Jays get to stay home for regional

Updated: March 23, 2011 3:46PM

North Judson will host the Class 2A Regional next Saturday. And as expected, it will playing in it.

It wasn't easy getting by physical Winamac to win the sectional. Just as in their two regular seasons meetings, the Warriors made a game of it.

North Judson, relying on a suffocating full court defense, beat the Warriors for the third time, pulling away in the final minutes for a 64-53 win.

The Bluejays are a multi-faceted offense, with a lot of weapons. But it was their defense that bought them this championship.

The Jays jumped out to an early lead, going into the second quarter with a 19-7 lead, mostly behind juniors Winston Yergler and Kendall Hochstedler. Yergler had six of his game-high 23 points, along with three rebounds. Hochstedler drilled two 3-pointers and had three steals in the first quarter.

Winamac fought back. Two minutes into the third quarter, the Warriors took the lead for the first time, at 33-31. They upped the margin to four, before Yergler tied the game at 35-35, and an Andrew Frasure steal and free throw got Judson the lead back for good with two minutes left in the third quarter.

Frasure fed John Eckert inside and the Bluejays (22-1) were up by three, and Winamac would never get any closer.

"I thought we changed the complexion of the game with a total pressure defense," said North Judson coach Ryan Bales. "Andrew Frasure willed us to win. He played like a senior tonight.

"Kendall's threes (he finished with 14 points) got us going early, and his, Winston and Andrew's defense got us where we needed (to be). Hochstedler's defense on (Zach) Shidler was a big key. John (Eckert) worked hard inside, he got (their big men) in foul trouble. His attacking the rim, and his mentality on offense carried over to his defense."

Eckert pulled down 12 rebounds to go with 12 points. He was also big in the fourth quarter as Judson held Winamac to just one basket until it was too late for a comeback.

"We knew we had to get John more involved in the offense," Frasure said.

"It'll be great to be at home," Yergler said of the regional.

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