Northern goes to (9-0) today and could meet GDS in semis next week

With their 67-44 win today over Wesleyan Chritian Academy(High Point Wesleyan), Northern Guilford moved to (9-0) on the young season and they could end up meeting Greensboro Day School next week in the Pizza Hut Invitational semifinals at the Greensboro Coliseum…..

NG #4 will have to knock off Ragsdale a #5 seed and the team that defeated Northern in the semifinals of the Pizza Hut tournament last year and GDS as the #1 seed will need to stop #8, the Smith Golden Eagles, to make this semifinal matchup a reality.

Today, at Northern in the Berico Heating and Cooling Holiday Classic, the Northern Guilford Nighthawks, led by senior Jonathan Frye and his game-high 30 points, pushed past Wesleyan and even though the HPW Trojans were a defensive problem early, with the Leek brothers and their long wing-spans that rejected numerous NG shots, as the game wore on and the Nighthawks settled down, they had no trouble with Wesleyan and Frye was the man that broke down the Trojans and made them pay dearly.

Jonathan Frye and Jon McBeth were the two keys in the first quarter that helped get NG untracked and the combo of Jon and Jon, or J&J made HPW pay for their attempts to try and take Northern out of their game plan……

J&J with the trey and lay,(lay-ins) and NG was on the way to a first quarter lead of 15-8….The Nighthawks stretched it out and doubled up the lead as it swelled to a 14-point deficit by halftime as the Nighthawks took over and went into the Purple locker room with a 33-19 advantage after one half…..

By the end of the 3rdQ the margin was up to 15 with Northern holding a 49-34 cushion over the now getting tired and weary Wesleyan squad….As we stated earlier, the final came in at:
NG 67
HPW 44
….The Nighthawks claim a 23-point victory and if you have followed along on our journey throughout the game, you can see that Northern expanded upon that lead in each and every quarter……

The Leek brothers were a factor for Wesleyan, but they did not change the outcome of the game and that is what 6’6 and 6’11 young men are supposed to be able to do.

Jonathan Frye changed the outcome of the game as he was able to nail five three-pointers by our count and he was also able to go up and under on the Trojans and there was not a thing that they could do about it. No disrespect directed at the Trojans, but Frye was smarter than any player on the court today. He knew what to do when some of his teammates got shook early and he also had some of his shots sent back early in the game, but he figured out how to take the ball at the Trojan big-men and they had no answer other to than to swat at the ball and come up with nothing but air….

Jon McBeth was not far behind Frye in his effort today, as McBeth was putting the ball on the floor and making Trojans committ and when they did McBeth made them look silly….McBeth along with Frye and Dylan Berry give Northern some real valuable experience every night when they take the court….Barry Scoggins got spooked a bit early, but he came around and had himself a decent game once he realized that he could still be a force inside with his timing on shots and fakes, even though he was giving up 6 inches or more to the Leeks……

There were some adjustments to be made today at the point for the Nighthawks as Patrick Chander went flying to the locker room with the NG trainer in the first half, but Jalen Ross stepped in and he along with Shaq Daniels were able to quiet the storm. Ross was a key as were Frye, McBeth, Berry, Scoggins and the other men we mentioned previously…..

Northern and coach Ryan Freeman should be ready to give a strong account of themselves at next week’s Pizza Hut Invitational…….

Here is how the scoring went for both teams in this afternoon’s ballgame:
Northern:
Jonathan Frye 30 points with 5 three-pointers and just one free throw….
John McBeth 11
Barry Scoggins 8
Dylan Berry 6
Jalen Ross 4
Joe Daniel 3
Shaq Daniels 3
Daniel Downing 2

Wesleyan Christian Academy:
Deng Leek 10 points
Leak Leek 9
David Leonard 7
Drew Crenshaw 6
Will Coble 4
Mitch Purgason 3
Jacob Caldwell 3
Spence Slobach 2

27 thoughts on “Northern goes to (9-0) today and could meet GDS in semis next week

  1. If you are on the line and it is do or die, call on Frye……Had to get a good rhyme in for the close……

  2. Pull out the fork after the comment from the dork!!!! Northern is done and we will kill ’em. Just like last year. By the way Are you sure we beat ’em in the semis last year? I thought it was 1st round!
    Lucy
    PS. We’ll have Frye’s number for sure.

  3. I have seen Northern, GDS and Dudley play twice this year and I have not seen ORMA play but here are the top teams in Guilford Co. These 4 boys teams are clearly the best in the county. Until someone locally beats GDS they are still #1, followed by #2 Northern, #3 Dudley and #4 ORMA.

    GDS #1 because they have already beat ORMA, they will not allow Frye at Northern do what he did to HP Wesleyan tonight, and Dudley does not play teams that play the level of defense that GDS plays which would frustrate them too much to beat GDS.

