D.J. Byrd becomes North Montgomery’s all-time scoring leader

NORTH MONTGOMERY BOYS BASKETBALL: Record breaker

D.J. Byrd becomes North Montgomery’s all-time scoring leader

By Bob Cox
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LINDEN - North Montgomery senior and Purdue recruit D.J. Byrd broke the school’s career scoring record.

However, another type of break made it difficult for the Chargers to pull out a win Saturday night as they suffered a 47-36 loss to Class 4A McCutcheon.

After tying the school record Friday night, Byrd’s first basket, a short jumper with 7:07 in the first quarter, put him ahead of North Montgomery assistant football coach B.J Schlicher for first-place on the all-time list.

Schlicher scored 1,362 points as a four-year Chargers’ starter from 1992 to 1995. Byrd finished with a team-high 19 points.

But late in the third quarter, Byrd broke a finger on his non-shooting hand.

With the Chargers ahead 32-26 with 2:30 in the third, he went up to block a lay-up by McCutcheon’s Nick Wittgren.

On the play, Byrd slapped the backboard and later learned he broke a finger forcing him to leave the game.

Byrd, in obvious pain, returned to start the fourth quarter. But the Mavericks went on a 15-0 run to take control. The Chargers could only muster four points in the final quarter.

Byrd said the game was bittersweet, as the Chargers lost only their third regular-season home game in his career.

“The record might have meant a lot more tonight if we could have won the game,” Byrd said. “It does make me feel good to have the record because I have worked really hard. I will probably feel better about the record tomorrow.”

North Montgomery had another big problem on the night. The Chargers shot a season low 26 percent (12-of-45) from the field. Maybe a more telling is the fact the team only shot a dismal 21 percent (5-of-24) from inside the three-point line.

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