Tigers top NL in overtime

Throw the records out the window any time Northern Lehigh and Northwestern do battle.

Both boys basketball teams are enjoying competitive seasons, and the rivalry between both programs lived up to the hype on Thursday night.

A second-half showdown ­— which featured eight ties and four lead changes — went to overtime. In the end, the Tigers were one bucket better as they edged Northern Lehigh in a Colonial League thriller, 57-55.

“We knew they’re going to come out tough,” said Northwestern’s Sam Yadush. “If we get hit, we’re going to have to hit them back, and that’s what we did.”

However, Yadush was the story for the Tigers, draining six three-pointers en route to a team-high 27 points.

“We put a lot of pressure on him,” said Northwestern coach Billy Hallman. “He has to handle the ball, he has to score, but he loves the challenge. The guys have his back. He might miss three or four, but anytime he shoots, there’s a good shot it’s going in, so we’re just going to keep feeding him.”

With 1:34 left in regulation, Tigers’ center Luke Hallman grabbed an offensive rebound and made a grown-man’s power dribble that could be felt in New Tripoli. Hallman’s strong finish tied the game at 52-52.

Northern Lehigh’s Brandon Hess had a three-pointer rattle out on the ensuing possession, and the Tigers held for the final shot but couldn’t convert, forcing the extra session.

“Second night, second game in overtime,” said Northern Lehigh head coach Jeff Miller. “It was a good game. Unfortunately, someone has to lose.

“Their size inside hurt us. Sam Yadush makes you spread your zone out and they were able to get it inside, and that was the difference in the game.”

Luke Hallman continued that inside trend to open up overtime with a crafty post spin move to give the Tigers a lead that they would not relinquish.

“We’ve been on our guys about rebounding,” said coach Hallman. “Getting second chance points is huge, it gave everyone a boost. We got another stop, took the lead, and it just carried us from there.”

Despite the loss, Northern Lehigh’s Brandon Hess has massive night. He finished with a game-high 30 points, scoring 16 of his team’s 22 points in the first half.

HESS IS TOUGH … In the first quarter, Hess and teammate Robert Schoff collided and bonked heads. Play was stopped and blood was cleaned up off the court. Both would re-enter the game in the first half. Hess sported a new trend with a gigantic bandage wrapped around his head. The gash in his head didn’t slow him down one bit and he continued to carry the Bulldogs. He received six staples in his head after the game. “These kids are great young men, and they’re competitors,” Miller said. “They won’t quit. They battle, battle, and battle. Whether they have their head broken or eyelid broken open, they’re going to continue to battle.”

EVERY SPORT … Northwestern’s Deven Bollinger knows this rivalry is still the real deal in the Colonial League. “We took care of the ball in overtime and that was a big part in coming out in the win,” he said. “We played smart and got the baskets we needed to win the game. Any sport; football, basketball, baseball, you know playing your rival is going to be a good game and we played our hearts out. It showed tonight.”

SLOW AND STEADY … It took time to decipher NL’s 3-2 zone, and coach Hallman told his team to take their time. “The end of the fourth quarter and overtime we took care of the basketball, which we were preaching. We could get any shot we wanted, we just had to actually take our time and be patient to get it.”

NORTHERN LEHIGH

Kemery 2-3-3-7, Colon 4-3-4-12, Schoff 0-0-0-0, Seier 0-0-1-0, Seiler 0-0-0-0, Keller 2-0-0-6, Hess 11-4-6-30. TOTAL: 19-10-12-55.

NORTHWESTERN

Hebelka 0-0-1-0, Seyfried 2-0-0-5, Yadush 8-5-5-27, Mengel 1-0-0-2, Bollinger 4-1-2-9, McCann 0-1-2-1, Thomas 3-0-0-6, Hallman 3-0-0-7. TOTAL: 21-7-10-57

No. Lehigh 12 10 21 9 3 - 55

N’western 14 10 14 14 5 - 57

Three-pointers: NW – Yadush 6, Seyfried 1, Hallman 1; NL – Hess 4, Keller 2, Colon 1