ELKHART — Northside Arena was packed with green-clad Raider supporters on Saturday, March 21, as Northridge clinched a berth in the IHSAA Class 4A boys basketball Final Four with a comeback win.
Northridge shows determination, fighting back from an eight-point deficit to defeat Homestead 46-39 and earn a spot in the semistate championship game at 8 p.m.
advertise
The other semifinal winner was Crown Point (76-47 over Fort Wayne Snyder). The Bulldogs are 24-1 and the Panthers are 20-8.
“I told them going into the game, there’s going to be a test,” Raiders coach Scott Redeker said. “Quoting again a verse from the Bible (James 1:2), we tell them to consider their trials pure joy. For our perseverance will now shine through.”
“I’m very pleased with the discipline our players showed during the game.”
The Chris Johnson-coached Spartans outscored Northridge 17-5 in the second quarter to lead 28-22 at halftime. Homestead led 28-20 in the final 90 seconds of the half.
advertise
Veteran Brady Sauer was benched for his third foul at 6:32 of the second quarter and did not return to the court in the first half.
“This is the first time he’s been in this situation all year,” Radke said of Sauer’s three first-half fouls. “For us to play without him for six minutes, it was obviously a little bit stressful.
“But it’s also a time when our guys have to step up. We weathered the storm. We were only down six points (at halftime) and that’s because one of their players (sophomore Ryder Immel) hit three 3-pointers. They didn’t hurt our inside.”
At the end of the first quarter, Northridge led 17-13. The Raiders led 17-7 at one point.
advertise
After leading 33-32 in the fourth quarter, the Raiders scored six of the game’s final eight points to win.
After Homestead tied the game at 37, junior Hayden Gobauer hit a 3-pointer in transition to give his team a 40-37 lead, and the Raiders never trailed again. The 6-foot-7 Sauer saved several shots in the final minutes.
Scorers for Northridge (26-1) were Brady Sauer (23 points, 11 points in the third quarter, 8 points in the first quarter), senior Hayden Johnson (11 points, 9 points in the first quarter), Gobauer (8 points, 7 points in the fourth quarter), senior Parker Janes (3 points) and junior Cassin Rumfeldt (1 point).
“I thought we were going to win on all the kids’ shoulders, but we were definitely looking for him down low,” Sauer’s Radke said.
advertise
Johnson (3), Brady Sauer (1), Gobauer (1) and Janes (1) hit consecutive three-pointers.
The scoring total for Homestead (20-7) included Immel (12 points – all in the first half), 6-6 junior Mark Welker (12 points – 6 points in each half), junior Jack Kuhlman (9 points – 7 points in the first half), 6-6 sophomore Braylon McNeese (3 points), freshman Mason Weaver (2 points) and 6-6 senior Brogan McNeese (1 point).
Imel (4), Coolman (1) and Braylon McNiece (1) each scored 3 points.
The Raiders shot 14 of 29 from the field (7 of 11 in the second half) and 12 of 19 from the free throw line (9 of 9 in the fourth quarter), while Homestead went 13 of 42 (6 of 24 in the second quarter) and 7 of 11 from the field (2 of 3 in the second half).
advertise
Northridge grabbed 29 rebounds, led by Brady Scholl (7) and freshman Jake Scholl (5). Homestead led the way with 25 players, led by Welker (11).
The Raiders committed 13 turnovers (seven in the first half) and Homestead had nine (eight in the second half and six in the third quarter).
“For us to shut them down and force them into turnovers like that, it took their offense a little bit out of rhythm. One time we ran a zone and got a steal.”
Northridge — the Elkhart Sectional and Plymouth Regional champions — extended their winning streak to 20 games.
This story will be updated following the 4A North Semistate Championship game.