Returning back home for the first time in nearly a month the Northwest College men’s basketball team split its matchups at Cabre Gym — losing to Dawson Community College on Thursday 65-62 before defeating Miles Community College 87-72 on Friday.

DAWSON 65, NORTHWEST 62

Kicking off the two-game weekend the Trappers (12-5) came out with a strong defensive intensity, trying to set a strong tone against the visiting Buccaneers (11-4).

That defensive intensity gave the Trappers a lead early, but Northwest was unable to capitalize often enough on the offensive end and held a 20-9 lead midway through the first half.

“We came out with really great defensive intensity in the first half,” coach Andy Ward said. “Usually that generates some offense for us, but it didn’t in this game.”

Dawson responded over the final 10 minutes of the half, outscoring Northwest 15-5 to make it a 25-24 game going into halftime.

Northwest held Dawson’s leading scorer Joe Mpoyo to zero points in the first half, but that would change in the second.

The Buccaneers took their first lead in nearly 20 minutes at 29-27 with 17:56 left in the second half.

Northwest took control over the next four minutes and appeared to be in control up by eight, before an 8-0 run by Dawson over two minutes tied the game at 43.

The two teams battled back and forth before Dawson opened up a five-point lead with four minutes remaining, leaving the Trappers searching for answers late.

Northwest took the lead 60-59 with 1:56 remaining.

Dawson reclaimed the lead 62-60 on the next possession, before pushing it out to five via free throws with 26 seconds left.

“We have to do a better job of getting back,” Ward said. “A lot of times I felt like we were back but we weren’t identifying players and communicating where they were. One of the things we learned from that game is we gotta play two complete halves.”

A jumper by Mack Page made it a one possession game leading into a Trapper timeout.

Northwest got a steal, and a wide open 3-pointer by David Ayala missed to tie before a rebound by Dawson.

A missed pair of free throws by Dawson and a long heave for Northwest came up short, sending the Trappers to their second straight loss.

Mpoyo finished with 17 points for the Buccaneers after being held scoreless in the first half.

Four Trappers scored in double figures led by Davion McAdam with 13.

NORTHWEST 87, MCC 72

After the loss on Thursday the Trappers regrouped before taking on MCC on Friday night, with the hopes of sweeping the season series with the Pioneers (3-12).

Unlike Thursday the Trappers came out of the gates slow, trailing 15-5 after the first five minutes of play.

“To their credit they came out and put it to us early,” Ward said. “We didn’t come out with the kind of defensive intensity I was hoping for.”

Northwest continued to trail for a majority of the first half until a 15-4 run gave the Trappers the lead 22-21 with 7:33 remaining.

The Trappers maintained that lead and pushed it out to double digits before the halftime buzzer, leading 41-31 at the break.

The Pioneers started the second half on a 15-5 run to tie the contest, but the Trappers answered and maintained the lead and led by nine with 8:42 left.

That lead got pushed out via a 15-3 scoring outburst over the next three minutes, giving Northwest a 19-point lead late.

The Trappers finished off the contest with an 87-72 victory, heading into the winter break with momentum.

Despite having a worse field goal percentage, Northwest outshot the Pioneers by 20 and committed only six turnovers in the contest to help the Trappers to victory.

“It shows you what being efficient offensively can mean, not just your field goal percentage but how many shots you get through taking care of the ball and turning them over, which we did,” Ward said.

McAdam again led the Trappers with 28, alongside Mack Page with 14 and David Ayala with 12.

WINTER BREAK

Northwest will now take a two-week break from action, returning in the new year with a three game non-conference road swing Jan. 6-8 before opening Region IX play.

Ward said the team will focus more on the defensive end once they return from break, feeling like they have not had enough time to focus on man-to-man as the team has been constantly preparing for the next opponent.

Offensively he wants the team to focus on getting specific players the ball in the correct area of the floor where they are efficient, to improve the team’s scoring output.

“Work on trying to get our sets crisp, and getting specific players the ball in locations where they are efficient,” Ward said.

Overall he feels the team will continue to make improvements they have been showing throughout the season to this point after returning to the court in January. 

DAWSON 65, NORTHWEST 62

Offensive rebounds in ()

Points — Davion McAdam 13, David Ayala 12, Kolter Merritt 10, Yannice Nlend 10, Will Hemme 7, Mack Page 4, Andre Loigu 3, Juan Pablo Camargo Tellez 3

Rebounds — Juan Pablo Camargo Tellez 10 (3), Yannice Nlend 6, David Ayala 5, Kolter Merritt 4 (3), Antwon Logan 4 (1), Davion McAdam 3, Mack Page 3, Milton Rodriguez Santana 1, Brash Emery 1

Assists — Yannice Nlend 5, Andre Loigu 2, Will Hemme 2, Davion McAdam 2, David Ayala 1, Kolter Merritt 1, Mack Page 1

Steals — David Ayala 3, Yannice Nlend 2, Davion McAdam 2, Kolter Merritt 1, Will Hemme 1, Mack Page 1

Blocks — Juan Pablo Camargo Tellez 2, Kolter Merritt 1, Yannice Nlend 1

NORTHWEST 87, MCC 72

Points — Davion McAdam 28, Mack Page 14, David Ayala 12, Will Hemme 9, Kolter Merritt 8, Juan Pablo Camargo Tellez 6, Yannice Nlend 5, Christian Adun 3, Milton Rodriguez Santana 2

Rebounds — Kolter Merritt 6 (1), Yannice Nlend 6 (2), Mack Page 5 (3), Davion McAdam 4 (1), David Ayala 4, Andre Loigu 2 (2), Juan Pablo Camargo Tellez 2 (1), Milton Rodriguez Santana 1, Will Hemme 1, Brash Emery 1, Antwon Logan 1

Assists — Davion McAdam 7, Will Hemme 2, Antwon Logan 2, Yannice Nlend 2, David Ayala 1, Juan Pablo Camargo Tellez 1

Steals — Davion McAdam 4, David Ayala 3, Will Hemme 3, Mack Page 3, Kolter Merritt 1, Yannice Nlend 1

Blocks — Kolter Merritt 2, Juan Pablo Camargo Tellez 1