    Northern #2 because they do not have enough solid guard play to beat GDS if Frye is not on an offensive run, they would beat Dudley because they have more people contributing to all areas of the game offensively and defensively than Dudley would produce, and from what I have read the in the past ORMA does not always show up with a high level game but so far Northern has.

    Dudley #3 because they would fold against the GDS and Northern defense and have to lean to heavily on PJ to pull it out offensively in each game. they would beat ORMA because ORMA would challenge their “manhood” with the fastbreak and dunking approach which would allow Dudley to play the wide open type of game that they would win with slightly defense than ORMA.

    ORMA #4 or better without question based on what I have read about them from other peoples observations to date.

  4. A sign of a good team is that they win games when they are not playing their best. GDS won today but definetely was not on their best game. All good teams have sub par days and still win. I will ay that they played hard as always and never give up, they were just a little off today. Their coaching staff will instill confidence and have them ready for the Little 4. They open up with Smith. Smith could giver them some trouble since they are so athletic. They could face Northern in the second round if they can beat Ragsdale which should be I predict a 5 point game either way. Good luck to all

  5. Strong words lucy from someone who lost there 2 premier scorers in jay canty and wally, it will be interesting

  6. I saw Northern for the 1st time this year yesterday, and they are pretty good. Wesleyan is no where near as good as they have been in the past, however. Frye is definitely improved, but I cannot figure why he is @ ASU instead of somewhere @ a higher level D1 school. The only thing I see that can deraail them from winning ( and keeping) a state championship is their weak schedule and a very unimaginative offense.

  7. ” I cannot figure why he is @ ASU instead of somewhere @ a higher level D1 school ”

    Cause BuzzBall is back and APP State is where all the kids want to go these days! Jonathan Frye can really make an impact there AND have an awesome college experience…I think it’s great he made the choice to attend ASU.

  8. Frye obviously could have went to a higher D1 school based on his skill set. He is probably going to APP State because he can get immediate playing time. Frye’s skill set is high but his general speed is barely average for high D1. I think Frye is about 6′ 3″ or so which would require him to play the point or shooting guard. He would not have the same impact down low in D1 as he is having in high school and his foot speed would limit his playing time against average or better guards. Yesterday Frye schooled the Leek kid from HP Wesleyan but I think there would be more high D1 schools chasing the Leek kid than Frye because the ceiling on Mr. Leek is much higher than what Frye can produce.

  9. Frye’s knowledge of the game is outstanding. He is by far the smartest player in guilford county if not NC. Smarts>Speed any day of the week.

  10. All I know is you fans of Northern have to realize how good of a coach you have. He’s arguably the best in the state right now and could reach legendary status by the time his coaching days are over. Start the movement now…the Dean Dome must become the Free-Dome!

  11. Hey Francisco,
    It’s good to have you visiting with us in Greensboro during the holidays. Will you be in Tampa in February when spring training starts? You’re no Jorge, but maybe you’ll make the opening day roster, and we’ll see you @ Fenway. Glad to see you are a Northern fan.
    Willy W.

  12. WAIT UNTIL EASTERN PLAY YALL AGAIN.THE LAST TIME WE PLAYED IT WAS A 26-6 FREE THROW DIFFRENCE AND WE STILL ONLY LOST BY THREE .THAT HAIRSTON KID WILL SHUT FRY DOWN AT HIS HOUSE FOR SURE…

  13. I guess you guys have not seen Westchester play. Most certainly I am not saying they are the best but they sure deserve to be mentioned. Duce, Ike, Cole and CJ are all players. At times they are out of control but they play very, very hard. This team is a tough out for anyone because of their talent and their effort.

  14. Northern has beaten one team with a winning record (eastern). They play the weakest schedule in all of NC. They will not be ready for Greensboro Day or the state playoffs and Freeman will flame out in the first round which is his history. The flex cut doesn’t win championships. Sorry to rain on your parade. Top two teams in guilford county are GDs anr Oak Ridge Military. Third place is very distant. Dudley proved that in Florida by getting waxed by so-so teams down there. Unfortunately, Dudley is too scared to play GDS or ORMA and will hide behind that. Dudley will be out by the the 3rd rround of the state playoffs. Easy to stop a one-man team with good coaching. Northern’s team last year proved that.

  15. Thought Dudley played 3 top-ranked HS teams in Florida. Not surprised that Dudley is down a little, as they are de-emphasizing sports and concentrating on academics over there, aren’t they? It’s a haven for aspiring engineers and scientists from what I’ve been told. That’s why they have the academy, isn’t it?

  16. When does ORMA play again @ home? I want to see just how good they are. Lots of hype for sure, but they have lost every game they played against good teams. I am sure there’s a reason, right——Injuries, studying for exams, etc.?

  17. GDS and Westchester play @ GDS in January. Meanwhile, Westchester has already handled Wesleyan once and will probably play them again next week. Again, I am not saying the Wildcats are the best but they are very talented and play very hard.

