Jordan Hollowell and Zach Hubartt each score 15 in the victory 69-66
With the early January temperatures dropping into the low 20s, basketball fans seeking a shot of warmth found what they were looking for inside the confines of North Arena.
The host Vikings opened Wednesday night’s content against For Wayne North Side by hitting 7 of their 11 first period shots, including 2 out of 4 from beyond the three point.
As the game’s first eight minutes ticked off the clock, the Vikings held tight to a slim 16-14 lead.
While the Viking’s hot shooting would cool the second period, the barn burner of a game was just taking shape.
Huntington North continued to lead until the 5:39 mark of the second quarter when North Side pulled in front 19-16.
The two teams exchanged baskets from the rest of the stanza and North Side headed to the halftime break with a 25-23 lead.
The second half began much as the first ended as neither team could distance itself from the other.
While Huntington North’s offense continued to generate good looks, the Vikings struggled to convert, but exited the third period trialing by just six points, 40-34.
The Vikings began to reheat in the fourth quarter, scoring the first four points of the period and closing the deficit to two points, 40-38.
A North Side timeout stymied the Viking rally, but only for a short time.
A three-point play by Jordan Hollowell put the Vikings in front, 46 to 45, with just over three minutes to play.
Less than a minute later, a Sam Thompson basket had the Vikings up 48-45, with 2:17 remaining in the game.
Refusing to go away, North Side embarked on a 6-3 run to close the quarter, tying the game at 51 and sending it to overtime.
It what seemed like an attempt to disprove the old “Good things never last” adage, the two teams continued playing even up basketball, ending the overtime period deadlocked at 59 points.
Sixteen seconds into the second OT, Huntington North’s Deven Newcomb broke through the North Side defense for a lay-up and subsequent three-point play, pushing the Vikings to a 62-59 lead.
After a North Side rally, once again, knotted the game at 66-66, Newcomb delivered a second time. The senior’s driving lay-up put Huntington North ahead 68-66 with just 19.3 seconds to play.
With a stop on the defensive end, followed by Dominic Cardwell free throw, the Vikings clung to a 69-66 lead with 9.7 seconds on the clock.
The Viking defense answered the call once more, stopping North Side on their next possession.
Nearly out of time, North Side fouled Thompson, sending the sophomore to the charity stripe with 1.7 seconds left in the game.
Thompson drained the first of two free throws, putting the game out of reach and giving the Vikings a 70-66 win.
Newcomb led Huntington North in scoring with 18 points, with 16 coming in the second half and overtimes.
Hollowell and Zach Hubartt each tallied 15 points, while Thompson added 12. Cardwell finished with 6 points and Mitchell Gerber added 4
The Vikings were victorious in the Junior Varsity game, as well, by a score of 54-38.
Huntington North is back in action this Friday, hosting East Noble at North Arena.