FORT WAYNE, Ind. — Jordan Bachynski scored a game-best 25 points, and Travis Trice notched a double-double to guide the Westchester Knicks over the Fort Wayne Mad Ants 98-86 on Thursday night.
Although Westchester (20-16) never trailed after scoring the opening bucket of the second quarter, it also didn’t put together a 10-point lead until the final frame. Bachynski and Trice combined for 10 consecutive points during a four-minute stretch to seal the victory.
The Knicks consistently held off Fort Wayne, which tied the game at 50 in the third quarter but couldn’t pull ahead.
“We definitely had fight,” Mad Ants coach Steve Gansey said. “That’s something we hadn’t shown the past couple game on the West Coast trip. But it was a tough game. Every time that I thought we were going to get right back into it with our run, we had a turnover or something careless.”
Fort Wayne lost its fourth straight game and dropped to a Central Division-worst 15-20.
John Lucas III connected on 5-of-8 attempts from beyond the arc for a team-high 21 points, but — not for a lack of effort, as a change — the Mad Ants struggled to contain Bachynski in the paint.
“He fits their system really well. He’s got a nice touch down there,” Gansey said of Bachynski, who finished 11-of-15 from the floor and also grabbed eight rebounds.
Additionally, the 7-2 center’s defensive presence helped Westchester post a 52-30 advantage in the paint and limit the scoring impact of both Indiana Pacers assignees, Rakeem Christmas and Shayne Whittington.
Christmas hit just 4-of-12 looks for 10 points and managed five boards, while Whittington ended with seven points, 13 rebounds and five assists.
Fort Wayne’s long-range shooters not named Lucas continued to struggle. The rest of the Mad Ants — most notably C.J. Fair (1-of-4), Walter Lemon Jr. (1-of-4) and Whittington (0-of-3) — misfired on 11 of their 13 attempts.
Trice took advantage of those perimeter woes, tallying 20 points and 10 assists. Damien Inglis recorded 15 points and 10 rebounds off the bench.
Observations
Rakeem Christmas: Despite what the box score suggests, Bacyhnski’s big night wasn’t an effort or focus problem for Christmas. He simply struggles with bigger opponents and hasn’t broken that trend all year. Stayed conscious of keeping one free hand while arm-barring Bachynski on post-ups.
Shayne Whittington: Impressive defense in the third quarter, particularly in transition. First one back to stop a fast break multiple times. Finished the game with three steals. Still waiting on a consistent 3-point stroke.
Terran Petteway: Most effective shooting from the left wing and regularly settles in the left corner for half-court sets. Asked Gansey if that’s a primary focus of offensive sets. He said the team is conscious of Petteway’s numbers, but “I’ll take a wide-open look anywhere.”
Jordan Bachynski: Runs well for a 7-2 man — smooth, not lumbering down the court. Bacyhnski was liable to fall for a pump fake, but his up-and-under fooled the Mad Ants a handful of possessions, too. Willing shooter from the elbow, which is an important complementary asset.
Travis Trice: He’s the same player we saw at Michigan State. Smart and aggressive player on both ends. He fired accurate long passes and dribbled around with the intent to set up open shots for teammates. Trice also fought over screens and allowed the Mad Ants into the paint, only to have Bachynski alter a shot.
Damien Inglis: Saw the Milwaukee Bucks assignment earlier this season when he was with the Canton Charge. This time around, Inglis was less hesitant to shoot mid-range jumpers. Beyond the arc is a different story, one that must slowly change for him to require NBA attention.
Thanasis Antetokounmpo: His court vision needs serious work. Antetokounmpo rarely looked for the extra pass. One glaring moment was when he declined an easy assist on a long pass, drove the lane, Whittington recovered and knocked the ball away when Antetokounmpo tried a layup. Possession eventually ended with zero points.