Game 132: Newark vs. Nokomis (Boy's Basketball)

Newark Norsemen Warming Up

Game 132
Newark vs. Nokomis (Boy's Basketball)
Riverton Shootout
(2/12/11)

Before Newark and Nokomis tipped off, I got a visit from Princeton Tigers head coach Jesse Brandt.  We talked about his team's progress this season, coming off a close loss on Friday night to a very strong (Chillicothe) IVC team, who they had beat earlier in the season.  He mentioned that his team lost to Newark by one point in the semifinals of the Plano Christmas Tournament.  It was a controversial ending, as his team was fouled on a three-point shot...but it was overruled and called a two-point attempt.  The second free throw was missed and the Tigers lost by one.  I've had great respect for coach Brandt, because of an earlier experience in broadcasting one of his Sectional games...

Three seasons ago, Monmouth-Roseville and Princeton met in a Class 2A Sectional Semifinal at IVC.  I broadcasted that game with my commentator, "Mac" McIntosh.  Princeton had a stellar team that year, and went on to knock out Manual in the Sectional championship.  My goal in broadcasting games is to not get tied up in the game, call it down the line and explain to listeners what is going on, on the court.  In other words, I don't like to be a "homer."  Sure, in teams that I cover for the radio station my excitement in a call is lifted when the "home" team makes the plays.  Honestly, I could write an entire blog about toeing that line of calling it down the middle with a touch of homerism, but I'll leave at this.  Anyway, a few days after this game, coach Brandt sent me an email.  He requested a copy of the game, and said:  "I heard from a few people who listened online that you guys do a great job."  It's notes like that, that make me feel I have conducted a successful broadcast.  Even though, "my" team fell short, opposing fans were not critical of the "home broadcasters."  It's funny that I still had that email so easily accessible!

Newark is another team that I was looking forward to watching.  Kyle Anderson (6'3" Sr.) has signed to play basketball at Delaware.  He doesn't need to change colors of his wardrobe, as he'll go from the blue Norsemen to a Fightin' Blue Hen.

Speaking Anderson's and Norsemen, they have three...count 'em...three Anderson's in the starting lineup.  Kyle is joined by Brett (6'4" So.) and Jeremy (6'2" Sr.) in the starting five.  If I happen to screw up who has the ball, if I just say "Anderson with the basketball," I'm most likely correct! 

Newark Starting Lineup
Kyle Anderson (6'3" Sr.)
Jeremy Anderson (6'2" Sr.)
John Avery (6'6" Sr.)
Cameron Berg (6'0" Sr.)
Brett Anderson (6'4" So.)

Nokomis Starting Lineup
Brendon Pesko (5'8" Jr.)
Hayden Brownback (6'0" Sr.)
Marcus Clavin (6'1" Sr.)
Bryce Friesland (6'1" Sr.)
Derek Bourke (6'2" Sr.)

Both teams enter ranked or receiving votes in the top ten of the Class 1A IHSSN Coaches Poll.  Newark is ranked #3 this week, while Nokomis is ranked outside the top ten (#13) in the receiving votes category.

In talking about the Anderson's Three, they contributed the first 24 Newark points.  They combined to score 42 of the 48 Norseman points.  John Avery scored 6 points.  Newark led by one point at halftime, 17-16.

The Norseman outscored the Redskins 15-9 in the 3rd quarter and cruised to a 48-33 win.  Newark is now 22-1 on the season, while Nokomis drops to 21-4.

Brett Anderson was named Player of the Game, scoring a game-high 20 points.  Kyle Anderson added 17 points for the Norsemen.  Hayden Brownback scored a team-high 11 points for the Redskins.

Tricky Pronunciations
Nokomis probably had the trickiest pronunciations, as far as looking at the spelling compared to the actual pronunciation. 
Brendon Pesko - pronounced Pee-sko
Marcus Clavin - pronounced Clah-vin (long "A")
Bryce Friesland - pronounced Freeze-land (not Fries-land)
Derek Bourke - pronounced Burk (that "o" in there can give you fits)

Riverton Shootout Mascot Rankings
The Norseman is probably my favorite of the mascots at the Riverton Shootout this year.  Here, I rank the 14 mascots in the shootout field...

1)  Norsemen - Newark
2)  Timberwolves - Midland
3)  Storm - Sangamon Valley
4)  Redskins - Nokomis
5)  Bullets - Williamsville
6)  Saints - Springfield Calvary
7)  Bombers - Macomb
8)  Spartans - St. Joseph-Ogden
9)  Hawks - Riverton
10) Trojans - Maroa-Forsyth & Dwight
11)  Cougars - Lanark Eastland
12)  Panthers - Delavan
13)  Tigers - Princeton & Herscher
14)  Cardinals - Pleasant Plains (maybe my Chicago Cubs bias showing here)


Scary Moment
There was a scary moment in the 2nd half of this game when Derek Bourke came crashing to the floor on a rebound and landed smack on his right shoulder.  He was in obvious pain for several minutes while officials tended to him on the floor.  At first, I found it odd that the Nokomis coaching staff didn't come out onto the floor, but then coach Steve Kimbro told an official, "I can't come on to the floor unless you ask me."