It is unlikely that many would view Blackhawk Christian versus North Side as a rivalry game. Yet, for the past decade plus, it has become of the most anticipated games of the season to watch and since moving to an early in the season spot, it may be the game most people look forward to before the holidays.
Over a 14 year span heading into this week’s battle, North Side held an 8-6 advantage in the games. North Side won the first five meetings and eight of the first nine with Mike Novell coaching the then Redskins to an 89-88 overtime win his last season at North Side. Shabaz Khaliq would take over and lead North to a 7-1 record over Blackhawk.
After Khaliq’s exit, the Braves had taken the last five games heading into this week, helmed by Marc Davidson for four of those wins and Math Roth just last year. Blackhawk’s only other coach during the series of games, Jay Sefton, was 0-4 opposite North Side.
The game has had some big moments. Sean McGee’s 40-plus point night in 2014’s 86-84 loss for North Side in overtime. Keion Brooks Jr.’s gravity defying showing in 2016’s 78-55 win. In 2017, someone I once knew projected Blackhawk Christian (with a freshman Caleb Furst) to win by 2; North Side responded with a 26 point victory. Pure dominance from the Braves from 2018-2020, where they won by an average of 50 points, never scoring less than 98 in that three year period.
Tuesday night did not let down as the newest entry to the series.
It was a night where both teams took the court for the first time in the season and for the first time in a long time, both programs had a lot to prove. Coming into this season, there have been high expectations for both programs due to recent success, but big changes came through both programs since they met at this time last season.
Ultimately, North Side prevailed 71-63 on Tuesday night and get the first win in the history of the game under coach Gary Andrews. It is a great win to start the season because of Blackhawk’s history and the fact they are headed by a Division I standout in Kellen Pickett.
But for North Side, it was about establishing some new faces and some bigger roles for returners. The lack of Brauntae Johnson in the lineup due to a football injury that will keep him out during basketball season is something that has loomed over outside expectations of the Legends and I’d be lying to say otherwise. The team was still stout, we knew that. But when you take an all-state high scoring guard out of the lineup, things have to change and the proof has to be in the pudding, so to speak.
Eugene Young and Jaxon Fugate both stepped up in major ways night one. Fugate tallied 19 points, 10 rebounds and five assists while Young also scored 19, grabbed eight rebounds and had a pair of steals. They showed that side by side, they will continue to be a tough test for any team due to their length and elevated court vision. Big and strong Da’von Haney added 10 point as an added interior threat and fellow North Side footballer Jordan King defended well all over the court.
And that Tae Tae-less North Side backcourt? Well, Javion Davenport answered the call on night one with 18 points and three assists. Davenport has been a tough defensive piece that can move the ball well in the past, but took a big leap forward on Tuesday night in the North Side opener. He spaced the floor really well and his downhill speed has taken an uptick since we last saw him on a high school varsity court last early spring. Max Goheen, a freshman, also had solid flashes showing that he was ready for the varsity scene a year after playing middle school ball.
The Braves had a lot to prove too and that’s not something that you hear a lot about a Blackhawk Christian program or a team coming off a state championship.
But most of that team is gone outside of Pickett and Isaac Smith. So every single contributor outside of those two was seeing a very enhanced role, many of whom had little or no varsity experience. Pickett was Pickett and even as strong as North played him, there won’t be too many answers for him in the area. He finished with 22 points, spread the floor well himself and did a good job exploiting some matchups.
But Blackhawk was never going to win or compete with just Pickett, especially on a night where the sharpshooting Smith was held to just three points. There were always going to be others that had to step up. One of those was Aiden Muldoon, who saw quality court time sporadically last season but had to come into this new season as one of the leaders offensively and did so with 15 points of his own Tuesday. Jackson Hauser, who had very limited varsity experience, scored 14 while knocking down four three pointers.
Blackhawk led 24-23 in the game before North Side went on a 13-3 run to end the first half and take a lead that was basically impenetrable the rest of the way. The way the first half played out spoke volumes about each team in ways the second half didn’t. In the first, Blackhawk proved it can really get going quickly on teams of a solidly high caliber and North Side proved that they may not ever be out of a game and when they get going they can be a real issue. Young’s clutch catch and shoot three pointer in the closing minute or so of the first half to put North Side up 31-27 was a catalyst for the rest of the game and was a great example of how cold blooded his shooting game has become. A Haney spin move score and a Fugate triple over Pickett later and the Legends were rolling at halftime.
The second half proved for both teams that they can push a steady pace; for North Side that they could play correctly with the lead and maintain structure while the Braves proved that they were never going to give up fighting despite the fact the score hovered around the 10 point mark or so the entire second half.
It was a tough game where neither team could afford to let up and neither did.
The start of the season for North Side and Blackhawk Christian not only adds excitement about those teams this season, but it really adds to the dynamic and lore of what has become one of the best series’ between two programs in Northeast Indiana.
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