Get an early glimpse of our WKTV Friday Night Highlights show with these exciting clips and interviews from our Tuesday Game of the Week: Mona Shores at Wyoming Boys. The Wolves beat visiting Mona Shores 71-58.
Be sure to watch the complete FNH show on Saturdays at 10:30 a.m. and 8 p.m. on Comcast Channel 25 and ATT U-verse Channel 99.
The City of Kentwood and Great Lakes Disc are partnering to host the eighth annual Freeze Fest doubles disc golf tournament and food drive on Saturday, Feb. 18.
Disc golfers of all skill levels are invited to join the best-shot doubles competition at Old Farm Park, 2350 Embro Dr. SE from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. All proceeds will go to support Kentwood’s Little Free Pantry.
On-site registration begins at 9 a.m. and the first round of the tournament starts at 10 a.m. Pre-registration is encouraged online at kentwood.us/FreezeFest. The cost is $25 per person or $50 per team and one canned food donation.
A photo from a previous Freeze Fest tournament. (Courtesy, City of Kentwood)
“It has been exciting to watch Freeze Fest and our other disc golf events continue to grow each year,” said Lori Gresnick, Kentwood recreation program coordinator. “We continue to be amazed by and are grateful for the generosity of the disc golf community.”
The Kentwood Little Free Pantry initiative began in 2017 as a community service project in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. The small food pantry is open to all community members year-round and is designed to fill an immediate and local need. It offers nonperishable food and personal care items. Anyone can utilize or donate to the pantry. No application is required and no questions are asked.
“The annual Freeze Fest gives the disc golf community a great opportunity to enjoy the game during the off season while also supporting the local community,” said Shea Abbgy, owner of Great Lakes Disc. “This is one of our favorite events of the year and we’re proud to continue partnering with the City of Kentwood on this tournament.”
(Courtesy, City of Kentwood)
The demand for Kentwood’s Little Free Pantry at the Kentwood Activities Center, 355 48th St. SE, has steadily increased since its opening. To help meet the growing need, the City of Kentwood opened a second pantry location in 2021 at the Kent District Library – Kentwood (Richard L. Root) Branch, 4950 Breton Ave. SE. More information is available at kentwood.us/LittleFreePantry.
After a 73-51 win over Ottawa Hills Tuesday, South Christian boys Coach Taylor Johnson was happy with how his Sailors handled the pressure.
“It was a great matchup with a team that can give you a lot of problems with their style of play,” said Johnson, whose Sailors improved to 13-3 overall, 8-1 (second place) in the OK Gold. “It took time, but once we got settled in I liked how we played together and passed through the pressure.
“It was an important game for us and we knew it would not be easy. Coach King does a nice job and we had to keep fighting. We made a big push late into the third quarter that really helped us pull away in the fourth.”
Jake DeHaan scored 17 points for the Sailors. (Courtesy, Eric Walstra)
Sam Medendorp led the Sailors with 20 points, while Jake DeHaan added 17.
“Sam was so important for us and played great,” Johnson said. “His defensive presence is unlike anyone else in the league; he impacts the game on both sides of the ball. He showed off his athleticism last night with over five blocks and four dunks. It was fun to watch.
“DeHaan just continues to flourish of lately, finding his rhythm being able to hit the three and drive it to two feet and find ways to create angles and score. He also had some huge off rebounds for us that sparked important second chance points.”
Ottawa Hills fell to 10-7 overall, 6-3 in the Gold.
With an 81-47 win over Saranac Tuesday, the Lee boys basketball team kept a near-perfect season moving along.
The Legends improved to 13-1 overall, their only loss coming on January 16 by one point to Charlotte (45-44). Quite a turnaround from last season, where they finished 5-16 overall, 2-6 in the Alliance.
“Overall, our team played great versus Saranac,” said Lee Coach Dominic Shannon. “Energy was appropriate, effort was strong and we have improved each game since taking our only loss of the season.
“Clarence Lewis really set the tone early in the game defensively, and by the end of the game, tied the steals record with seven steals, which was set a few weeks ago by our freshman point guard Jr. Metcalf.”
Junior guard Marc Whitfield led Lee with 20 points and 10 assists, followed by Joe Russau with 19 points.
“Marc is very elusive in the open court and great at finding his teammates,” Shannon explained. “He’s our best playmaker on the team. Marc has been close a couple times to 10 assists, but last night notched his first double-double of the season in a team win over Saranac, which I was the varsity head coach at for two years.”
Lee huddles during a win over Potter’s House Christian last Friday. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)
Shannon said his team’s defense has been the anchor.
“Our wing/front court players, Ny’Zhem Marshall, Joe Russau and Keontae Taylor, have really been a huge disruption in the paint by altering shots and starting the break,” Shannon said. “We’re dangerous once we get out and run the court. As we head into March, as coaches we want to keep practice competitive and energetic.
“With the season stretching across a few months, it can be tough at times to keep energy and effort high, but I think our staff has managed to do a great job of keeping the boys engaged.”
Sitting atop the Alliance League at 3-0, Shannon talked about his team’s opportunities.
“We are in control of our destiny with a huge conference game this Friday at home versus Tri-unity Christian,” Shannon said. “Our goals are set high for this team, but our immediate goal is to win the Alliance crown, and it must be done defensively.”
