Boys basketball: Andrean tops Cougars with NCC showdown looming
By Tommy williams Post-Tribune correspondent February 12, 2013 11:24PM
Andrean's Nick Davidson shoots over West Side's Arnold Wilson (left front) and Lonnie Johnson (right) during their game held at Andrean High School on Tuesday February 12, 2013. | Charles Mitchell~For Sun-Times Media
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Updated: March 14, 2013 6:45AM
MERRILLVILLE — As it turned out, the team that was rusty outlasted the team that was homesick.
Andrean, playing its first game in 10 days, and two days away from a winner-take-all North Crossroads Conference duel with unbeaten Munster, knocked off West Side 48-43. The Mustangs were led by a seven-point fourth quarter from guard Nick Davidson and a four-point play by backcourt mate Collin Wojcik that gave the 59ers the lead for good with 5:14 left in the game.
“This was a very big win because we just came off of that loss to Penn,” Wojcik said. “We’ve had some really hard practices up until this game, and even though everyone was talking about the Munster game, coach had us focused on this one.”
West Side, which was on the final leg of an eight-game stretch of road games (the Cougars have not played at home since late December) had a 34-32 fourth-quarter lead, thanks to a strong second half by Lonnie Johnson, who coach Murray Richards said may have earned himself a starting job based on his Tuesday night performance.
“At the time I just needed someone to go out there and play ball,” Richards said about why he brought in Johnson, who was just promoted from the JV team. “Right at the end when we where right in the game, we were making too many turnovers.”
Those turnovers proved costly when Wojcik’s 3-point shot and one early in the fourth quarter gave the 59ers a 36-34 lead.
“I wasn’t expecting to be fouled when I took the shot but when I got knocked down, I was pumped up. I was so excited,” Wojcik said.
Davidson had a game-high 22 points as the 59ers avoided their first two-game losing streak since 2011. Wojcik added 11.
Johnson led the Cougars with 10.
