The night started off with NorthWood's JV blowing out Lakeland, resulting in the implementation of the new "mercy" rule and running clock to finish out the game. Little did I know this would be a theme for the night as NorthWood's varsity was able to do the same thing. NW showed their depth in this one as they had 9 players score, with 4 of those getting into double figures. This will definitely be a good thing as the NLC looks to be improved and more balanced from last season.

  • Junior guard, Cade Brenner showed out. Flashed his ball handling skills, his tough D, and his passing. Shot it well, as this is a main strength. Made some great long, up-court passes to guys who were able to finish. Moved well without the ball also. One thing I noticed from last season that improved, at least for last night, was that he didn't force shots. Last season I feel like he would try to do too much, or seemed like he was pressing too much. This looked a lot better. Had a good feel for the game and what he needed to do, and was great at getting others involved. Finished unofficially with 15 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists. Recently took an unofficial Belmont visit, and holds an offer from Huntington. Look for him to have a great junior year.
  • Sophomore guard Ethan Wolfe, a 5'11 coaches son, really showed maturity in this one. Not a kid who will back down from a challenge. Knocked down four 3s and ran the point very well. Dependable and crafty with the ball, Ethan was able to get into spots to make him, and his teammates, successful. Found open teammates and got himself in position to rebound. Tons of upside here. Very important piece for the Panthers this season. Had 14 points with 3 rebounds and 3 assists (unofficial).
  • 6'5" junior forward Ian Raasch is a long, lanky kid who is smart and strong. Like Cade, he didn't force anything and played smart basketball. Did his damage in this one underneath as he had the height advantage all night. Hit some shots around the rim and got a couple put backs to fall. Runs the court well, and is a solid passer. Can do a lot with and without the ball, and will be a mismatch nightmare for teams this season as he IS able to stretch the floor from the outside, although he didn't take any threes in this one. Defensively uses his length to give opponents fits. Finished with 12 points and 4 rebounds (unofficially).
  • As mentioned above, the depth showed for the Panthers in this one as their role players shined. 6'2" Junior Brock Bontrager added 10 points and toughness on both ends. Senior Cooper Wiens (6'2") is scrappy and he had 8. Throw in senior Chaz Yoder and sophomore Nitro Tuggle, add the development this season of freshman Tyler Raasch, the little brother of Ian Raasch, who is a long 6'7" and we could see the Panthers making a run again.

NEXT UP:

NorthWood vs. FW Concordia in the NorthWood Classic - Sat, Nov 27

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