know that our guys are grinding. We’ve got a veteran group that understands that each possession is important. When they start stacking up possessions defensively, it’s when I think you’ll see a run. I thought on the defensive end of the floor tonight, I was very, very proud of our effort.”

NorthWood (17-6) advances to the sectional final looking for its sixth title since 2012. Of the eight total titles the Panthers have won, five have come at NorthWood.

WAWASEE 56, LAKELAND 45

Wawasee’s Austin Miller hit all five of his three-point shots against Lakeland.

Wawasee continued to stride forward on its mission to a title, holding off a spunky Lakeland side in the tourney nightcap.

The Warriors rode the hot hand of Austin Miller, who dropped 28 points, and wore down the Lakers in the fourth quarter.

Miller opened the game by scoring 11 points in the first 3:15. But it was his back-to-back threes in the fourth as Wawasee clung to a three-point lead that proved most important. Wawasee led just 44-41 after Brayden Bontrager hit a three-pointer, spearheading Lakeland’s last stand.

Miller, however, stepped up and drilled a three on Wawasee’s next possession, and after Lakeland came up empty on its next trip, Miller drilled another three – his fifth of the night – to push the lead to nine.

“When Austin is playing like that, he’s the best player in the sectional and I’d throw in one of the better ones in northern Indiana,” said Wawasee head coach Jon Everingham. “He hit a couple huge, huge shots. Things haven’t been perfect for him the past couple weeks. He got shut down at East Noble. Westview held him to two points. But when the lights are brightest on the tournament stage, there he is with 28 points.”

Miller was 11-15 from the floor and chipped in three steals and two assists for the Warriors. Keaton Dukes had 11 points and five rebounds and while mired in foul trouble, Ethan Hardy still managed five points and five rebounds.

Bontrager recorded a double-double to guide the Lakers with 19 points and 10 rebounds. And with Bracey Shepherd’s 21 points, Lakeland (7-17) kept pace. But only Kolton Taylor’s five points accounted for any other Lakeland production in the point column, as the remainder of the squad minus Bontrager and Shepherd went 2-9 from the floor.

“We never took our foot off the gas, and that was crucial,” said Everingham. “Sometimes with a six, eight-point lead, when you have the lead the tendency is to let up a little. We didn’t. Austin attacked the basket, Jack (Stover) was aggressive in the paint. These kids are playing with a chip on their shoulder. People didn’t give us any chance to have a winning season, and we’re sitting here with 14 wins and playing tomorrow for a chance at a sectional title. It’s a different feel this year.”

Wawasee (14-9) makes the sectional final for the second straight year and the third time in six years, but haven’t won a title since 2010 at Columbia City. The last time NorthWood and Wawasee met in the tournament, it was a 53-48 Panther win in the 2015 sectional final at West Noble.