Jakhary Towns led the Wolverines with 23 points. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)
By Greg Chrapek
WKTV Contributor
Godwin Heights came out of the gate fast during Tuesday’s OK Silver showdown against NorthPointe Christian, but it was the visiting Mustangs that came away with a 69-67 win in a game that came down to the final seconds.
“You have to give the credit to NorthPointe,” said Godwin Heights Coach Tyler Whittemore. “They are a well-coached team and their kids played hard. They made some key shots and battled the entire game.”
Godwin Heights grabbed the early advantage in the game thanks to some outstanding defense and shot making on the offensive side of the floor. Godwin built a double-digit lead by the middle of the first quarter. The Wolverines were up 18-8 before NorthPointe Christian cut the margin in half by the end of the opening quarter.
The Wolverines kept control of the lead in the early going of the second quarter with a three-point shot by Jaylen Martin putting the Wolverines up 26-19 with 4:34 remaining in the half.
All tied up at the half
NorthPointe Christian, however, would not back down and a six-point Mustang run trimmed Godwin’s lead to a single point. By halftime, NorthPointe caught the Wolverines and the two teams went into the locker rooms tied at 34-34.
“We have a team full of seniors,” said NorthPointe Christian Coach Justin Yoder. “We start four seniors so we have a lot of experience. I told the guys no matter if we are up by 10 or down by 10, we have to stay the course. We have to execute on offense and play good defense.”
From halftime on, the game became a back-and-forth struggle, with neither team able to get more than a four-point lead in the third quarter or a five-point advantage in the fourth.
NorthPointe led 51-50 at the end of the third quarter before Godwin Heights surged ahead in the early minutes of the fourth. NPC led 65-63 with a minute remaining in the game when the Mustangs received a big play from Deangelo Person. He drove to the basket and scored and was also fouled on the play. Person added the free throw putting NorthPointe up 68-63.
Jamarion Collins trey tightens it up at the end
Godwin replied with a final run of its own. After a free throw by Jamarion Collins, the Wolverine defense came up with a stop and on the next possession Collins drained a three-point shot cutting the margin to 68-67 with 15 seconds remaining.
With eight seconds left in the game, NorthPointe’s Mitchell White split a pair of free throws that put the Mustangs up 69-67. Godwin had an opportunity to tie the game in the final seconds, but a pair of missed free throws and a missed putback at the buzzer enabled NorthPointe to come away with the win.
“We had a shot at the end and that is all you can ask for,” Whittemore said. “They (NorthPointe) made the shots. That’s a really good team and we’ve battled back and forth with them all year.”
Godwin gets earlier win
Godwin Heights defeated NPC 84-72 when the two teams previously met January 10 at NorthPointe.
“Godwin is a really good team,” Yoder said. “We changed up our defense this time. We went to a 3-2 zone the whole game and tried to mix it up. It was a game of runs and I’m super-proud of my boys. This was a big win for us.”
Jakhary Towns scores 23
Jakhary Towns led Godwin with 23 points, followed by Collins and Damarie Thompson, 10 apiece and Marco Rodriguez, nine.
NorthPointe was led by Kayden Bird with 27 points and Person, 17.
With the loss, Godwin Heights fell to 10-4 overall and 6-3 in the league. The Wolverines return to action Friday when they host Calvin Christian and then host Belding next Tuesday.
(LEE: Marc Whitfield, 20 points, 10 assists; Joe Russau, 19 points)
Tri-unity Christian 71, Ravenna 39
(TU: Jordan VanKlompenberg and Keaton Blanker, 14 points apiece. Blanker also had 5 assists and 4 steals; Trey Rillema and Akais Giplaye, 6 rebounds each)
Isabelle Baez had a team-high 16 points for Potter’s House Christian Friday. (Courtesy, Jake Szetela: Riparea Videography)
By Greg Chrapek
WKTV Contributor
The Potter’s House girls basketball team was hitting on all cylinders on offense as it defeated Lee 60-13 in an Alliance League game Friday.
The Pumas took a 14-4 lead at the end of the first quarter and upped the advantage to 35-6 at halftime. They continued to put points on the board in the second half, building a 50-9 lead to end the third.
Isabelle Baez led the way for Potter’s House with 16 points, while Anyieth Nhial scored 10. The Puma’s improved to 12-4 overall, 4-0 in the Alliance League, while Lee fell to 2-14, 1-2.
Take a look at our latest edition of WKTV Friday Night Highlights, February 3!
Every Friday, we’ll bring you some great high school boys and girls basketball clips from the Wyoming and Kentwood areas, highlight some top performers and give a snapshot of the latest conference standings.
Coming soon, we’ll have coaches and players stop by our studio after their games to chat on the show.
Lee huddles during a win over Potter’s House Christian Friday. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)
By Greg Chrapek
WKTV Contributor
The calendar may have said it was the first Friday in February, but the action inside the gym at Potter’s House felt totally like March.
In a game that was played in a state tournament-like atmosphere and in front of a packed crowd, the Lee Legends boys team held on to edge Potter’s House Christian 56-53.
Lee led the game from start to finish, but the victory was a hard-earned one as the Legends needed to withstand a spirited comeback by Potter’s House during the fourth quarter.
“I’m very, very proud with the way we faced adversity today,” Lee Coach Dominic Shannon said. “You have to take your hats off to Potter’s House. They played a great game, but I’m so proud of the way our guys responded to the adversity and playing on the road in a tough gym like they did.”
