NC Boys Get Conference Win Over Nashua

The North Country boys basketball team lost a tight game53-30, to the Coyotes in Dodson on Thursday before rebounding Friday night to defeat the Nashua Porcupines 50-29 in Whitewater. Saturday, the Mavericks hosted the Glasgow Scotties in Saco where the visitors went on to win 45-29.

North Country came out firing in Dodson, running up a 19-7 lead in the first quarter. They were outscored by 10 points in the second quarter but still led 27-25 at the half.

A strong third quarter by Dodson put them ahead 40-38 heading into the final eight minutes. North Country valiantly put up 18 points but still trailed by 3 points at the final buzzer.

Trey Johnson put up 26 points, 15 in the first quarter with a three-pointer. Aiden Albus added 7 and Coy Bowman and Kade Strommen each had 6 points. Blaine Downing connected for 5 points.

Dodson was called for 19 fouls while North Country held their infractions to 13, seven in the second half. Downing fouled out of the game. Bowman had four fouls, Albus three and Taylor Mogan, Johnson and Strommen had two each. Bowman had a single foul.

The next night in Whitewater North Country again put 50 points on the board, even after being shut out in the final eight minutes.

North Country led in all quarters, going up 13-6, 30-11, 50-13 and 50-29 over the Nashua Porcupines for the conference win.

Albus led all scorers with 22 points, including a trey. Johnson also hit a long-distance shot and added 16 total points. Downing hit for 5 points. Mogan, Strommen and Andrew Boucher all hit a field goal and Bowman hit a free throw for North Country.

Nashua had 14 fouls, while North Country held theirs to 11 though nine came in the second half. Johnson had three fouls while Bowman and Albus had two each. Mogan, Downing, Strommen and Marshall Caves drew officials' attention one time each.

In Saco on Saturday the Mavericks held even with the Scotties in the first half with the visitors leading 11-10 and 21-19 at the end of the first and second quarters.

Glasgow outscored North Country 13-6 in the the third to carry a 34-25 lead into the final quarter. The Scotties put up 11 points while holding the Mavericks to 4 for a Glasgow win.

Albus led the Mavericks with 13 points, going 3-for-4 at the line. Johnson added 8 points. Bowman and Strommen scored three a piece and Downing hit a field goal for the home team.

While Glasgow was called for 19 fouls in the game, North Country played a clean game with only nine fouls, five in the second half. Johnson was called for three, Strommen and Albus two each and Downing and Bowman one a piece.

North Country travels to Scobey Friday, Feb. 4 for a varsity girls game at 6 p.m. and a boys varsity game at 7:30 p.m.