By PAUL GOTHAM
BUFFALO, N.Y. — Miles Brown has made a name for himself putting points on the scoreboard. His coach wants everyone to know his defensive game is just as special.
After Saturday afternoon’s performance, few can argue with JJ Garwood.
Trailing by six at halftime, the Northstar Christian Knights made a defensive adjustment. Their offensive star also took matters into his own hands.
Brown drew the defensive assignment of slowing Tapestry’s Dorian Plummer who connected on 7 of 8 shots and scored 16 points in the first half.
“I took my defense personally,” Brown said after Northstar rallied to beat Tapestry Charter (VI), 73-64 in the NYS Class C far West Regional, Saturday afternoon. “When we play strong defense, that’s what translates into our offense. That’s what we did. We got stops, pushed it out in transition, and our shooters spread the court.”
With Brown shadowing him, Plummer managed just six shots in the second half and finished the game with 24 points.
“We went from zone to man,” Garwood said of the adjustment his team made at half. “I gave Miles the assignment (of covering Plummer). In my opinion he is equally as good a defender as he is on offense. He totally took him out of the game, and that was the turning point.”
Brown put an exclamation point on the defensive effort with a block on Plummer who got loose in transition and looked to drive from the left wing. Brown stepped in from the help side and swatted away the attempt.
“Oh my gosh,” the junior guard said. “I saw the guy coming down. I already had two fouls and I was like I don’t want to foul him, just go straight up. The guy was just coming right to me. I tried to catch it, but I just threw it out of bounds.”
Mike Brown got into the lane and finished with a finger roll to pull Northstar within two at 44-42. Next time down the floor twin brother Miles converted an and-one to give the Knights their first lead of the second half at 45-44.
After taking just eight shots in the first half, Miles Brown scored nine points in the third quarter.
“I told him to be more aggressive,” Garwood said. “He accepted some of the double teams in the first half. I told him just don’t be content to draw the a double and dish. Either don’t let the double come or see it and get through them. He’s good enough to do that.
“He stepped up. He had an absolutely perfect second half both offensively and defensively. That was it for us.”
Matt Medeiros nailed a corner three to give Northstar a lead it did not surrender at 48-46.
“My mentality going in was take it to the basket, take it to the basket,” Brown said. “Coach wanted me to take it to the basket and spread the court for Matthew, Tray (Roberts) and Ryan (Garwood). Sometimes they were sucking in and I would just kick out for threes. I got to the basket and drew fouls. I was able to capitalize on the free throws.”
Miles Brown finished the game with 36 points of 11-of-17 shooting from the floor and 14 of 17 from the free throw line.
Northstar outscored Tapestry in the paint (38-34) and off turnovers (15-11).
Tapestry’s Ramel Robinson record a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds. The Thunderhawks had 20-4 advantage in second-chance points.
Northstar returns to the NYS semi-final for the second straight year. The Knights will play he Tully (III) vs. Unadilla Valley (IV) winner.
NORTHSTAR CHRISTIAN 73, TAPESTRY 64
NORTHSTAR CHRISTIAN (25-1)
Miles Brown 11-17 14-17 36; Tray Roberts 6-13 0-0 13; Matthew Medeiros 4-11
0-0 11; Michael Brown 1-2 5-6 7; Daniel Pickett 3-5 0-0 6; Tyler Huntington
0-0 0-0 0; John Zheng 0-0 0-0 0; Maalik Thomas 0-0 0-0 0; Atu Tramel 0-0 0-0
0; Ryan Garwood 0-4 0-0 0; Matt Williams 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 25-52 19-23 73.
TAPESTRY (17-7)
Dorian Plummer 9-14 4-4 24; Tariq Eubanks 4-13 2-2 11; Ramel Robinson 3-6
5-6 11; Emmanuel Trueheart 2-2 0-2 4; Cameron Wilson 2-5 0-1 4; Gout Mawien
1-3 0-0 3; Michael Towns 1-8 0-0 2; Anthony James 0-3 2-2 2; Dayshawn Nance
1-4 0-0 2; Terrell Smith 0-0 1-2 1; Frank Williams III 0-0 0-0 0; Denzel
Barnes 0-1 0-0 0; Kaleb Thompson 0-0 0-0 0; Derjaun Baldwin Jr. 0-0 0-0 0.
Totals 23-59 14-19 64.
Northstar Christian……….. 8 18 24 23 – 73
Tapestry………………….
3-point goals–Northstar Christian 4-14 (Matthew Medeiros 3-9; Tray Roberts
1-1; Ryan Garwood 0-4), Tapestry 4-18 (Dorian Plummer 2-3; Tariq Eubanks
1-7; Gout Mawien 1-1; Cameron Wilson 0-1; Michael Towns 0-1; Anthony James
0-3; Dayshawn Nance 0-1; Ramel Robinson 0-1). Fouled out–Northstar
Christian-None, Tapestry-Ramel Robinson. Rebounds–Northstar Christian 30
(Miles Brown 9), Tapestry 39 (Ramel Robinson 10). Assists–Northstar
Christian 12 (Michael Brown 5), Tapestry 9 (Tariq Eubanks 4). Total
fouls–Northstar Christian 13, Tapestry 22. Technical fouls–Northstar
Christian-None, Tapestry-None.
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