Lenox’s strong finish beats Wolverines

A frustrating fourth quarter was the difference was Nodaway Valley/O-M’s boys basketball team fell to Lenox Friday, Jan. 6.

The Wolverines led by five at each of the first two quarter breaks and by 14 after the third quarter, but they lost the game 91-85. It was their second conference setback and the Tigers’ first conference win of the season.

“I told the guys before and Coach [Nathan] Block before that Lenox made me nervous, and this is why,” said Nodaway Valley/O-M head coach Jeremy Blake. “I know the way they can get up and down the floor. With their coach being new this year, you can see the glimpses [of their potential] on film. For us last year, after Christmas Break was when we started to go. I also told my guys to keep this one in mind, because we’re going to have another shot [at them].”

The Wolverines got out to a quick, 12-2 start in the game, leading 19-14 after the first quarter and 45-40 at halftime. Senior guard Boston DeVault scored six of his school-record nine 3-pointers for the game in the opening half. The record he broke was set previously by Jackson Lamb.

A couple of third-quarter runs were answered by Lenox, but the Wolverines still led 74-60 going to the final frame.

The Tigers hit 10 treys in the second half and 14 for the game. The Wolverines put up 12 of them for 26 between the two teams in the contest.

Lenox junior Carter Reed nailed a long-range shot three times over a three-minute span that ultimately dug his Tigers out of a six-point deficit and gave them their first lead of the game with 2:25 to go.

The Wolverines answered, as junior Dawson Nelson canned a 3-pointer and senior Avery Phillippi was fouled on a basket, made the free throw, and put NV/O-M up 84-81. Lenox came back seconds later to lead 87-85 with 40 seconds remaining on a Waylon Cook trey, and they never trailed again.

“The fourth quarter’s been our achilles heel all year. We scored 11 and they scored 31, and there’s the game,” Blake said. “It’s something I’ve gotta get figured out so I can take care of the accountability side in practice. That falls on me. It’s gonna be a long weekend. I’ll have to make sure we’re ready to go from here on out. We’ve gotta have good fourth quarters to finish games off.”

DeVault finished with 27 points, with only one basket made from inside the 3-point arc for the night. Phillippi posted 23 and Nelson 18. Lenox had Keaton England lead the way with 23 points and Carter Reed scored 20. Gabe Funk totaled 19, Waylon Cook 13 and Owen Junker 10.

Now 4-4 overall and 4-2 in the Pride of Iowa Conference, the Wolverines went to work preparing for games this week that are all on the road. They played Tuesday, Jan. 10 at St. Albert, play Thursday at Panorama and Friday at East Union.