What does Neuqua Valley’s Blaise Meredith do best for North Central College? Right now, everything. ‘I feel like I’ve gotten in a real groove.’

Early in the season, North Central College’s Blaise Meredith ceded a lot of the scoring load to Ethan and Matt Helwig.

“I wouldn’t say I didn’t have to score,” Meredith said. “It was just what it was. Matt was scoring. Ethan was scoring. I didn’t want to mess up a good thing. I just got it where I could.”

Meredith has heated up the past couple weeks, however.

The 6-foot-4 senior guard scored a game-high 26 points Monday night as the Cardinals raced to a 90-59 CCIW win over North Park. That effort follows up a career-high 33-point effort Jan. 19 at Carroll.

“As conference play has gone on I feel like I’ve gotten in a real groove, utilizing post play more, trying to get some easy buckets around the rim, get to the line, ” Meredith said. “So that’s really helped me too.”

NCC coach Todd Raridon wasn’t concerned about the offense coming around for Meredith, a Neuqua Valley product.

“Blaise is somebody we’re asking to guard their best player and also score for us,” Raridon said. “He’s been very steady throughout the course of the year. I’m very pleased with what he’s given us.”

Entering Monday’s game, senior guard Matt Helwig ranked third in NCAA Division III in scoring, averaging 26.3 points. The Metea Valley graduate scored 19 points Monday, with sophomore guard Ethan Helwig adding 16.

Meredith is used to playing with high-volume scorers like Matt Cappelletti and Connor Raridon. He credited Todd Raridon for helping him carve out his own niche this season for NCC (13-6, 8-3).

“I feel like coach is helping me get into the flow, especially early in games, getting a couple plays for me to try to get some looks,” Meredith said. “I feel like that’s really helped me.

“I just try to take what the defense gives me and be aggressive.”

Raridon thinks the fact Meredith is such a heady player has played into things as well.

“Blaise is an intelligent basketball player,” Raridon said. “He sees what’s going on. He knows when Matt is on. He’s trying to get him the basketball.

“There are times when Matt and Ethan have struggled a little bit and Blaise picked up his game. It’s a combination that we need.”

The career numbers are building up as well for Meredith.

The only season he led the Cardinals in scoring was in the abbreviated 10-game season last spring, yet he recently scored his 1,000th career point.

After the win over North Park, he has 1,134 points. He passed Reid Barringer during Monday’s game for 21st on the all-time scoring list at NCC.

“I think it’s great for Blaise,” Raridon said. “I know Blaise is not one for records. That’s not what he’s looking for. He wants to play basketball.

“Good things happen in situations like that. If you’re not focused on setting records and stuff like that, good things will happen, and they have happened for Blaise. I’m really proud of what he’s done for us.”

For his part, Meredith doesn’t try to think of the accolades, but he confirmed how it’s nice to get recognition for a solid career.

“I just try to take it for what it’s worth in the moment but not get too wrapped up in it,” Meredith said. “Especially the past few weeks, we’ve been playing three games a week.

“There’s literally no time to focus on anything else, so we’re trying to grind. It’s cool, but I definitely will take the ‘W’ over that.”