Lions Advance In A Wild One

Photos by Sophia Hathaway
Story by Ken De Laat

Newaygo 66 Tri County 62
ln our preview of this game we asked which Newaygo team would turn up for this one since the Lions have at times looked  like a scoring machine and other times struggled to get the ball to fall.
Turns out both did.
While Newaygo was cold from the floor and the charity stripe early on the final quarter was like witnessing a skilled surgeon the way the Lions operated. They seemed to have a sense for knowing what was needed and drew on each other in a comeback that was more methodical than furious. 
Logan Klomp got the Lions on the board canning a triple and Blake Kerr followed with a bucket to make it 5-0. Then TC's Trenton McNees put on a mini clinic firing  3 3’s in succession. The Vikings success is dependent on those distance shots and they were ringing them home in the first half. Newaygo struggled to get the ball inside resulting in turnovers and were drawing blanks from outside so by halftime the Vikes were up 11. 
Hunter Yearsovich shot some energy into the Newaygo crowd after intermission as he opened with a triple that began a 10-0 run and pulled the Lions within a point. TC responded with their own run, an 11-0 spurt that put their lead at a dozen. Caris Nelson fed Kerr inside, Klomp hit from distance and Nelson found Klomp inside again to cut the lead to 7 heading into the 4th.
Gavin Rykse tripled to put the lead back to double figures but the Lions weren’t done
A 9-0 run pulled them within a point before a Rykse bucket made it 3. That’s when Nelson blasted a triple to tie the game and send the Lion faithful to their feet.
TC brought the ball down court and with just over 2 minutes Josiah Long pulled off a steal and found Klomp downcourt for a basket and the first Lion lead since that 5-0 beginning. The Vikings failed to score and Newaygo  took the air out of the ball forcing TC to send the Lions to the line where  they converted 3 of 4 to secure an improbable comeback victory.
Coach Long: “Tri County came out and played hard from start to finish.  I was proud that we never gave in and battled to the end.  We willed our way to the win tonight.”
In addition to being a catalyst for the late Lion surge Nelson finished with 21 points, a half dozen boards and 7 assists.  Kerr hit for 18 while taking 9 off the glass, Klomp scored 17 and Long added 6 rebounds and 4 assists.
Newaygo moves on to Wednesday’s Semifinal where the Tigers of Grant await them. 
Game time 5:30pm, Fremont High School.

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