Lee seemed to have control of the game early in the fourth quarter as the Legends led 41-32 with six minutes remaining in the game. That lead, however, was anything but safe as the Pumas fed off the energy of their home crowd and battled back during the final six minutes of the game. Lee also lost senior Keontae Taylor midway through the final quarter when he fouled out with the Legends holding a seven-point lead.
Potter’s House cut the lead to 49-48 with 1:21 remaining in the game. That was when Silas Ondersma came up with a steal that led to a bucket by Aaron Leedy making the contest a one-point game. That bucket also capped a six-point Puma run.
Lee, however, refused to surrender the lead. A free throw by Marc Whitfield with 1:16 remaining and a subsequent offensive rebound and putback by Joe Russau built Lee’s lead back to four points.
After a free throw by Ezequiel Araujo drew Potter’s House to 52-49, Ny’Zhem Marshall scored with 43 seconds remaining to put Lee up 54-49. Lee was not in the clear, however, as Quincy Winkle drained a trey with 36 seconds left cutting the lead to 54-52.
After Lee missed a pair of free throws, Potter’s House drew to within one point when Araujo split a pair of free throws with 23 seconds remaining.
Right down to the wire
Lee upped the lead to 56-53 when Whitfield connected on a pair of free throws and then a steal by Lee’s Clarence Lewis with three seconds remaining sealed the win.
Lee sophomore Troy Fox came off the bench to help the Legends win. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)
“We lost a key player when Keontae fouled out,” Shannon said, “but like the old saying goes, `next man up’. Troy Fox, a sophomore, came off the bench and he really came through for us. It was a great team effort with everyone contributing.”
Lee knew they were facing a difficult road test and in the early minutes of the game the Legends did what they could to take the crowd out of the game. Lee scored the first nine points of the game and held Potter’s House scoreless until the 4:05 mark of the first quarter.
“Our plan was to get out to an early lead and take the crowd out of the game,” Shannon said. “Getting that early lead helped to settle our nerves and give us some confidence.”
Lee led 17-8 at the end of the first quarter and took a 26-20 lead into halftime. The Legends continued to keep that working margin in the second half as they led 36-29 at the end of the third quarter.
Despite trailing the entire game, Potter’s House never felt out of the contest and gave the Legends all they could handle.
Fell behind early
“We fell down into a hole early,” Potter’s House Coach Kevin Kuipers said. “I think we had a little too much adrenaline early and we missed some shots. The last month or so we’ve been playing pretty good. We’ve focused on staying together and never quitting. Never giving up.
“I liked the way we kept battling back tonight. I’m proud of the ways these guys played. We still had a chance at the end and that is all you can ask for.”
The Pumas getting ready to defend Lee. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)
With the win, Lee improved to 12-1 overall and 3-0 in the Alliance League. The Legends, whose only defeat this season was a 45-44 loss to Charlotte, return to action Tuesday at Saranac and then host Tri-unity on Friday.
Whitfield led Lee in scoring with 16 points, followed by Lewis with 13. Marshall added nine points, while Russau had eight.
Potter’s House fell to 6-8 overall and 2-2 in the conference. The Pumas return to action Tuesday when they host Wellspring Prep and then travel to Covenant Christian next Friday.
Winkle led the Pumas with 21 points and Leedy added 12.
After trailing 10-1 to start the game, South Christian clawed back to eventually grab a 44-36 win over visiting Caledonia Tuesday.
At halftime, the game was tied at 21 and knotted at 28 to end the third quarter.
“The game went back and forth with both teams just really digging in on defense and struggling to get much going on offense,” said South Christian Coach Kim Legge, whose team is 10-5 overall, 5-2 in the OK Gold.
Caledonia led 36-35 with 3:30 left in the game and then the momentum was all South Christian.
Ashley Thomasma’s trey turns the game
“Ashley Thomasma hit a big three that put us up two points,” Legge said. “Our defense would hold strong from that point on holding Caledonia scoreless the rest of the way.”
Thomasma led the Sailors with 15 points, followed by Ashley Raredon, 13 points and 11 rebounds and Lizzie Wolthuis, 11.
Caledonia’s Gracie Gortmaker finished the game with 18 of the team’s 36 points.
“It was a great non conference matchup against a crosstown school,” Legge said. “Both teams worked extremely hard to keep the other team out of their rhythm. A lot of the players from both teams know each other so that always makes for a fun matchup.
The Potter’s House Christian girls basketball team won its seventh game in a row with a 52-14 win over Muskegon Orchard View Tuesday.
Coach Jake Hoogstrate said after a slow start to the game, his team got it rolling in the second quarter and “really turned it on in the third.”
“We wanted to pressure aggressively defensively and that finally started to turn into offense as the game went on,” Hoogstrate explained. “We had a season-high 16 assists in the game and really shared the ball well. Ten players scored in the game, also a season high.”
Isabelle Baez led the Pumas in scoring, in limited minutes, with 10 points and Anyieth Nhial added eight points, seven rebounds and three assists. Jordan Clark scored 6 points in her varsity debut, while Serenity Clark and Ivy Andreas each added five points.
The Pumas are now 11-4 overall, 2-0 in the Alliance League.
“This group has been an absolute joy to coach,” Hoogstrate said. “We started the season with a challenging schedule and really learned a lot about who we were and what we were capable of. This team enjoys being around one another and isn’t afraid of a challenge.
