Raiders Win Battle in Norm Stewart Classic

PROTECTED CONTENT

If you’re a current subscriber, log in below. If you would like to subscribe, please click the subscribe tab above.

Username

Password

Login

Lost your password?

Username and Password Help

Please enter your email and we will send your username and password to you.

Email

Submit

← Back

By Marlana Smith

  The 2021 Norm Stewart Classic was held Thursday, December 9 through Saturday, December 11 at the Mizzou Arena in Columbia.

  Norm Stewart, a native of Shelbyville, invited the North Shelby Raiders to compete in the classic.

  Stewart coached at the University of Northern Iowa from 1961 to 1967, but is best known for his career with the University of Missouri from 1967 until 1999. He retired with an overall coaching record of 731-375 in 38 seasons.

  “What an amazing experience for our kids and our program. To be selected by Norm Stewart himself, because he wanted to be able to watch “Shelbyville” compete, was an honor in itself,” said North Shelby head coach Landon Daniel.

  “And then to win the game, and it be one of the best games of the whole 48-hour experience, is something that our kids will be able to tell their kids and their grandkids about what we were able to accomplish.”

  The Raiders

(3-1) took on Class 2 Crane at 10 a.m. on Friday, December 10. NS claimed a 62-61 victory.

  Brendyn McDaniel led NS with 14 points. JD Rich tallied 13. Landon Bender, Noah Greenwell and Kyle Smith each had nine.

  Rich was named the MVP of the game. Rich went 2-for-3 from the free throw line. He had three assist and six steals.

“The game was a total team win for us. We had guys that stepped up in almost every facet of the game,” said Coach Daniel.

  “We had some big shots and plays made by Brendyn McDaniel and JD Rich, Casey Shockley hit free throws and an open jumper, Landon Bender led us in rebounds and had some huge offensive rebounds for us,” Daniel continued, “Kyle Smith was big in the middle and found open guys in the post and finished on a big baseline out of bounds play, and Carson Orr and Noah Greenwell were big on defense and transition points.”

  As a team, North Shelby went 9-for-11 at the free throw line. Bender had a total of seven rebounds against Crane.

The Pirates held a 17-12 lead ending the first quarter. McDaniel tallied five of the Raiders 12 points and Smith had four.

  North Shelby put in 25 more points to end the first half giving them a 37-32 advantage.

  “Super proud of the guys for not letting the moment get too big and executing when we needed to,” said Daniel.

  The North Shelby Band performed during the game as well as, a half-time performance.

  Crane tallied 20 points in the third period giving them a 52-51.

  It was a battle until the end. North Shelby came away with the win after tallying 11 points in the final quarter.

  The Shelby County community raised $2,000 for the American Cancer Society through Coaches vs. Cancer in four days. NS board member Amy Presson presented the American Society with check.

  “I was very proud of all the support the community showed us and the band who also did a great job at the halftime performance,” said Daniel.