SPRINGDALE, NL — The boys basketball team from Indian River High proved no match for Pasadena Academy when they met in the round robin of 2A boys qualifier in Springdale, but made the most of a second chance Sunday to earn a berth in the provincials.
After a 62-45 loss to Pasadena earlier in the day to fall to 1-1, Indian River still advanced to the final by virtue of point differential in a three-team tiebreaking formula. The team had defeated Copper Ridge Academy 67-52 in the tournament opener.
The boys from Baie Verte proved it was anybody’s tournament to win as they downed Pasadena 63-60 to leave all teams with a win and a loss. The narrow margin of victory, saddled with the earlier 15-point loss, eliminated Copper Ridge.
Indian River High mounted a furious second-half comeback in the championship game against Pasadena and claimed the title with a 74-71 victory.
Indian River 74, Pasadena 71 (championship)
Tyler Clarke and Joshua Northcotte combined for 65 of their team’s 74 points in the championship victory. Clarke had 34 points and Northcotte netted 31.
Lucas Seaward did all he could offensively to send Pasadena to the provincials, but he and the Falcons came up short despite a game-high 43 points. Chris Rogers contributed 12 points in the loss.
Despite 12 points from Northcotte and 11 from Clarke in the first half, Indian River trailed 43-28 after 20 minutes. Seaward was nearly unstoppable for Pasadena, netting 22 first-half points.
While it looked like Pasadena was on its way to coasting to another easy win over Indian River, the two high-scoring Springdale boys had something else in mind. They combined for 42 second-half points — 23 from Clarke and 18 from Northcotte.
Seward was good for another 21 points in the second half, but the rest of his teammates could only manage seven.
Indian River 67, Copper Ridge 52 (Game 1)
Northcotte and Clarke set the tone offensively right from the opening game, scoring 28 and 26 points respectively in the Game 1 win over Copper Ridge Academy.
Andrew Small led the Baie Verte team with 17 points in the loss, while Thomas Downey chipped in with eight.
Copper Ridge held a 15-11 lead after the first quarter, behind nine points from Small. Northcotte got off to a slow start with just three points in the first quarter but came alive in the second with eight points as Indian River tied the game up at the half.
The game stayed back and forth for another quarter, with Springdale holding a narrow three-point edge after three periods. A 24-12 fourth-quarter advantage for the Springdale school left the final outcome in no doubt. While the rest of the Indian River offence only generated six points through three quarters, Northcotte and Clarke got some help in the fourth with 11 points from four different players.
Copper Ridge 63, Pasadena 60 (Game 2)
Cameron Regular scored 20 of his game-high 27 points in the second half as Copper Ridge Academy bounced back from the opening-game loss. Chase Barrett and Kristian Randell scored eight points each in the win.
Nathan Carter led Pasadena with 14 points, while Seaward scored 10 points in the loss.
Pasadena 62, Indian River 45 (Game 3)
Rogers scored 15 of his game-high 25 points in the third quarter, as Pasadena turned a three-point halftime lead into a 14-point lead heading into the fourth.
Curtis Genge helped out offensively in the victory with 10 points.
Clarke scored 15 of his 24 points in the first quarter for Indian River, but Northcotte had a rare off-game with just six points in the loss.
Indian River will represent the central west region at the 2A provincials being held at Riverwood Academy in Gander Bay March 23rd weekend.
Central West A regional
The central west A boys basketball regional scheduled at Valmont Academy in King’s Point was postponed because of poor weather.
The tournament featuring the host team and MSB Regional Academy of Middle Arm, Hampden Academy and Main River Academy of Pollard’s Point is rescheduled for Sunday.