“We brought a lot of players back from last year and have some great upperclassmen leading the team. They have bought in and established a great culture for our program. We have a lot of great opportunities ahead of us and we look forward to making the most of them the rest of the way.”
Jakhary Towns shoots a free throw in a win over Tri-unity Christian Tuesday. Towns led the Wolverines with 17 points, all in the first half. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)
By Greg Chrapek
WKTV Contributor
Timely defense and a balanced offense proved key for Godwin Heights as the Wolverines outlasted visiting Tri-unity Christian 76-62 in a non-league game Tuesday.
Godwin Heights came out playing pressure defense from the opening tip. That defensive pressure not only took its toll on the Tri-unity offense, but it led to layups on the other end of the floor enabling the Wolverines to eventually take control of the game.
Junior guard Jace Reid-Anderson was one of the leaders of the defense as he came up with some key steals to go along with applying solid pressure on the Tri-unity guard.
“I’ve been working on my defense a lot more,” Reid-Anderson said. “What we do on the defensive side of the floor helps us get our offense going.”
Along with his efforts on defense, Reid-Anderson contributed on the offensive side of the floor with 10 points, including a breakaway dunk in the final minutes of the game. The Wolverines, who led 66-58 with 3:27 remaining in the game, ended the game with a flurry as they outscored Tri-unity 10-4 to close it out.
Wolverines playing with ‘high intensity’
“I thought our intensity was very high early in the game,” Godwin Heights Coach Tyler Whittemore said. “Our best offense comes off our defense and I thought at times we did a nice job. I thought we also passed the ball well at times and got some high percentage shots.”
The game was a back and forth contest in the early going with Tri-unity leading 13-12 at the end of the first quarter. The Defenders were up 23-21 midway through the second quarter when Godwin went on a run to take the upper hand. The Wolverines strung together eight straight points to go up 29-23 and never surrendered the lead.
Godwin led 36-31 at halftime and upped the lead to 40-31 early in the second half.
‘Difficult to defend’
“I was disappointed with the way we played defense,” Tri-unity Coach Mark Keeler said. “They are a very nice team. They are very quick. We tried to prepare for their quickness, but they were just difficult to defend. They also played some good defense against us.”
Tri-unity Coach Mark Keeler talks to his team during a time out. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)
Godwin Heights led 54-46 at the end of the third quarter. The two teams traded buckets for most of the final quarter before the Wolverines went on the final run to put the game away in the final minutes.
Four players hit double figures for Godwin
Godwin, which had four players score in double figures, was led on offense by senior guard Jakhary Towns, who finished with 17 points, all in the first half.
“I thought we played with some good intensity on defense,” Towns said. “I also thought we did a nice job of moving the ball on offense. This was a big win for us, especially with us getting back into conference play on Friday.”
Senior Damarie Thompson also turned in a strong game for the Wolverines. Along with a strong defensive effort, Thompson scored 15 points.
“Every win is a big win,” Thompson said. “They were state champs last year so this was a big win for us. I thought we played ok, but we could’ve played a little better on the defensive end.”
Godwin also received 14 points from Marcos Rodriguez, eight from Jamarion Collins, six from Rashaad Dorsey and three apiece from Tre’Vonte Buckley and Jaylen Martin.
“I thought our guys off the bench did a really good job,” Whittemore said. “They brought a lot of energy into the game. They also did a good job of playing defense.”
With the win, Godwin Heights improved to 9-3 overall and 6-1 in the OK Blue conference, a half game in back of Calvin Christian. The Wolverines return to action Friday at Comstock Park and then host NorthPointe Christian next Tuesday.
Tri-unity fell to 9-4 overall and are 2-1 in the Alliance League. The Defenders host Grand River Prep on Friday and then host Ravenna next Tuesday.
Roy Fogg led Tri-Unity with 18 points, while Jordan VanKlompenberg had 16. Akais Giplaye also reached double figures with 12 points, followed by Keaton Blanker, six.
Fogg led Tri-unity in rebounding with 10 boards, while Giplaye added eight.
Alyjah Chandler (No. 10) and Quintin Williams (not pictured) scored 23 points apiece in the win. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)
By Greg Chrapek
WKTV Contributor
Wyoming built a big lead against Zeeland East playing with plenty of fire and intensity, but in the end, it was their ability to stay cool as ice at the free-throw line that put away an 82-78 win in OK Green action Friday evening.
With the Wolves clinging to a three-point lead with 29 seconds remaining in the game, senior Alyjah Chandler drained a pair of free throws to give Wyoming an 80-75 lead. After Zeeland East responded with an old-school, three-point play, Avonte’ Wiggins put the game on ice for Wyoming by dropping two more free throws that hit nothing but net with five seconds remaining in the game.
“I just tried to stay calm in that situation,” said Chandler, who also scored a team-high 23 points. “We had some close games early in the season so I just tried to stay composed and hit those free throws.”
Momentum was on Zeeland’s side late in the game as the Chix battled back from a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter and tied the game with a pair of free throws of their own with 2:14 remaining in the game.
Adding more momentum to the Zeeland comeback was when Wyoming senior guard Quintin Williams was called for his fifth foul with 2:28 remaining in the game after coming back in a minute earlier. Williams tied Chandler for high-scoring honors for the Wolves with 23 points and his defense also was a big part of Wyoming’s early success.
