Nighthawk Basketball Feburary

The Northfield Nighthawks boys basketball team is winding down from a successful opening season in 6A and looking toward the state tournament in March. The adjustment from 5A to 6A is a hard one and the higher level of competition comes with its challenges. Assistant Coach Eric Becker said, “I think the biggest adjustment is just seeing large schools and playing good competition every single night.” The Nighthawks have overcome these challenges and are still winning regularly. In just one year they have made their mark on the 6A division, as they are currently ranked 22nd in 6A out of 56 with an overall record of 13-8.

A big reason for the team’s success this year has been the growth of juniors Alex Ensor and Judah Michael. Ensor is the Nighthawk’s big man and has grown to 6’11” this season. He leads the team in rebounds and blocks, averaging 6.2 and 3.6 respectively. He is a dominant force on the defensive end, but Becker is most impressed by Ensor’s offensive development as the season has progressed. He said, “I felt like he kind of struggled early on getting incorporated into our offense…but more recently, towards the second half of the season here, he, as well as his teammates, have gotten him more involved.” Judah Michael is Northfield’s leading scorer this year with 18.6 points per game. He is also the younger brother of Justus Michael, one of the team's stars in previous seasons. Judah has taken a big jump this year and has become a leader of this team. Becker said, “He’s just playing with a high level of confidence, knowing that it’s his time now.” Becker also highlighted the importance of senior point guard Jordan Jefferson, averaging 11.7 points per game, to the team’s success.

Before the state tournament, Northfield competed in a league playoff. They had an outside chance to earn a home game for the state tournament, but with a loss to Rangeview on Thursday night, that became unlikely. The state tournament will be held in early March and if the Nighthawks go on a run, they can compete at the Denver Coliseum in the Elite Eight, or even further, for the second season in a row.  No matter what happens in the state tournament, the Nighthawks have had a great season they can build off of as they continue to compete at the highest level. Coach Becker also added, “I thought in the three years that we’ve had a fourth level, freshman-only team,  it was the most competitive and gifted group of kids that we’ve had as a unit.” With two junior leaders and these successful younger teams, the future is bright for Nighthawks basketball.