NOHS holds off SOHS in district

CRESTWOOD – There will be a new 29th District champion in boys’ basketball this year.

The North Oldham Mustangs held off defending champion South Oldham 58-56 Wednesday in the opening round of the 29th District tourney at SOHS.

In a game where it seemed neither team wanted to win late thanks to missed free throws and turnovers, the Mustangs had just enough offense and rebounding to take advantage of a poor shooting night by the Dragons to win.

The win avenged a regular season loss for NOHS as they advance to the district finals against Oldham County at 7:30 p.m. Friday at South Oldham.

A better defensive effort by NOHS along with 17 points and 17 rebounds from 6-foot-7 Devon Rowan gave NOHS the edge it needed.

“The big difference tonight was we got back on defense and did a better job against their secondary break,” NOHS coach David Henley said. “They do an unbelievable job of getting threes out of it and we were able to stop that for the most part. Plus they didn’t shoot well, we caught them on a good night for us.”

NOHS led by as many as eight points until the five minute mark of the fourth quarter when SOHS staged a comeback started by a three-pointer off the right wing from Eric Blair. The Dragons ran into some back luck on the ensuing possession when Carson Fields fouled out with 11 points on a steal attempt. After a free throw from David Levitch, the Dragons cut the lead to 51-47 pm a 15-footer from the right wing from Trent Martin. NOHS answered with two free throws from Levitch before Blair hit a drive in the lane, but missed a free throw to leave NOHS up 53-49 with 4:16 left. The Dragons managed to cut the lead to four points three more times as NOHS hit just three of 11 free throws from that point.

SOHS final chance came with 18 seconds left when Dillon Bullock hit two free throws to cut the lead to 57-55. SOHS got a free throw from Kam Shams and on the ensuing possession, a three from SOHS’ Jack Sherry rimmed out with nine seconds left. Bullock hit a free throw with .06 seconds left for the final margin.

NOHS – 14 21 8 15 58 – Jacob Clark 4, Nathan Yates 4, David Levitch 16, Kam Shams 1, Max Steinfeld 4, Brad Menke 12, Devon Rowan 17; 58.

SOHS – 10 17 11 18 56 – Eric Blair 15, Dillon Bullock 10, Carson Fields 11, Trent Martin 8, Jack Sherry 11, Matthew Haysley 1; 56.

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