Suffocating defense helps lead Nouvel CC to convincing 75-26 victory over Merrill HS in opening round of 2019 MHSAA D4 boys basketball district tournament

 

 

The Saginaw Nouvel Catholic Central boys basketball team opened the 2019 Michigan High School Athletic Association division-4 district tournament with a convincing 75-26 victory over Merrill High School inside the Bay City All Saints HS gym at St. Hyacinth Church in Bay City, MI tonight.

 

A stingy Panther defense combined with a 9-point first quarter effort from NCC sophomore guard Devin Smith, along with 4-points apiece from Josh Kuligowski, Chris Lemanek, and Harry Dwan would give Nouvel a 24-3 lead after one quarter of play. 

 

Nouvel senior point guard Michael Ehlman picked up where Smith had left off, dropping 15-points in the second quarter, while Merrill junior Michael Buckley (7-points) and senior Montana Glazier (8-points) combined for 15-second quarter points, each hitting a pair of three-pointers to keep the Vandals in the game, however, the NCC juggernaut would not subside, growing instead with a 49-20 lead heading into halftime. 

 

The Panthers would go into a ball control offense coming out of the half, spreading the scoring around with Ehlman, Smith, and sophomore Zaiden Mitchell each hitting one three-pointer in the third quarter respectively, while simultaneously cranking up the defense to hold the Vandals to just 3-third quarter points for a 65-23 lead after three quarters. 

 

NCC junior Luke Losa came off the bench to lead the Panthers with 4-points in the fourth quarter, while the defense once again held Merrill to just 3-fourth quarter points, running out the clock and moving on to the MHSAA division-4 district semi-finals with a 75-26 win. 

 

Glazier led the Vandals with 13-points, 4-rebounds, and 1-block, followed by Buckley, who finished with 10-points, 1-rebound, and 1-block, while sophomore Logan Heath added 2-points with 4-rebounds, and 1-steal; along with 1-point and 1-rebound from Merrill senior Billy Vance. 

 

Ehlman led all scorers with 21-points, 3-rebounds, 5-assists, and 5-steals, followed by Smith, who filled up the stat sheet with 12-points, 3-rebounds, 6-assists, 2-steals, and 1-block, while Losa finished with 9-points, 4-rebounds, and 1-assist; along with 7-points, 2-rebounds, 2-assists, and 1-steal from Kuligowski. 

 

Nouvel senior Sam Buckingham finished with 6-points, 3-rebounds, 1-assist, and 3-blocks, followed by Dwan, who also had 6-points to go with 3-rebounds, 1-assist, and 1-steal, while Lemanek finished with 5-points, 4-rebounds, 3-assists, and 1-steal; along with 5-points, 1-rebound, and 1-assist from Mitchell, as NCC senior Jonah Wright and junior Jack LeBourdais each finished with 2-points apiece respectively to round out the scoring. 

 

In the other half of the MHSAA division-4 district, Fulton HS knocked off Ashley HS with a 71-30 victory, advancing to take on district host Bay City All Saints (who had drawn a first round bye) at 7:30 pm in one semi-final this Wednesday night, while the Panthers will meet Michigan Lutheran Seminary (who also drew a first round bye) in the other semi-final at 6 pm right back here inside the All Saints gym on Wednesday night. 

 

The two winners from Wednesday night will advance to the 2019 MHSAA division-4 district championship game for a 7 pm tip off at the All Saints gym on Friday night.