Northwood Temple loses at powerhouse Oak Hill Academy
MOUTH OF WILSON, Va. - Three walls covered in national championship banners and a fourth cloaked in the college jerseys of players who went on to the NBA were intimidating enough.
The team playing on the floor beneath the pageantry was plenty good in its own right.
Northwood Temple made the long trip Thursday to vaunted Oak Hill Academy and took its lumps in a 102-45 setback.
"It was a great experience for my guys," Northwood Temple coach Corey Baker said. "It gave them an idea of what we're always talking about, that next level. Even though we lost on the scoreboard, we didn't lose in the big picture."
The national ranking and national championship banners dated back to 1991, meaning the banner that was hoisted for Baker's own playing days at Oak Hill - 1989 and 1990 - had been taken down to make room for the Warriors' most recent banner for being the 2016 NACA Division II national champions.
It made for a bittersweet homecoming as Baker hugged long-time acquaintances and exchanged handshakes with several Warriors who played for him during the summer AAU circuit.
One of those players, Creighton signee Ty-Shon Alexander, led all scorers with 21 points. Six of Oak Hill's nine players reached double figures and all scored.
The Eagles actually punched Oak Hill in the nose out of the gate, taking a 10-7 lead. The Warriors responded with a timeout, then after Franklin Ugochukwu extended the Eagles' lead to 12-7 with a put-back, Oak Hill scored the final 19 points of the quarter.
The No. 9 team in USA Today's national rankings then opened the second quarter with an 18-2 spree to establish a 44-14 lead.
Both teams substituted liberally throughout the second half.
Michael Hueitt Jr. led Northwood Temple with 11 points. Manny Bates added 9 and two blocked shots before fouling out. Au'Diese Toney chipped in 7.
"This was the first time for our team to play competition like this," Hueitt said. "Me and some of the other guys see this (during the summer) but this is the first time for our team. We'll just learn from it and go from there."
Another of Baker's summer players, David McCormack, finished with 14 points for the 20-3 Warriors. McCormack, a junior, has offers in hand from Kansas, Baylor, N.C. State and Florida State, among others.
"We learned some things about what that next level of basketball is," Baker reiterated. "Hopefully they can take this and learn from it and say, 'this is what I need to do to get better.'"
Northwood Temple moved to 21-12 on the season and will play host to Cresset Christian on Friday.
Northwood Temple 12-6-13-14--45
Oak Hill 26-29-22-25--102
NORTHWOOD TEMPLE - Toney 7, Carter 3, Valetta 3, Michael Hueitt 11, Mitchell 3, Franklin 3, Hickman 2, Bates 9, Ugochukwu 4.
OAK HILL - Ty-Shon Alexander 21, Hemmings 5, Matt Coleman 16, Kayouloud 7, Kenny Nwuloa 10, Devontae Shuler 15, Billy Preston 12, Davis 2, David McCormack 14.
Fouled out: NT - Bates
3-point goals: NT - Carter, Valetta, Hueitt 2, Mitchell, Franklin. OH - Alexander 5, Hemmings, Coleman, Shuler
MOUTH OF WILSON, Va. - Three walls covered in national championship banners and a fourth cloaked in the college jerseys of players who went on to the NBA were intimidating enough.
The team playing on the floor beneath the pageantry was plenty good in its own right.
Northwood Temple made the long trip Thursday to vaunted Oak Hill Academy and took its lumps in a 102-45 setback.
"It was a great experience for my guys," Northwood Temple coach Corey Baker said. "It gave them an idea of what we're always talking about, that next level. Even though we lost on the scoreboard, we didn't lose in the big picture."
The national ranking and national championship banners dated back to 1991, meaning the banner that was hoisted for Baker's own playing days at Oak Hill - 1989 and 1990 - had been taken down to make room for the Warriors' most recent banner for being the 2016 NACA Division II national champions.
It made for a bittersweet homecoming as Baker hugged long-time acquaintances and exchanged handshakes with several Warriors who played for him during the summer AAU circuit.
One of those players, Creighton signee Ty-Shon Alexander, led all scorers with 21 points. Six of Oak Hill's nine players reached double figures and all scored.
The Eagles actually punched Oak Hill in the nose out of the gate, taking a 10-7 lead. The Warriors responded with a timeout, then after Franklin Ugochukwu extended the Eagles' lead to 12-7 with a put-back, Oak Hill scored the final 19 points of the quarter.
The No. 9 team in USA Today's national rankings then opened the second quarter with an 18-2 spree to establish a 44-14 lead.
Both teams substituted liberally throughout the second half.
Michael Hueitt Jr. led Northwood Temple with 11 points. Manny Bates added 9 and two blocked shots before fouling out. Au'Diese Toney chipped in 7.
"This was the first time for our team to play competition like this," Hueitt said. "Me and some of the other guys see this (during the summer) but this is the first time for our team. We'll just learn from it and go from there."
Another of Baker's summer players, David McCormack, finished with 14 points for the 20-3 Warriors. McCormack, a junior, has offers in hand from Kansas, Baylor, N.C. State and Florida State, among others.
"We learned some things about what that next level of basketball is," Baker reiterated. "Hopefully they can take this and learn from it and say, 'this is what I need to do to get better.'"
Northwood Temple moved to 21-12 on the season and will play host to Cresset Christian on Friday.
Northwood Temple 12-6-13-14--45
Oak Hill 26-29-22-25--102
NORTHWOOD TEMPLE - Toney 7, Carter 3, Valetta 3, Michael Hueitt 11, Mitchell 3, Franklin 3, Hickman 2, Bates 9, Ugochukwu 4.
OAK HILL - Ty-Shon Alexander 21, Hemmings 5, Matt Coleman 16, Kayouloud 7, Kenny Nwuloa 10, Devontae Shuler 15, Billy Preston 12, Davis 2, David McCormack 14.
Fouled out: NT - Bates
3-point goals: NT - Carter, Valetta, Hueitt 2, Mitchell, Franklin. OH - Alexander 5, Hemmings, Coleman, Shuler
