(Kolden Vanlandingham had a big game in the loss)

 

Northeastern is playing one of the toughest 2A schedules in the state to begin the season, and it was bolstered when the Knights added Warren Central to the schedule.

From the tip, Northeastern showed no intention to slow the game down. On the opening possession, Ben Deitsch hit Carter Lumpkin for a backdoor layup plus the foul. Lumpkin and the Knights continued to take the action right to Warren Central. Of course, the Warriors matched that aggressiveness and added a bit. Gabe McNary, a transfer for Avon, was held out until December 22. His shot blocking curved Northeastern's ability to score. He was turning away shots at a high rate and intimidating other looks. For the game, McNary finished with seven blocks.

 

With the quick pace, Warren Central's offense was balanced. Donald Coats came off the bench to score four points in the first quarter, but no other Warrior scored more than one basket. Coats, a senior transfer from Illinois, did not play after the first quarter.

 

On the other side, Kolden Vanlandingham made a three a few minutes into the game. The senior guard entered the game averaging 26.7 points per game. With his athleticism and skill set, it's easy to see why he is putting up those gaudy numbers. He does not see Warren Central's athleticism or pressure often, but Vanlandingham has the tools to beat it. He scored seven in the opening period.

 

In the second quarter, Warren Central's defense went to a new gear. The Warriors started to turn Northeastern over regularly. For the period, the Knights committed seven turnovers, and Warren Central capitalized on them. The Warriors began the frame on a 14-0 run. Tae Davis, Chandler Jackson, and McNary handled most of the scoring during the run. 

 

After halftime, Warren Central's lead never dipped below 15 points. Jackson and Malik Stanley were highly efficient. Stanley, one of the best shooters in the class, was 3-6 from three-point range. Malik Dowdell had a strong game off the bench with four assists, no turnovers, and five steals. Warren Central had ten players score in the game.

 

Early in the fourth, WC's lead stretched to 27 points on a bucket from Jackson. That's when D'Andre Davis pulled his rotation players. Vanlandingham and Raedhyn Foust kept playing hard and scoring for Northeastern. The Knights were able to climb back within 15 with three minutes to play but couldn't make it a serious sweat for Warren Central.

 

The Warriors won 67-52 with Jackson scoring 18 points. McNary had a great game with 10 points, seven rebounds, and seven blocks; Stanley recorded 11 points; and Tae Davis tallied seven points, 13 rebounds, and three assists.

 

In the loss, Vanlandingham had a game-high 24 points plus nine rebounds; Foust added 14 points and six rebounds; Lumpkin finished with 12 points.