Wyoming subs come through
While the Wolves lost Williams, their subs off the bench came in and stepped up, stemming the tide of the Zeeland comeback.
“Our bench guys came in and did a nice job,” Wyoming Coach Thom Vander Klay said. “We have a good rotation and those guys really stepped up for us down the stretch.”
Wyoming benefited from a total-team effort right from the opening tip. Playing aggressive defense and pushing the ball on offense, the Wolves dictated the tempo of the game as they took a 17-12 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Wyoming kept its foot on the gas during the second quarter as the lead grew to 31-18 before Zeeland East charged back at the end of the first half. Relying on its one-two combination of sophomore wing B.J. Walker and junior center Layne Risdon, East cut the Wyoming lead to 36-30 at halftime.
Walker proved to be a steady source of points the entire game for Zeeland as he finished with 33 points, while Risdon scored 19 points as he utilized his height advantage in the paint.
“Every game we try to start with a lot of pressure,” Chandler said. “We try to use our speed to our advantage and I thought we did a pretty good job of that tonight.”
Wyoming continued to utilize its quickness in the third quarter as it quickly built its lead back to double digits. Steals by Williams led to fast-break buckets on the other end of the floor as the Wolves built a 45-32 lead early in the third quarter. The Wolves were up 55-43 midway through the third before East began to chip away at the Wyoming lead and foul trouble began to hamper the Wolves.
“We tried to dictate the pace of the game like we always do,” Vander Klay said. “When we couldn’t that’s when they made their run. Having Quintin in foul trouble really stung us, too. There sophomore, number two, (Walker) took over and he’s a really nice player and their big guy (Risdon) was a load for us to handle, but we stayed calm and hit our free throws at the end.”
Williams also scores 23 for Wyoming
Along with 23 points from Chandler and Williams, the Wolves received 13 points from Wiggins, eight points apiece from Warren Williams and Maxi Morales and seven points from Gage Behrenbrinker.
With the win, Wyoming improved to 4-8 overall, 3-4 in the conference, while Zeeland West fell to 10-4 overall, 5-3 in the league.
Wyoming returns to action Tuesday when it hosts Holland Christian and then travels to Grand Rapids Union next Friday.
Wyoming senior Aaliyah Ratliff poured in a season-best 30 points to help lead the way for the Wyoming girls basketball team as they overcame a slow start to defeat Zeeland East 55-33.
After falling behind 12-2 to start the game, Wyoming went on a 12-0 run to end the first quarter and get back in the game.
“It was a big win for us coming off two tough losses to Muskegon and Zeeland West,” Wyoming Coach Jesse Vasquez said. “To bounce back against a good Zeeland East team gives us a real shot of momentum going into next week.”
The sizzling shooting from Ratliff also provided a big boost of momentum during Friday’s game. Ratliff connected on five three-point shots in a row during a span in the third and fourth quarter that turned the game around.
“She had a couple of 20-point games this season,” Vasquez said. “She averages about 13 points per game, but she shows in practice every day that she has the ability to make tough shots. She got in a rhythm in the third quarter where everything was falling.”
The Wyoming offense also received a boost from Maddie Longoria, who finished with 10 points for the game including a pair of three-point shots.
With the win, Wyoming improved to 8-7 overall, 3-4 in the conference.
“I thought our girls did a real good job of responding to adversity,” Vasquez said. “The girls did a really good job of staying together and staying the course and ended up pulling it out.”
The Wyoming Hall of Fame introduced nine new members in between the girls and boys basketball games against Zeeland East on Friday,
The new members include Pam and Jim Brower, long-time Wyoming Public Schools Boosters who volunteered at multiple athletic events.
K’Brio Kimble, one of the all-time best basketball players at Wyoming Park who finished with 1,252 career points.
Emily Holt Wallace, one of the best all-around athletes to come out of Wyoming, who lettered in five different sports.
Orlando Villarreal, A multi-sport athlete at Wyoming Park who was a standout on some of the best baseball teams in Wyoming Park history.
Whitney Hudson Sharkey, a three-sport athlete who was a two-time, all-state softball player and led the Rogers softball team to the 2005 state championship.
Shawn Veenstra, a three-sport athlete at Wyoming Park who was a member of the 1994 state semifinal basketball team and was one of the best baseball players in school history.
Justin Vasquez, a three-sport athlete who was one of the best swimmers in school history and holds career records in baseball for strikeouts and wins.
Jeff Klomparens, a three-sport athlete at Rogers who stood out in football, wrestling and baseball.
Take a look at our latest edition of WKTV Friday Night Highlights, January 27!
Every Friday, we’ll bring you some great high school boys and girls basketball clips from the Wyoming and Kentwood areas, highlight some top performers and give a snapshot of the latest conference standings.
Coming soon, we’ll have coaches and players stop by our studio after their games to chat on the show.
South Christian Coach Kim Legge summed up her team’s 65-64 OT victory over Grand Rapids Catholic Central Tuesday with three words.
“What a game.”
Down by two points in regulation with five seconds remaining, South Christian’s Lily Nitz sank two free throws to tie the game at 56 apiece.
The Cougars, however, weren’t quite ready for overtime.
After the free throws, they inbounded the ball and took it downcourt for a chance to win. Catholic Central made a layup at the buzzer, but it was called off sending the game into overtime.
Off to overtime
“In overtime, both teams went back and forth with scoring,” explained Legge. “With 1:30 on the clock it was once again all tied up at 62. We hit 4-of-8 field goals and they had 2 out of 5, but also had 3-for-6 on free throws.
