Woodland expects every Tri-County Conference opponent’s best game down the stretch.
That mentality was key for the Warriors in withstanding a strong start Friday from Henry-Senachwine, taking control in the third quarter and coming away with a 55-44 road win to remain unbeaten in conference play.
After neither team garnered more than a four-point lead in the first half, the Warriors (18-7, 7-0) opened the third quarter with the first nine points to build a 33-23 advantage.
“You have to expect everyone’s best game, every single time,” said senior Jaron Follmer, who finished with a game-high 18 points. “Coach (Connor Kaminke) says we have a target on our back all year. We’re the only undefeated team and every team in the conference is waiting to upset us.”
The Warriors’ talk at halftime was about getting stops.
Within the first three minutes of the second half, Nolan Price opened the half with a 3-pointer, Nate Berry added a basket, Noah Decker scored off an offensive rebound and, after a Mallards timeout, Price converted on a steal, all before the Mallards’ next basket.
“I think the way we came out of half set the tone for the rest of the second half,” Kaminke said. “We had probably six to eight stops in a row. We grew a lead close to 10 and never let it go. They cut it to five, but we were pretty much in control in the whole second half, which was huge.”
Despite the loss, Henry-Senachwine coach Randy Westerdahl was happy with the Mallards performance. The Mallards held a lead as late as 31 seconds remaining in the second quarter, after Wyatt Wealer broke a tie with a 3-pointer.
The Mallards (14-11, 3-4) got a balanced offensive effort, getting 11 points from Carson Rowe, and 10 from Bobby Gaspardo and Landon Harbison.
Henry-Senachwine closed out the third quarter on a 6-0 run to climb within five, but that’s as close as the Mallards would get.
“I can live with how we played,” Westerdahl said. “I thought we played our behinds off. Going against a 7-0 team in the Tri-County Conference, and we lose in that form or fashion, I can live with that. I was happy with how we played and we have to give kudos to Woodland. They are top-notch for a reason.”
Westerdahl was especially happy with the Mallards defense on Price, who earlier this week set Woodland’s single-season record for 3-pointers. Henry-Senachwine focused on not letting him beat them from beyond the arc, and Price was contained to 12 points, converting a pair of 3-pointers. Both 3-pointers, however, were big – one to open the second half and the other immediately after the Mallards’ Rowe hit a 3 to cut it to six.
“We started the first half really well and hung with them,” Westerdahl said. “I was impressed most of the game with our defense and how we defended them. Obviously, Price, he was our focal point and I think we held him down. You hold him down to two 3s and you give yourself a chance. We had a chance at the end, but they had their guys step up.”
Along with Follmer and Price, the Warriors got double-digit input from Berry, who finished with 13 points.
“Our guys just made enough plays down the stretch, whether it was big shots or big stops to pull ahead and hold this one out,” Kaminke said.
Now the Warriors are focused on winning their next conference game and clinching the Tri-County title. They hold a one-game lead on Marquette and the tiebreaker with a head-to-head victory against the Crusaders, meaning another win would seal the title. The Warriors play Feb. 13 at Dwight and home Feb. 20 against Seneca to close out the conference season.
“I told the kids I wouldn’t want to go to battle with anybody else,” Kaminke said. “We’re ready to get battle tested and prepare for the postseason.”