Maybe it was one of those ‘lost for words’ moments for Matt
Simon, acting head coach for boys basketball at Northside High. But he found
one: “surreal.”
The Eagles, once winners of nine in a row from Dec. 28 to
January 19, stumbled into the Region 2-AAAAA tournament with four losses in the
six games prior to the event at Jones County High School. One of those setbacks
was in Gray, to the Greyhounds, in triple overtime, in the last sub-region
game.
So what happened when the two schools squared off Saturday
for the region championship? A result not near as close as the 76-70 final
score would suggest. It was the Eagle spirit that earned the 76 and the second
championship in a row for the first time in program history.
“Everything we’ve been going through this year … to be in
this position to make history for Northside is truly a blessing,” said Simon,
who has run the show in the place of Ken Price (leave of absence) since late
January. “We’re a senior-led team, and they showed their composure. It’s a very
good Jones County team that never gave up, even when they were down by 20-plus.
“I had to tell the guys it’s all about adversity from the
very beginning. You can’t stop adversity. It’s going to happen. After we lost
four and everyone was down in the dumps, we rallied together, fought through
the adversity and won the region championship.”
To face Jones County, the Eagles plowed through Greenbrier
and Evans Tuesday and Friday. The Greyhounds not only had
home court and a 6-9
center in future Florida State Seminole Jarquez Smith, but its own nine-game
win streak. Not one time, though, did Jones get in front.
For Northside, it was all about relentless defense
full-court, quick turnovers, precision passing to open teammates and
high-percentage shot selection. Seven players scored six or more points led by
Jarius Smith’s 18-point effort. Justin Burnam scored 16, Robert Davis 11 and
Christian Kennedy eight.
The first points, though, belonged to Rodney Levine on a
floater when Smith rebounded a missed free throw. Smith had two early steals,
and assist to Burnam and a slam assisted by Davis, who got the basketball from
a Kennedy block.
The biggest Eagle lead in the first quarter was seven.
Smith’s package of plays wasn’t over as he worked for a 3-pointer after
rebounding another foul-line miss. Kennedy had four rebounds and a second block
while in the starting lineup to match against Jarquez Smith. The 6-10 center
successfully shot over Jarquez.
Darrin Clark, a point guard off the bench, followed in a
missed shot, and Davis went baseline off a takeaway to put the game 19-12 going
to the second.
In the next eight-minute span, Northside had two separate
10-0 runs with baskets coming before the full house could react to the previous
play.
It was 21-19 when the Eagles put together 10 in a row.
Burnam had two lay-ups off press takeaways, and Jarius Smith banked a 3-pointer
from the left wing. There was four minutes still to play when Jones County
ended that run, but by the time the clock showed 1:30, Northside had another 10
in the books and a 20-point edge.
Jarquez Smith watched all this from the bench. He saw Trey
Dennis’ assist from a press turnover and basket assisted by Levine from a
takeaway. He also couldn’t stop Jarius Smith from slamming the basketball off a
floor scramble.
At the half, the Eagles led 45-23.
“We want to push the pace,” said Simon. “Offensively and
defensively. When they came back, we kept fighting and fighting.”
Jarquez Smith would go on to score 16 points, including a
3-pointer at 7:10 of the third period. He also blocked a shot early, but the
ball went to Davis for 2. Davis later backed in against Jarquez to score.
Overall, the third was a 16-14 edge for Jones County. Clark
sank a trey, but Jarquez put in the final 2 at the buzzer for 59-39. In the
fourth, the hosts extended a run to nine straight (59-44), and Northside’s
first basket, out of a timeout, was Jarius Smiths’ 3 at 6:45.
That was the first of two Smith treys, and Burnam – at the
opposite corner – put 3 through for 68-48. Jones would kill its own momentum (a
6-0 run) with a technical foul at 4:01. However, at 3:40, a steal led the
Hounds to within 13 at 69-56.
With 2:31 to play, Northside led 71-63 when a series of
plays shifted possession back and forth, turnover for turnover. From a series
of passes in the perimeter, Kyle Johnson cut in the lane, took the ball and
notched the clinching field goal.
On Wednesday, the Eagles host Windsor Forest in the GHSA
first round.
HHJ News
