By Patrick Mooney
At the end of January, Neuqua Valley - for all its depth and versatility - was a puzzling team that too often could not finish games in the fourth quarter.
Before the Wildcats recovered to win the UEC title, the Willowbrook Regional and a gritty game against rival Waubonsie Valley on Wednesday night, here’s what Neuqua coach Todd Sutton had to say after a 52-50 overtime loss to Oswego East on Jan. 29:
“We continue to find ways to lose games,” Sutton said. “We have six losses by 14 points. All games we were ahead, all games were in delay-game (mode), all games we find ways to lose. And it's not by accident. It's a trend.”
Neuqua no doubt took control of the final eight minutes on Wednesday. After Josh Daniels’ jumper gave Waubonsie a 45-35 lead, the Wildcats did not allow a single field goal for the remainder of the East Aurora Sectional semifinal.
Neuqua hasn’t lost since that night in Oswego. How did Oswego East -- an eventual No. 11 seed that would finish its season at 16-9 – pull it off?
“The stars were aligned that night,” Oswego East coach Jason Buckley said over the phone on Thursday.
Oswego East decided to focus on 6-8 center Dan Pawelski and sent a second defender at him whenever he caught the ball. The Wolves double-teamed from the weak-side, hoping to force the senior into kicking it out across the court, and not to the ball-side wing where so many of Neuqua’s dangerous 3-point shooters lurk.
Pawelski, also slowed by a foot injury, scored only six points that night. Bartlett may not need to bring a double-team on Friday night with 6-9 center Kamil Janton in the paint. And some teams, Buckley said, concede that matchup and look for other ways to beat Neuqua. Bartlett will also have to decide how to defend Neuqua’s shooters running off the double screens that spring its offense.
Everyone talks about the Wildcats and their crisp half-court offense, Buckley said, but to the Oswego East coach their man-to-man defense is just as impressive: “Defensively, they’re just tough as nails.”
Buckley stressed patience to his players, and told a team that likes to play uptempo that it would have to play slower. The Wolves would need to pass with purpose and have more and more touches on each offensive possession. Neuqua rebounds so well that Oswego East couldn’t bank on too many second shots. And Neuqua’s perimeter defenders like to take chances, but they’re usually long enough and quick enough to recover.
Those are a few things to watch for on Friday night. But first - how do you see this Neuqua-Bartlett sectional final unfolding?
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