“We always have a lot of respect for Catholic Central. Going into the game we knew we would have to put together four solid quarters in order to compete. We have been learning from each game we play and seem to build on those experiences. Our team has talked a lot about consistency and composure in the past few weeks and the team really leaned into that last night.”
Legge talked about Catholic Central’s inside/outside game.
“Grace McKinney and Emily VanTimmeren are both extremely talented and have great moves in the paint,” Legge said. “They also have kids that can shoot the ball so we worked a lot on our closeouts in order to be ready for their shooters.”
VanTimmerman led the Cougars with 20 points.
Ashley Raredon had 16 points and 14 rebounds for the Sailors. (Courtesy, South Christian)
“We are a team that also has an inside and outside game with Ashley Raredon inside and shooters like Ashley Thomasma and Lizzie Wolthuis to name a few.,” Legge explained. “We shot extremely well in the first quarter connecting on 4-of-5 3-pointers.”
Thomasma led South Christian with 20 points, including six 3-pointers. Her biggest trey of the night came with 1:13 left in overtime from the corner on an assist from Raredon to give the Sailors a three-point lead.
Raredon had 16 points and 14 rebounds, while Sophia Prins added 13 points and six boards.
South Christian’s Jake Vermaas takes the ball downcourt. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)
By Greg Chrapek
WKTV Conributor
South Christian had Grand Rapids Catholic Central on the ropes during Tuesday’s OK Gold showdown of state-ranked powers, but the Sailors were unable to land the knockout shot and the host Cougars rallied to pull out a 71-67 win.
First place in the conference was on the line as South Christian sailed into the Catholic Central gym and the two teams gave the packed house what they came to see. South Christian, ranked 13th in the state in Division 2, led for the bulk of the game, but the host Cougars, ranked 18th in the state in Division 2, remained persistent throughout and overcame South down the stretch.
“It’s hard to keep them (Catholic Central) down,” South Christian Coach Taylor Johnson said. “They keep coming and coming. I felt we played with good intensity and our defensive focus was there, but they (Catholic Central) got some big rebounds down the stretch and the ball just didn’t bounce our way at the end.”
A quick start for the Sailors
South Christian jumped out to an early 9-2 lead in the game and was up 18-12 at the end of the first quarter.
Carson Vis led South Christian with 31 points. (Courtesy, Eric Walstra)
Sophomore standout Carson Vis was a big part of the Sailor offense in the early going and throughout the game. Scoring from the perimeter and on drives to the basket, Vis led the Sailors with 31 points in the game.
“He’s a special kid,” Johnson said. “He loves the game so much. He is such a special player and he is going to be special here for quite some time.”
Cougars score 11 in a row
Catholic Central reeled off 11 consecutive points to open the second quarter and take a 23-18 lead, but the Sailors righted the ship and regained a 37-32 lead at halftime.
While the Sailor offense was led by Vis, the Catholic Central offense has a pair of standout players that can fill the hoop in a hurry in junior Durral Brooks and senior Kaden Brown. Brown, who will be playing his college ball at Wright State next season, led all scorers with 32 points while Brooks, who has been offered by Michigan State, added 21 points.
Sailors get 10 straight
South Christian went on a 10-0 run early in the third quarter to go up 47-35, but Catholic Central would not go away. The Cougars chipped away at the lead and cut the deficit to 57-50 at the end of the third quarter.
“It was back and forth,” Catholic Central Coach TJ Meerman said. “It was definitely a game of runs by both teams. They are an excellent team and a tough team.”
South was up 61-55 midway through the final quarter when the Cougars mounted a final big push. Catholic Central went on a 13-2 run to go up 68-63 with a minute remaining in the game.
“Our guys pride themselves on toughness,” Meerman said. “They played with a lot of pride down the stretch. There was a timeout when we were down by 10 or 11 and all the guys in the huddle were saying to stay the course. Just stay the course.
“It was a credit to our junior and senior leadership. The guys stayed the course and knew they would pull it out.”
Down to the wire
South continued to battle in the final minute of the game and a three-point shot by Jake Vermaas trimmed the Cougar lead to 68-66 with 47 seconds remaining in the game. Brown split a pair of free throws with 18 seconds remaining to put the Cougars up by two points.
With four seconds remaining in the game, Vis was fouled on a three-point shot. Vis connected on one of the free throws before Catholic Central pulled down a rebound. Brown was subsequently fouled and drained a pair of free throws with 3.7 seconds left to give the Cougars the final three-point margin.
“They went on that third-quarter run and that hurt us,” Johnson said. “I think it was a 15-6 run and we missed some easy shots. We showed that we can compete with anyone. We’ve played a tough schedule and we proved we can compete with anyone.”
Along with 31 points from Vis, South Christian received 19 points from Vermaas, nine points from Jacob DeHaan and four points from Sam Medendorp.
With the loss, South Christian falls to 9-3 overall and 5-1 in the OK Gold. South Christian returns to action Friday at Cedar Springs.
Catholic Central improved to 8-3 overall and 6-0 in the conference. The Cougars return to action Friday at Kenowa Hills.
(TU: Owen Rosendall, Roy Fogg, 12 points apiece; Akais Giplaye, 11 points, 7 rebounds; Keaton Blanker, 11 points, including the last 4 free throws to clinch the game)
Potter’s House Christian 73, West Michigan Aviation 57
Take a look at our latest edition of WKTV Friday Night Highlights, January 20!
