5 keys to Northrop's win over Carroll

Northrop opened its postseason with a solid 58-46 win over Carroll in the IHSAA Class 4A Sectional 5 game at Carroll.

Here were five keys to the Bruin victory:

1. Ball movement

As good as Bryson and Brenton Scott are, Northrop is at its best when those two are not only scoring but also facilitating. Both did a lot of that on Tuesday, with many Bruins baskets coming on an extra pass and good court vision.

2. Weathering the storm

Coach Barak Coolman talked after the game about his team “weathering the storm." Carroll took a seven-point lead at one point in the first half, but Northrop never panicked, a mark of an experienced team.

3. Not forcing 3-pointers

At times this season, the Bruins have fallen in love with the 3-pointer too much. But Tuesday saw them take just 12 of them, hitting four. When Northrop plays as more of an inside-out team, it has more success.

4. Forcing turnovers

Carroll was able to slow the game up in the first half, but the Bruins turned it up after halftime and pushed the tempo. The Chargers tried to match it, but could not do so without turning the ball over with regularity. Carroll finished with 17 turnovers compared to just eight for the Bruins.

5. Antonio Richmond

The 6-foot-4 senior only had five points, but added five rebounds, five assists and four steals for Northrop. He was all over the court and made several big plays during the crucial time when the game could have gone either way.