Ian Raasch and NorthWood will be ready to roll at the West Noble Boys Basketball Sectional. InkFreeNews file photo by Mike Deak

By Mike Deak
InkFreeNews

NAPPANEE – NorthWood remembers what it felt like to end the season on a down note. It’s full intentions are to make good on an empty promise.

The pandemic cut NorthWood’s 2019-20 season short, the Panthers literally on the bus to head down to New Castle on March 13 when it got the call the regional was postponed. And later canceled. While the Panthers got to ‘play’ one final scrimmage game in The Pit in front of a pocket of the student body in the hours following the announcement, the actual ambition of a state title run was cut short.

NorthWood (12-8) was one of 64 teams to win a sectional in 2020 and not finish the season, and the team has talked about, with the opportunity, to finish the job.

NorthWood drew the one bye of the five-team West Noble bracket, getting to rest until Friday where it will play either Wawasee or Tippecanoe Valley. Lakeland and West Noble play in the other semi-final.

While the Panthers didn’t have the same level of COVID issues the Lady Panthers had in shutdowns and coaching losses, NorthWood has seen its ups and downs. Starting the season 8-2, NorthWood has hit a slide in losing six of its last seven through Feb. 16, including five straight. But since then, NorthWood has won three straight, including a road game at Lakeland on Monday, which it could see in the finals of the West Noble Sectional. The Panthers also beat Tippecanoe Valley, which it could see Friday night in the sectional semi-finals.

NorthWood is 8-2 at home this season, but with the sectional taking place at West Noble, the Panthers came up short in a visit to Ligonier on Feb. 9, losing to the Chargers 54-50.

NorthWood is seeking its seventh sectional title in the past 10 years. In a statistical anomaly, NorthWood won five of those six on even years, the only odd year coming in 2015. In looking to break the chain in 2021, the Panthers are looking to get a boost from a solid roster who all do a little bit of everything.

Shooting star Cade Brenner can and has led the Panthers all season in the scoring columns. Brenner throws in nearly 17 points per game, and is second on the team in assists, top four in rebounds and second in steals. But while Brenner has elevated into the leading scorer, Ben Vincent traditionally has been involved in some of the biggest shots of the game. Vincent was money in NorthWood’s run to a sectional last March, and has been a three-point threat all this season. Vincent has hit over two dozen bombs this season, and is the team leader in assists.

Ian Raasch has taken the next step into becoming a game changer, as has Cooper Wiens. Raasch is posting 11 points per night. Wiens adds seven points and leads the team in steals. And with all those options, Jamarr Jackson quietly goes about his business at seven points and five rebounds, and has over 30 offensive caroms.

Chaz Yoder, Brock Bontrager and Caden Graham have all made contributions to the Panthers this season.