By Greg Keim
About the only thing Cameron Williams couldn’t do Tuesday night was connect from the free-throw line.
The 6-4 NorthWood High School senior was 1-of-4 from the charity stripe, but scored a career-high 23 points as the Panthers topped the Lakeland Lakers, 46-43, in high school boys basketball action at the “Panther Pit” in Nappanee.
“Williams’ performance was a very good individual one,” NorthWood coach Aaron Wolfe said. “I was proud our team recognized the way he was playing and got him the ball in positions where he could score. It was the unselfish play of the team that allowed him to catch the ball in such good spots.”
The Panthers fed the ball to Williams down low and he was able to turn and score over the shorter defenders. He was 11-of-16 shooting.
“Williams was tough on us, but he didn’t get too many easy points. We made him work for them,” Lakeland coach Tim Sirk said.
Williams’ previous high was 15 in last Friday’s 45-38 overtime win over Northridge, also at home.
He has been in double figures in eight of 11 games this season.
NorthWood (5-6) travels to Goshen in a Northern Lakes Conference game and Lakeland (8-4) hosts Hamilton in Northeast Corner Conference play, both on Friday.
The Panthers had a chance to close the game out with 3:00 left to play. NorthWood was leading 44-38 when 5-11 senior John Sittler drew a charging foul on the Lakers.
Sirk didn’t like the call and received a technical after arguing with the officials.
“I never should have gotten the technical,” he said. “The referees do a great job and I should never lose my temper like that.”
NorthWood, however, left the door open for the Lakers by missing both free throws. The Panthers then turned the ball over on the ensuing possession.
“We did things right during the game to put us in the position to be in control over the last 3:00,” Wolfe said. “We recognized how well Williams was playing in the post. We were patient on offense and worked to get him the ball.
“Our team is getting better at executing the offense and we are getting the ball into the scoring areas quicker.”
Sophomore Jalen King, who had missed his first seven shots, drilled a 3-pointer for the Lakers are 2:35, cutting the NorthWood lead to 44-41.
Five-eleven senior Jake Sirk added a jump shot from 17 feet with :44 remaining to cut the Panther lead to 44-43.
Sittler then canned two freebies at :37 for the final points of the contest.
“Sittler made some huge plays for us down the stretch,” Wolfe said. “The charge (Sirk’s technical) he took was huge and so were the free throws he hit.”
Lakeland still had a chance to at least tie the score after NorthWood missed the front end of a 1-and-1 situation from the foul line at :04. The shot attempt was off and 6-2 NorthWood junior Aaron Rhoade grabbed the rebound to preserve the Panther victory.
“Rhoade continues to improve for us,” Wolfe said. “He had a big steal that was a momentum changer for us.”
Wolfe was referring to a play at the end of the third quarter. The Lakers had rallied from a 35-30 deficit with 4:01 left in the period and when 5-8 junior Scott McKibben made two free throws at 1:39 Lakeland had a 36-35 lead.
Rhoade intercepted a Laker pass and fired the ball down the floor to a streaking Sittler for the layin and a 37-36 Panther lead entering the fourth quarter.
Five-eight junior Michael Paul, NorthWood’s leading scorer, was held to eight points.
“McKibben did a very good job on Paul,” Sirk said.
Sittler and 5-10 senior David Zeltwanger chipped in with six points apiece for the Panthers.
Jake Sirk netted 17 points and McKibben 16 to lead the Lakers.
