Cloud Makes It 8, Tigers Topple Cards

Lions, Pack fall to unbeaten squads


We’re coming down to crunchtime in the basketball schedule and the next couple weeks will see the logjam atop the CSAA begin to divide a bit.
White Cloud and Grant continued their winning ways Friday with the Cloud romping over the Eagles and the Tigers battling a state ranked Cardinal team for an impressive OT win.
The teams share second place in the CSAA with Newaygo, each of the three boasting a 5-1 record in conference play, a game behind 6-0 Reed City.
White Cloud has the toughest road to a possible title.They have yet to play any of the top tier  teams and  finish their regular season play with a week that includes road games against Grant and D3 ranked North Muskegon and a home contest with the league leading Coyotes.
The Tigers conference opponents down the stretch include three teams in the lower part of the standings and the home game with White Cloud.
Newaygo had their 3 game winning streak snapped Thursday as Whitehall put on display why they are among the top teams in the D2 rankings. The Lions are heading for a big week with Reed City coming to town Wednesday and White Cloud paying a visit Friday. 
Over in the WMC Fremont is unlikely to challenge for the title but the Packers have been impressive after ending an early 6 game losing streak. Since then they have gone 6-2 with both losses coming at the hands of undefeated and state ranked teams, including the loss to NM Thursday. The schedule ahead isn’t easy but this team has shown a lot of resilience in shaking off that streak and  grabbing some success on the court.

Grant 68 Big Raids 63 (OT)
The Tigers took state ranked Big Rapids into overtime on the Cardinal home court and came away with a gritty overtime win. The first half saw BR continuing to hold a slim lead but the Tigers roared back and held a 4 point edge heading into the 4th. The teams battled down the stretch and it looked like the hosts would seal the win in regulation as a late foul sent one of the Cardinal players to the free throw line with seconds remaining. Both shots failed to drop and the game was extended another period.. Zaden Phillips was a beast in the OT scoring some tough buckets while Blake Rider sealed the deal at the charity stripe going 6-6 when it mattered most.
The win keeps the Tigers in what has become a scramble at the top of the conference with Newaygo, White Cloud and Grant all settled in a game in back of front runner Reed City and the Cardinals 2 games from the top.
Phillips led the team in scoring as he dropped 26 on the Cards while Rider finished in double figures with 11. Kyle Cook hit for 9 points and Lucas Swanson scored 8.
Grant (8-3, 5-1) will travel to Belding Monday for a non conference matchup with Belding.

White Cloud 68 Kent City 39
Generated by a high powered offense that has averaged over 70 points a game since Christmas the Cloud just keeps on rolling as they notched their 8th straight win to remain a game behind league leading Reed City in the conference race.
Coach Jones: “Very happy with our team play right now we are playing pretty good basketball.”
Three WC players hit double figures led by KJ Strait's 16 points. Jared Watson and Jayden Robinsonn knocked down 15 apiece while Jayson Reuther hit for 8 and Noah Robinson 7. 
Next on tap for White Cloud (12-2, 5-1) is a non conference road trip to Ravenna (7-6, 4-3).

Thursday

Whitehall 66 Newaygo 47
The D2 ranked Vikings were coming off an emotional win over D1 ranked Cadillac but they showed no signs of a letdown in keeping their undefeated record intact with a convincing win over the host Lions.
The visitors got off to a quick start and forced Newaygo to have to play from behind the rest of the way.  The Lions trailed by 22 at halftime but came out of intermission to battle the Vikings in the second half, competing right up to the buzzer.  
Logan Klomp led the Lions with 13 points and Josiah Long finished with an even dozen. Caris Nelson worked the glass for 7 boards while dishing out 5 assists.
Newaygo (8-5, 5-1) will travel to Fruitport Tuesday followed by a home contest with conference frontrunner Reed City Wednesday.

North Muskegon 53 Fremont 39
The Norse came into this game undefeated, state ranked and firmly atop the Rivers Division of the WMC. The Packers got out to an early lead on the NM court but a cold shooting spell resulted in the visitors being down by 3 at intermission. The teams battled on inn the third but the hosts had the hot hands down the stretch and tallied their 13th straight win
Coach Bowen: “We can take a lot of positives from this game against a very good team, but we know there are no moral victories, and we need to execute better offensively if we are going to beat quality opponents.”
 Chaz Miller paced the Pack with 13 points and added  6 rebounds.  Ben Mellema hit for 11 while collecting 4 boards and Gavin Richards led the team on the glass with 10 rebounds.to go with his 6 points.
Fremont (7-8, 3-4) will try to avenge an early season loss when Ludington comes to town on Friday