By PAUL GOTHAM
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Five scored in double figures, and the Northstar Christian Academy Knights advanced to their second straight Far West Regional appearance with an 85-63 victory over the Lyons Lions, Wednesday night at Rush-Henrietta High School.
Miles Brown scored 26 points on 9-of-11 shooting, and twin brother Michael handed out 13 assists to just one turnover as Northstar took a 16-8 lead into the second quarter and did not trail for the remainder of the contest.
Ryan Garwood and Matthew Medeiros combined to go 7-for-14 from behind the 3-point arc to pace the Knights’ long-range attack.
“Our shooters know our guards, specifically Miles and Michael are going to attract a lot of attention when they penetrate,” Northstar coach JJ Garwood said. “They know to spot up, have their feet set and Miles and Michael are two of the most unselfish kids I’ve ever coached. They’ll always make the right basketball play.”
Ryan Garwood closed the first quarter with a three ball and Medeiros connected on a corner trey to open the second. Garwood gave Northstar a double-digit advantage with another corner triple, and the Knights did not look back.
“The big thing is their work before the shot gets to them which makes a huge difference,” Garwood explained.
Justice Smith paced Lyons with 30 points and 10 rebounds, but the Lions struggled from the 3-point arc shooting 5 of 19 from long range.
“Justice Smith made some great shots, some bombs with a hand in his face and of course he gets to the hole so nicely,” Garwood noted. “We knew we weren’t going to totally stop him, but he worked for his shots.”
Northstar held Lyons to 3-of-13 shooting from the floor in the first half to take a 41-27 lead into the break and converted 17 Lyons turnovers for the game into a 20-8 advantage in points off ball handling miscues.
“Defensively we set the tone in the first half,” Garwood stated. “Even in the second half I’m pretty pleased with the defense.”
Northstar advanced to play Section VI champion Tapestry Charter (17-6) in Saturday’s NYS Class C Far West Regional. A 1:45 PM tipoff is scheduled at Buffalo State College.
Northstar reached the NYS Class C semi-finals last year where the Knights lost to Lake George (II), 65-49.
Lyons outrebounded Northstar 39-34 and grabbed 15 offensive rebounds which they turned into a 14-10 advantage in second-chance points. Northstar outscored Lyons 34-32 in the paint.
Michael Brown recorded a double-double adding 12 points.
NORTHSTAR CHRISTIAN 85, LYONS 63
LYONS (20-4)
Justice Smith 9-22 9-13 30; Kerel Kelly 4-7 2-5 10; Justin Smith 4-10 0-0 9;
David Weaver 2-5 0-0 5; Aaron Romero 1-1 1-1 3; Ahmir James 1-2 0-0 2;
Jordan Harris 1-2 0-0 2; Benji Kemp 1-4 0-0 2; Xavier Reeves 0-0 0-0 0; Seth
VanBuskirk 0-2 0-0 0; Lucas Lucieer 0-0 0-0 0; Scott Norris 0-0 0-0 0;
Horace Betts 0-0 0-0 0; Hunter Bastian 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 23-55 12-19 63.
NORTHSTAR CHRISTIAN (24-1)
Miles Brown 9-11 8-10 26; Daniel Pickett 7-12 1-2 15; Ryan Garwood 4-5 0-0
12; Michael Brown 2-6 8-10 12; Matthew Medeiros 4-11 0-0 11; Tray Roberts
2-13 0-0 6; John Zheng 1-1 0-0 2; Maalik Thomas 0-0 1-2 1; Tyler Huntington
0-0 0-0 0; Atu Tramel 0-0 0-0 0; Matt Williams 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 29-60 18-24
85.
Lyons…………………….
Northstar Christian……….. 16 25 21 23 – 85
3-point goals–Lyons 5-19 (Justice Smith 3-12; Justin Smith 1-3; David
Weaver 1-3; Ahmir James 0-1), Northstar Christian 9-24 (Ryan Garwood 4-5;
Matthew Medeiros 3-9; Tray Roberts 2-9; Matt Williams 0-1). Fouled
out–Lyons-Jordan Harris, Northstar Christian-None. Rebounds–Lyons 39
(Justice Smith 10), Northstar Christian 34 (Michael Brown 6; Daniel Pickett
6). Assists–Lyons 8 (Justin Smith 4), Northstar Christian 19 (Michael Brown
13). Total fouls–Lyons 22, Northstar Christian 18. Technical
fouls–Lyons-Justice Smith, Northstar Christian-None.
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