NorthWood’s Maddy Payne sends a shot inward against Columbia City at the Banker’s Classic hosted by Northridge Friday afternoon. (Photo by Mike Deak)

MIDDLEBURY – The effects of a long first game possibly crept up on NorthWood in its two games at the Banker’s Classic hosted by Northridge.

NorthWood had to fend off Columbia City, 68-56, in what became a slugfest before succumbing to Rushville, 39-34, in its second game of the day Friday.

A Long Day Begins…

NorthWood looked well on its way to making quick work of Columbia City in the first game. A four-point Panther lead quickly became 14 in the second quarter thanks to threes from Kendal Miller and Kenzie Bergman, the latter putting Wood on top 28-14.

A 16-point lead in the fourth quarter, however, dissolved down to single digits in the fourth when City employed the foul game. NorthWood shot 17 free throws in the fourth quarter, making 15, and were 24-29 in the game from the stripe. Bergman made all six of her tries, and Maddy Payne was 4-4 in the fourth and finished with a team-high 21 points.

Miller, Kate Rulli and Neely Trenshaw all finished with 10 points, Bergman with nine points.

City had Olivia Shearer lead the team with 12 points, scoring 10 of those in the fourth. Rebekah Marshall had 11 points and Alaina Rongos had 10 points for the Eagles.

The Day Got Longer…

After shooting 29 free throws in the City win, NorthWood went just 4-6 from the line in the second contest against Rushville. The Panthers would hit six threes in the game, led by four from Bergman, but just couldn’t find the mustard against the Lions.

Rushville held NorthWood’s bigs in check, keeping Payne to just seven points and Kate Rulli to eight points. Bergman paced the Panthers with 12 points while Trenshaw and Miller were held to just one combined made field goal all game.

Olivia Yager led the Lions with 10 points and both Annika Marlow and Taylor Browning had eight points.

“We did a great job versus Columbia City of keeping our composure in a very hard fought battle,” said NorthWood head coach Adam Yoder after the Rushville contest. “Our performance from the free throw line was huge in the fourth quarter. In the Rushville game, it was just a matter of not playing inside out and not taking advantage of the opportunities presented to us. Rushville is an outstanding program, and they did an excellent job of keeping us from transitioning to offense from defense. Tomorrow is a new day, and we still have a chance to reach the title game.

“We’re going to have to be much more assertive in our press breakers versus Merrillville than we were late in the game versus Columbia City as well as play inside out regardless of what defense the opponent is in.”

NorthWood (11-4) will face Merrillville to finish up pool play Saturday morning then wait on its placement game from the other half of the tournament bracket.