Every Friday, we’ll bring you an abundance of great local high school boys and girls basketball clips from the Wyoming and Kentwood areas, as well as highlighting some top performers and giving a snapshot of the latest conference standings.
Coming soon, we’ll have coaches and players stop by our studio after their games to chat on the show.
One little run proved to be the difference when long-time rivals Covenant Christian and Tri-unity Christian hooked up in a non-league contest on the Defenders home court Friday.
That mini-run came at the end of the third quarter and into the fourth, and was the difference as Covenant Christian edged Tri-unity 46-35.
“Whenever Covenant Christian and Tri-unity play we always seem to have good games,” Tri-unity Coach Mark Keeler said. “It was a close game all the way, but they built a 10-point lead at the end of the third quarter and the start of the fourth quarter and that was all it took. It was back and forth the rest of the way.”
Points were in short supply in the early going as both teams came out and played lock-down defense. Covenant Christian led by a bucket, 8-6, at the end of the first quarter. Even less points were put on the scoreboard in the second quarter. Tri-unity outscored Covenant 5-3 during that quarter and the game was tied at 11 at halftime.
“It was a war out there,” Keeler said. “It’s not like we didn’t shoot the ball. When you play against such great defense the shots just don’t fall. There was a lot of great intensity out there especially on defense.”
The shots began to fall a little more frequently in the second half. Covenant outscored Tri-unity 17-13 in the third quarter and led 28-24 at the end of three. Covenant Christian built the lead to 10 early in the final quarter and finished the final stanza outscoring the Defenders 18-11.
A learning experience
“It was a great game and a game we can learn from,” Keeler said. “It especially teaches us to be more consistent on defense. If we played defense like we did in the first half all the way through the game we would’ve been right there. Sometimes it’s hard to maintain that intensity and that is something we need to work on.”
Akais Giplaye led Tri-unity in scoring with 11 points, followed by Jordan VanKlompenberg, seven and Owen Rosendall, six. Roy Fogg led Tri-unity with six rebounds, while Giplaye added five.
Roy Fogg led the Defenders with six boards. (Courtesy, Tri-unity)
Covenant Christian, which improved to 7-5 overall, was paced in scoring by Isaac Kuperus with 10 points, Johnny Kuiper, nine and Logan Holstege, Brett Camminga and Ethan Deemter, eight apiece.
With the loss, Tri-unity fell to 8-2 overall. Both losses came against teams substantially larger as the Defenders fell to Division 1 Muskegon Mona Shores at the Cornerstone Tournament over Christmas break, while Covenant Christian is a large Division 3 school.
Tri-unity continues a rugged stretch of games against larger schools next week. The Defenders travel to Schoolcraft Tuesday to play the defending Division 3 state champions and then host Alliance League rival Potter’s House on Friday and Godwin Heights on Jan. 31.
“We have a tough schedule,” Keeler said. “We are just starting a real tough stretch right now. We are 8-2 with 11 more games and six of them are against some really, really tough teams.”
Strong defense
Tri-unity will face that tough slate of games with a defense that has been strong all season. Through 10 games this season the Defenders are allowing 39.2 points per game with only three opponents managing to reach 50 points or more and no team able to score more than 56 points on the Defenders.
“We’ve had some good wins against some good teams this year,” Keeler said. “The guys have been coming along. Our defense in the second half was not as good as it should’ve been. We’ve improved a lot on defense since the beginning of the season and that is what has helped us go a long way in the past.
“Tonight was a great game and a good experience for our young men. Losing can be a very good avenue to teach players how to improve.”
Wyoming’s Quintin Williams (4). (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)
By Greg Chrapek
WKTV Contributor
A breakout game by senior guard Quintin Williams helped Wyoming to a big win as the host Wolves defeated Holland 72-54 in OK Green action Tuesday evening.
Williams erupted for a season-high 27 points to pace the Wyoming offense as the Wolves came on strong in the second half to earn their second win in the last three games. Williams had a previous high-scoring game of 17 points this season, but against Holland, Williams filled the scorebook with buckets as he attacked the basket off the dribble.
“I tried to get to the rim,” Williams said. “I feel that I was checking up too much before. Tonight, I tried to get to the basket consistently.”
Williams turned in a consistent offensive performance against Holland as he scored seven points in the first quarter, seven points in the second quarter and finished the game strong with 11 points in the final quarter.
“Quintin did a nice job of controlling the ball,” said Wyoming Coach Thom Vander Klay. “He did a nice job of getting to the rim and pulling up when it wasn’t there. I think he was a little pumped up early, but he settled down and did a nice job.”
Wyoming senior guard Alyjah Chandler (10) sets up the offense against Holland. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)
Williams had plenty of help both on offense and on the defensive end as the Wolves needed a total-team effort to overcome some early foul trouble that kept the game tight in the early going.
Wyoming led 15-14 at the end of the first quarter. The Wolves led throughout the second quarter and a three-point play on a drive to the hoop at the end of the first half by Williams gave Wyoming a 34-27 halftime lead.
“I thought that our kids off the bench did a great job,” Vander Klay said. “We had a little bit of foul trouble in the first half and we needed a lot of kids to come off the bench. They gave us some quality minutes and played their roles really well.”
