By TOMMY REZAC
St. Joseph Post
ROSENDALE - Senior Tanner McDaniel has had a big season.
He surpassed 1,000 career points earlier this year while averaging around 25 points a night.
McDaniel added a few more accolades to his already storied senior season Tuesday. Draining a single-game school record nine three-pointers, McDaniel dropped a career-high 37 points as North Andrew (15-6) dominated St. Joseph Christian 76-46.
McDaniel also upped his single-season total of three-pointers made to 68 - another school record.
"I was just feeling good from the start of the game," McDaniel said. "I was getting open looks from my teammates all night long."
McDaniel got quite a few of those looks early, sinking five threes in the first quarter, giving the Cardinals a 28-9 lead after the first eight minutes.
"I'm so proud and happy for Tanner," head coach Wade Bryson said. "It couldn't happen to a better kid. He spends hours every day shooting and shooting and shooting. For him to get these records for us is just incredible.
"St. Joseph Christian is a pretty good team. We were pretty nervous coming into this game. So, to come out and put on the performance we did tonight has me feeling pretty good right now."
McDaniel picked a pretty decent night to set some records. For the first time all season, North Andrew opened their game up to the general public, doing away with the two-ticket per athlete policy and keeping the mask mandate in place.
"Our community has been so great throughout this whole pandemic supporting us," Bryson said. "Having them here and having them cheer us on was a huge boost for us."
Tuesday's game was really never in doubt. North Andrew led 49-21 at halftime and built a 30-point lead by the fourth quarter, allowing the game to end with a running clock.
Hayden Ecker also had a solid night from beyond the arc with four made threes, giving him 12 points. Clayton Linville added 11. Owen Graham dropped in 10.
The Cardinals have now won three of their last four games and are 4-2 in their last six.
Fresh off of a third place finish in the North Platte tournament on Saturday, and now another big showing from McDaniel, the Cardinals are hopeful to ride their momentum on into districts later this month.
"We just hope to keep getting better every day," McDaniel said, when asked about what goals are still out there. "We want to go far into postseason play. Just...keep winning games."
North Andrew 76 - 28, 21, 10, 17
St. Joseph Christian 46 - 9, 12, 16, 9
North Andrew scorers - Tanner McDaniel - 37, Hayden Ecker - 12, Clayton Linville - 11, Owen Graham - 10, Khizer Shunk - 4, Keaton Hannah - 2.
St. Joseph Christian scorers - Landon Swavey - 24, Brad Boyd - 8, Carson Bowman - 7, Max Frewdenthal - 2, Caleb Carlson - 2, Camden Lutz - 2, Eddy Luo - 1.
You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.
