Expected one thing, got another

I went into Thursday night's North Central-Stryker boys basketball expecting to see a closely contested matchup between two of the top teams in the Buckeye Border Conference and what I saw was something entirely different.

The Panthers (5-4, 3-1) played perhaps the most flawless basketball game I've ever seen (at least at the high school level) in an 80-52 victory.

Offensively, they got the shots they wanted (and made them), they outrebounded the Eagles (4-3, 2-2) and had an astonishing one turnover. One turnover in a high school basketball is unheard of, and I'll be surprised if I ever see that again.

But defensively was where Stryker really shined.

Stryker hounded, shadowed and frustrated NC freshman standout Anthony Kidston all game long and it used an assortment of players to do it.

The Panthers kept Kidston from receiving the ball and when he did, he was forced into taking tough, contested jump shots. He ended with 12 points (6.5 below his average) and a good number of those were from the free throw line.

Despite not playing well, it was obvious from the onset that Kidston is a player to watch. He can shoot, he's quick and he can jump. He's very similar to Archbold's Gene Goering from years back. You will be hearing Kidston's name mentioned over the course of the next few years, and I look forward to watching him.

While one standout didn't have a particulary good game, some others did, including a monstrous game from Stryker's Jordan Jaggers.

Jaggers, a senior, is one of the best players in the area (that was my third time watching him) and he proved it Thursday night. He had 30 points on 12-of-19 shooting and NC didn't have an answer for him.

NC coach Justin Houk said the game plan was to let him shoot. Bad game plan, coach.

Jaggers is a smooth player with a nice jump shot and the Eagles lost track of him multiple times in their 1-2-2 zone and he made them pay.

Also having big games were Stryker's Zach Erb and NC's Derick Wyrick -- both seniors. Erb had 15 points while Wyrick had 20.

All four players -- Kidston, Wyrick, Jaggers and Erb -- are among the top scorers in the area and really are a treat to watch.

If you haven't seen either team play this season, make it your duty to see them.

They play each other again on Feb. 20 at North Central, but a few games to check out before then: Jan. 23, NC vs. undefeated and state-ranked Pettisville; Jan. 31, NC vs. Antwerp; Jan. 24, Stryker at Tinora; and Feb. 13, Stryker vs. Pettisville.