A Senior’s Heroics Lead Northwood to a Thrilling Victory

Northwood senior Will Young had already reached the milestone of 1,000 career points before Saturday’s game, but none of those achievements could match the significance of the final few he scored in a dramatic win over Walsh. In a thrilling GMAC men’s basketball showdown, Young poured in eight of his game-high 25 points in the last 50 seconds, helping the Timberwolves edge Walsh 80-75.

For Northwood (9-4 overall, 3-2 in the conference), this victory marked their third straight win by a combined total of just nine points. Coach Tom Church credited the team’s recent close games and tough opponents for their ability to perform under pressure.

“I think the games that we have been in, the battles we have been in, the teams that we have played, helped us get this win today,” Church said. “We weren’t perfect down the stretch, but we’re making the plays we need to make.”

Young emphasized that the team was well-prepared after a lengthy holiday break. He noted that the hard work during practice translated into strong performance on the court.

“It started in practice. We just pushed each other and practiced hard, and that showed in the game,” Young said. “They’re No. 1 in the conference, and we knew we had to come out and compete.”

A Back-and-Forth Game

The game began with Northwood taking an early lead, fueled by three-pointers from Young and Brayden Szamrej, along with layups from Julian Lewis and Parker Day. Walsh struggled to find their rhythm in the first minutes, allowing the Timberwolves to build a 10-4 lead.

Northwood extended their advantage further, eventually leading 23-10 on a nifty up-and-under bucket by Day. The Cavaliers, who managed only 10 points in nearly 12 minutes, finally found their shooting touch, scoring seven straight points to cut the lead to 28-26.

The Timberwolves responded with a 12-4 run, including two three-pointers and a layup by Young, pushing their lead back to double digits, 40-30. Young finished the first half with 13 points, as Northwood carried a 40-32 lead into the break.

The second half was equally competitive, with both teams trading leads. After Walsh pulled to within 48-47 on a three-pointer by Kaleb Schaffer, Northwood answered with a three-pointer by Szamrej and a cutting layup by Young, extending their lead to 53-47. However, Walsh rallied again, cutting the lead to 58-56 on another three-pointer by Schaffer.

Young Takes Control

With 1:05 remaining, Walsh took a 73-70 lead, but Young stepped up in a big way. He drove to the rim, scored, drew a foul, and hit the and-1 to tie the game at 73-73 with 50 seconds left. Then, after Walsh went ahead 75-73, Young feigned a dribble-drive, stepped back, and drained a fallaway three-pointer to give Northwood a 76-75 lead with 10 seconds remaining.

Following a Walsh turnover, Young was fouled and sank a pair of free throws to make it 78-75 with five seconds left. The game wasn’t over yet, though. After a turnover, Walsh got the ball back with 2.6 seconds left, but Day stole the inbound pass, was fouled, and hit two free throws with 1.8 seconds remaining to seal the win.

Key Performances and Team Effort

Northwood finished with a significant advantage at the foul line, making 24 of 26 free throws (92 percent) compared to only 6 of 7 for Walsh. Day contributed 14 points and eight rebounds, while Eklund added 13 points, Sweeney had 11 points and 10 boards, and Szamrej finished with 11 points and eight assists with only one turnover.

Church praised Szamrej’s performance, calling him “tremendous.” He noted that Szamrej’s aggressive play and ability to make shots were crucial to the team’s success.

For Walsh (9-2 overall, 3-2 GMAC), Brayden Gross had 16 points and 12 rebounds, while Schaffer added 14 points and Kobe Mitchell contributed 10 points.

Looking Ahead

Church was pleased with how the team performed in the absence of freshman John Simpson, who is recovering from a concussion. He acknowledged that the team might have been affected by the loss but was proud of the players who stepped up.

Young expressed excitement about the direction of the program and the upcoming season, especially with students returning to campus. He mentioned that the team culture has improved significantly under Church’s leadership.

“We’ve got Malone here on Monday. We’ll enjoy this tonight and then prep and get ready for them tomorrow,” Church said. “They’re playing really well, and so are we, so we’ll get ready for them and try to continue that trend.”