GEORGETOWN — The North Adams boys basketball squad returned to the court for the first time in nearly nine months when practice began late last month. Saturday night against the Georgetown G-Men, the team was able to shake off a little more dust in the annual Foundation Game.

Georgetown had offensive troubles most of the night, thanks in large part to a stingy North Adams defense led on the interior by twin brothers Trey and Cole Meade. Trey Meade at 6’6” and Cole Meade at 6’4” created a presence Georgetown simply could not match inside the paint, forcing them to rely upon outside shooting. North Adams would win the game 61-50.

The Green Devils were able to get the offense going early. Trey Meade tallied eight points in the first quarter while Cole Meade chipped in six. The two combined to score 14 of North Adams’ 19 points in the first eight minutes of the contest, giving the Devils a large 19-8 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Georgetown picked things up on defense in the second quarter, limiting the Devils to 11 total points. Ryan Shupert hit a three-pointer from the corner in that quarter, which proved to be the margin that gave North Adams the edge. The Devils led at halftime 30-18.

It appeared that Georgetown would make a bit of a run in the third quarter. Logan Doss and Mike Winkler carried the G-Men, with Doss scoring eight points and Winkler contributing the other six. However, Isaiah Anderson began to heat up for the Devils. Anderson hit a three-pointer in the first quarter then went silent for the second before breaking out in a big way in the second half. He tallied four points in the third quarter before exploding for 12 in the fourth quarter, most of which came on screens that freed him to attack the paint for layups. Anderson finished with 19 points, second only to Doss, who ended the game with 21.

Trey Meade finished the game with 14 points while Cole Meade added 11. Brandon Gingerich tallied eight points.

All of the above players mentioned were on the team last year for North Adams, who only lost a pair of starters from last season. Head coach Nathan Copas said the players they did get back now have to make up for what they lost.

“We’ve got basically the nucleus back,” Copas said. “We lost [a couple guys who] were big keys. They may not have been a real flashy group of guys but they did the dirty work on the floor. Now we’ve got to pick up for that.”

Trey Meade and Cole Meade, along with the 6’5” Gingrich, allow North Adams to rotate size in and out on the post, keeping players fresh. Copas specifically noted one of those three players has to come out every game ready to play.

“They know them, now they just have to be consistent and do them well,” Copas said. “It’s no secret, we have to have [Anderson] out there every night making good decisions and running the team. Normally you don’t ask a post player to be that type of guy but Trey [Meade] has to as well. Every night [they] have to show up for us and lead our squad and hopefully everybody else will fall in line and do their jobs.”

While it may not count in the overall standings, Copas and the Devils certainly prepared for this game like it did. Revenge was a slight factor for North Adams, who faced Georgetown without head coach Daniel Oliver, who became a father for the second time earlier that day.

“This was a scrimmage but we’re approaching it like a game,” Copas said. “We’ve came in here the last three, four years and have taken some whippings. That’s what I kept telling them in the locker room: you have to get better. We’ve still got a long way to go and a short time to do it.”

North Adams opens the regular season with a home contest Tuesday, December 1 against Peebles at 6 p.m.

Georgetown’s Christian Linville works on Isaiah Anderson in the first half of the Devils’ victory over the G-Men in the Foundation Game Saturday.
https://www.newsdemocrat.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/web1_WestUnionBBB1.jpgGeorgetown’s Christian Linville works on Isaiah Anderson in the first half of the Devils’ victory over the G-Men in the Foundation Game Saturday. Garth Shanklin | News Democrat

Levi Burns takes a jump shot from behind the three-point line for the Georgetown G-Men.
https://www.newsdemocrat.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/web1_WestUnionBBB2.jpgLevi Burns takes a jump shot from behind the three-point line for the Georgetown G-Men. Garth Shanklin | News Democrat

Ryan Shupert attempts to block a shot by Georgetown’s Mike Winkler.
https://www.newsdemocrat.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/web1_WestUnionBBB3.jpgRyan Shupert attempts to block a shot by Georgetown’s Mike Winkler. Garth Shanklin | News Democrat

Trey Meade just misses blocking a layup by Logan Doss, instead smacking the backboard.
https://www.newsdemocrat.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/web1_WestUnionBBB4.jpgTrey Meade just misses blocking a layup by Logan Doss, instead smacking the backboard. Garth Shanklin | News Democrat
Anderson tallies 19 points in 61-50 win

By Garth Shanklin

gshanklin@civitasmedia.com

North Adams 61, Georgetown 50
1st 2nd 3rd 4th Total
NA 19 11 12 19 61
GT 8 10 14 18 50

NA – Anderson 8 2 19, Shupert 1 0 3, Sheeley 1 0 2, Knechtly 1 0 2, Gingerich 3 2 8, Lacy 1 0 2, T. Meade 5 4 14, C. Meade 4 3 11

GT – Underwood 0 2 2, Linville 1 0 3, Cotter 0 3 3, Winkler 3 1 8, Doss 9 2 21, Burns 1 0 3, Dietrick 1 0 2, Cady 0 1 1, Pack 3 1 7
Halftime: NA 30, GT 18
Three-pointers: NA 2 (Anderson, Shupert), GT 4 (Linville, Winkler, Doss, Burns)

Reach Garth Shanklin at 937-378-6161 or follow him on Twitter @GNDShanklin.