Hoops Preview

Mystery Ref is a stickler about no pre game dunking

Friday Matchups for Lions, Packers, Tigers and White Cloud

Girls

Newaygo (7-2) at Chippewa Hills (1-7)
The Lions bounced back from a mistake-filled loss to Big Rapids to take a hard fought win over White Division co-leader Kent City.
We’re a little less than a month away from a rematch with the Cardinals and it’s difficult to see another loss in the Red before then. It’s even more difficult to see the Warriors being in this one at the end. If the Lion offense can get some traction early there should be some court time for the bench and the long bus ride home from Remus should be a happy one.

Big Rapids (9-1) at Grant (4-5)
The Tigers are 4-0 against teams with a losing record and 0-5 against teams with a winning record. The Cardinals don’t have an offensive juggernaut but defensively they are strong and have allowed over 40 points just once all season. The Tigers have struggled to find a consistent offense lately making their chances of an upset more than a bit tenuous.

Fremont (8-2)  at Manistee (4-5)
The first of 5 straight road games for the Packers. The Mariners have dropped 4 straight to a quartet of pretty solid WMC teams, but they were in the Ludington game right up to the buzzer. In their two losses that bookend 8 straight wins, teams held the Packers under 40 points. I doubt Manistee’s defense will be able to do that . A new streak begins Friday.
 
White Cloud (2-7) at Central Montcalm (4-5)
That was a gritty performance by the WC defense holding the Red Division leading Cardinal team to 34 points. If that D shows up again they might have a shot against the Hornets, but they have to score more than 30 and they’ve only done that twice all season. 

Boys

Big Rapids (9-2) at Grant (9-0)
This should be a dandy. The Tigers are having a magical season under new coach Dan George and Friday they will have their biggest test of the season when the Red Division  co-leader Cardinals come to town. How good are the Tigers? They have steamrolled through their schedule thus far and a win over BR would solidify their status as one of the elite teams in the region. It’s not going to come easy though and they haven’t been in a dogfight like this one looks to be.

Newaygo (4-6) at Chippewa Hills (4-6)
The Lions defense has opened the floodgates for opponents yielding over 70 points in each of their last 3 losses. The Warriors aren’t a great team but they have won 4 out of their last 5 and while they don't score a ton of points, neither did Montague before they hung 71 on the Lions last week. . Toss up game but the Warriors are at home.

Fremont (3-9)  at Manistee (5-7)
The Mariners have won 3 in a row and are at home. The Packers bounced back from a beatdown by Whitehall to give a solid Big Rapids team a game and then went into double overtime to beat the Heights, a regular tournament rival back in the day. Interesting side note, this was the 4th OT game for the Tigers this season. 
The teams, along with Montague, share the bottom rung of the Lakes Division and neither team is likely to light up the scoreboard. I like the Packers chances here.

White Cloud (7-5) at Central Montcalm (3-8)
The Hornets have yet to find a consistent offense which should sound familiar to Coach Jones. He was down a shooter in the loss to BR and we don’t know the status going into Friday. If the defense can do what they’re capable of and a couple of players get hot WC can get a win here and stay in contention for a title but a loss here and those slim hopes are gone. 

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