    ORMA is the 3rd or 4th best in this area. This is just my opinion and I have seen a lot of ball.

    I like GDS, Northern, Westchester and ORMA in that order. I did not mention Dudley because I have not seen them play.

  18. If we are going to rank teams, and include everyone, I will throw my two cents worth in. Hard to say Dudley is not the most talented with ORMA a very close second. But as we all know, talent alone does not win games. With that being said, here is hoopsnut’s Top 10 in Guilford County:

    1 Dudley – They get here despite their coach. Just too much talent. They prob beat GDS and ORMA 6 or 7 times out of ten. Would be much better if the other guys were involved in the game on a more consistent basis. I would love to see a GDS-Dudley game. Always fun to watch.

    2 GDS – By far the best combo of talent and coaching. Even though past years should have nothing to do with this year, they prove year in and year out that they can beat better teams. As they did in Charlotte earlier with a buzzer beater over ORMA.

    3 ORMA – Too talented not to be 2nd, but they lost head to head. Canty and Lawson are unbelievable athletes who really struggle playing a half court game. Which is why they lost to GDS.

    4 Northern – Dont think they will end the year 4th, but haven’t been beaen. Just not enough depth on this squad. A really good whipping they put onWesleyan though. Dominated throughout.

    5 Grimsley – Like their seniors. Only seen part of one game. But think I would put them there.

    6 Westchester – A talented group of kids.Not sure I am buying how hard they play, but I guess we will see how they match intensity with GDS in January.

    7 High Point Central Only saw them once against GDS. Was very impressed with their length and athleticism.

    8 Western – Good PG play and solid players around them.

    9 Smith – Again have only seen once against ORMA. They were making tons of shots that day. Not sure they are that good, but they are definitely dangerous. Will be a tough first round opponent for GDS. Maybe the best 8th seed ever.

    10 Page – Tough choice between them and NW. I think both will get better as the season moves along.

  19. Just FYI looked ay the teams that Dudley played in Florida and they were all top ranked teams in the country. No team was allowed in the tournament that weren’t ranked top in their state or ranked by the ESPN/MAXPREP nationally. Strictly invitational and no team other than DUdley could go in our area. So stop the hating and give them credit for having a legitimate team. We need to get past our personal animosity and wish the best for all the kids and stop being so negative. It was a great honor for them to even be in that tournament and yes even your great GDS would have struggled against the future NBA players that participated in that tournament.

  20. @lovethegame

    Not sure if you are talking to me about disrespecting Dudley. I dont know how saying I think they are the most talented team in the area is disrespecting them. I dont have ties really to any team. That being said, I would much rather watch GDS play than anyone else. I think they play the way I would want my teams to play if I was a coach. I also think its crazy that people think Northern is better than Dudley. 1-7 there is not a team as talented as Dudley. But wouldn’t you agree that we need to see a GDS-Dudley game. Generates great excitement in the area and we get to see area kids play in a truly big time atmosphere. Why cant they play in the MLK classic. That will draw more fans than any other matchup you could come up with.

  21. I agree it would be great to see the two teams match up — they are both talented teams. I also agree that it would be a huge success but with the schedule that both teams have this yr. I doubt if it will be a go. In my observation of both teams I really don’t think GDS would have a chance this year against Dudley. Even though I read constantly about it being a one man team there are so many intangibles that the other teammembers give that are not reflected in the point spread. Hopefully it will happen next year. But just curious why do you enjoy the GDS style of play vs. other local teams?

  22. Dear Hoopsnut: my comment earlier about the quality of the team was not directed at you but to others who made crazy commemnts about the so so teams that Dudley went against in their last tournament.

  23. The main reason is that they guard!! For a group of guys that as a whole year in and year out are average to slightly above average athletcally, they bring a tremendous amount of pressure to the game. I will have to say I haven’t seen the same sort of consistent intensity this year as i have in years past, but boy do they get after you on defense. Then they push the ball and share the ball. Almost impossible to say you can stop one guy and beat them. I think there is no other team in the area that buys into truly being a team the way they do at GDS. That is a testament to Coach Johnson and his staff. And it’s a testament to the kids that play there that allow those guys to coach them. Without quality kids you cant have that type of team and philosophy.

  24. The system @ GDS is beautiful to watch. There are talented players but no stars. The balls moves and moves and moves. There are screens, back cuts etc. all over the place. Also, their players behave, are diciplined and are looked after academically.This is why they win and why they will continue to win.

    The idea of Grimsley being rated that high is way off. This is one of the least fundametal teams I have seen. There is no defense and often there is no attempt at defense. I would, also like to see a little effort from their scorers. At least 2 and possibly 3 of the teams you have rated below them would/will beat them by 10-20 points.

  25. Also, for you to question how hard Westchester plays begs the question; Have you seen them play? If you had, you would not begin to question their fierce intensity. Win or lose you better bring your A game.

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