Monday Basketball: Packers, Panthers, Cloud & Devils

Boys

Montague 61 Fremont 48
The Packers came into Montague riding a 5 game winning streak and coming off a big win that put them in the heart of the conference race.
The Wildcats had lost 4 of 5 to fall out of the top half of the WMC standings.
But on Monday the hosts gave their visitors a 4th look at the teams likely to be in next year's conference as well as their third loss to WMC teams.
Coach Bowen: “I knew this was a dangerous game for us after an emotional win on Friday. We came out very flat in the first half and did not play with great effort or focus for the first time in quite a while. Montague was on fire from three point range all night and we struggled mightily to make shots and had way too many careless turnovers. Montague definitely played harder than we did and they deserved to win.”
 Jordon McDonald burned it up firing in 28 points and Joey DeLong also reached double figures hitting for 10.

Holton 53  White Cloud 15 
The Devils went ahead early and never looked back as they won for the 6th time in 7 games and  kept their hold on the top spot in the Silver. Holton ended the first quarter with a 14-2 lead and by the time intermission arrived the Devs had the game wellm in hand at 36-5.
Coach Jones: ‘(The score) pretty much sums it up.  Holton played really well, controlled the game from start to finish.”
A well balanced scoring attack was led by Carter Brant  and  Kevin Erickson who each knocked down a dozen while  Wyatt Monette scored 11 and Austin Fowler hit for 9 Monette also pulled down 13 boards and Bret Hosmer pilfered 4 steals to go with his 7 points.
Coach Swanson: “Another important league game.  Our guys came out focused and ready.  We get great leadership from our seniors, and really our whole team, and it continues to show on and off the court.
 
Girls

Hesperia 24 Mason County Central 22
Down by a point at halftime the Panthers inched past the Cardinals in the third and held them off in the final frame to earn the win. It was the second win in the last three games for the Panthers who began the season 0-5.
Abby Joppich led the Panther scoring with 10 points and Emmet Tinkham hit for 8. Emma Joppich pulled 10 off the glass for 
Coach Grodus: “We were down 1 at and came out very strong defensively in the 3rd quarter. Our defense in the second half was outstanding.” 

Kent City 61 Holton 12
The Red Devil girls had a 4 game winning streak coming into this week.
One the schedule? Merely three state ranked teams in 5 days beginning with undefeated conference leader Kent City.
The Eagles cruised to a decisive win behind the scoring power of Lexie Bowers who dropped 23 points, nearly double the Holton total, and an impressive defensive performance.
Ryann Robins managed 5 of the dozen Devil points and Courtney Boes grabbed 10 rebounds.
Things won’t get any easier as the RD’s face Gold frontrunner Newaygo Tuesday.  

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