Devils live and learn

The living and learning process continues for coach Ben Johnson and his Noxon Red Devil boys.

Johnson and company took a double dose of the Charlo Vikings last week, falling to the Vikings 52-42 in Noxon Tuesday, and again 61-52 in Charlo Saturday.

Johnson is happy with how his boys are improving but this COVID-19 season of 2021 has made things sporadic so far.

“It has been a strange season, with all the starts and stops we have had,” Johnson said. “But I am not taking anything away from our kids. You won’t find a harder working bunch than these guys.”

Now 0-6 in District 14C conference play and overall, the Red Devils travel to St. Regis Friday for a game with the 4-3, 6-3 Tigers Friday before returning to the West End to host 1-5, 1-6 Plains Saturday.

Johnson thinks his Devils can play with any team in the league if they can maintain their focus.

“We just need to put four solid quarters together and we have a chance to be in it,” he said. “We put in three and a-half good quarters Saturday against Charlo and almost got it done. Going the full four this week will be our focus.”

Johnson said the Devil let-up, or “mental lapse” as he put it, resulted in three or four 3-pointers in a row from Charlo which put the game out of reach.

Brody Hill and Jeriko Roach-Smith each canned 16 points to lead Noxon, Cade VanVleet scored 10, Nate Cano and Derreck Christensen four each and Wyatt Lackner two.

Roper Edwards (18 points), Phillip Marquez (17) and Stetston Reum (10) paced Charlo, which improved to 4-3 and 5-3 with the win.

In the earlier game with Charlo last week, VanVleet led the Devils with 10 points, Christensen, Roach-Smith and Cano added six apiece, Hill and Jared Webley five each and Lackner four.

Keaton Piedalue netted 20 points and Edwards 13 for Charlo.