Wyoming began to take command of the game during the second half. The Wolves outscored Holland 7-3 to start the second half and take a 41-30 lead. Some stingy defense also was key for the Wolves during the third quarter as the Wyoming defense limited Holland to eight total points in the third quarter. Wyoming protected the double-digit lead it built and went into the final quarter leading 46-35.
A 7-0 run to start the fourth gave the Wolves some breathing room. The run was capped by a three-point shot by Maxi Morales that put Wyoming up 53-35.
Holland cut the Wyoming advantage to 55-41 midway through the fourth quarter before the Wolves put the game on ice with an 8-0 run that increased the Wyoming lead to 63-41.
Maxi Morales (3) of Wyoming tries to get open during OK Green action against Holland. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)
“This was a big win for us,” Williams said. “We’ve had an up and down season and this win can help turn our season around.”
The win improved Wyoming to 3-6 overall for the season and 2-2 in the OK Green.
“We keep getting better and better,” Vander Klay said. “We are getting better, but sometimes the kids are not so sure when you don’t get the wins. I think the kids feel good to get this win.”
Along with 27 from Williams, Wyoming received eight points from Logan Marvin and seven points apiece from Maxi Morales and Alyjah Chandler. Avonte’ Wiggins added six points, while Donavyn Edwards and Warren Williams added five each, Jacob Reeder, three points and Buster Cross and Gage Behrenbrinker, two apiece.
Holland fell to 2-8 overall, 0-4 in the Green. Cameron Ferguson led the Dutch with 12 points.
Wyoming returns to action Friday when it hosts state-ranked Muskegon, which entered play Tuesday at 8-0.
Kennedie Crawford and Abby Rivera-Sosa combined for 31 points to propel Grand River Prep to its first win of the early season.
The Titans knocked off Lee 50-27 to improve to 1-1 in the Alliance League, 1-3 overall, while Lee dropped to 0-2 in the league, 1-9 overall.
“Abby and Kennedie played very well tonight offensively and defensively,” said Grand River Prep Coach Morgan McMullan, who averaged 10 points per game while at NorthPointe Christian a few years ago. “They really stepped up as my point guards tonight. I’m proud of them.”
Crawford, a sophomore who started as a freshman as well, led with 19 points against Lee, including three treys.
Grand River Prep senior Abby Rivera-Sosa. (Courtesy, Grand River Prep)
“She’s a very quiet leader, but she leads and makes sure she gets her teammates open, and makes sure she’s scoring as well,” McMullan said. “She’s an all around great player.
“Her and Abby have led the way this season in points.”
Rivera-Sosa, a senior, added 12 points against Lee.
“I think we definitely turned the corner,” said McMullan, of getting their first win of the season. “It comes down to who really wants to win … and we’re the team that wanted to win more.
“We’ve been practicing two months with barely playing any games. We had four games that were cancelled in the beginning of the season. We feel like we can only go up from here, honestly.”
McMullan also was impressed with the play of her sophomore center Samantha Mendoza, who scored six points.
“We’ve been working with her a lot to get rebounds and put them back up,” McMullan said. “She worked really hard on the boards tonight.
As far as the Alliance League goes, McMullan said she thinks her Titans should compete really well against the other teams.
Grand Rapids Gold center Lacey James tells people he came out of the womb with a basketball.
While watching the 6-foot-9 Grand Rapids native warm up in preparation for a game, this reporter noticed James move with quiet intensity and focus. His love for the game is obvious in the attention he gave to each movement and handling of the ball.
In speaking with James after warming up, the 26-year-old told WKTV that he doesn’t remember a time when he didn’t love playing basketball.
“My first love was basketball,” James said.
Showing his love for the game at an early age. (Courtesy, Lacey James)
And no wonder — love of the sport was ingrained in his family. James’s mother and each of her siblings all received scholarships to play college basketball.
“I grew up surrounded by it all the time,” James said.
James was only seven years old when he began playing competitively with a travel basketball team.
James said the opportunity to travel to other states, play basketball and meet new people was exciting and fun.
“I saw more than the other kids because I traveled and played in arenas around the country,” James explained.
And he has never stopped playing.
A three-year starter for the Wayland Wildcats, where he averaged 20 points and 15 rebounds per game, James then signed with Rider University’s Broncs in New Jersey. After a year at RU, James transferred to Northern Illinois University where he played for the NIU Huskies until graduating in 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in communications. During his final college season, he averaged nine points and 8 rebounds per game.
Lacey James (No. 4) in a game against the Windy City Bulls. (Courtesy, Sam Iannamico/Grand Rapids Gold)
James’s journey has led him to wearing No. 4 for the Grand Rapids Gold, a professional basketball team in the NBA G League affiliated with the Denver Nuggets.
He began the season on the Motor City Cruise roster, then came back to Grand Rapids and spent a few weeks practicing with the Grand Rapids Gold. They signed James to the team, and he made his debut as a Gold player in an away game against the Windy City Bulls.
The Grand Rapids Gold was founded in 2006 as the Anaheim Arsenal, relocating to Springfield, Massachusetts in 2009 as the Springfield Armor. In 2014, the league was renamed the Grand Rapids Drive, subsequently changing to Grand Rapids Gold in 2021.
The expansion team of the NBA Development League (NBA D-League) entered a multi-year partnership with Gatorade and was rebranded the NBA Gatorade League (NBA G League) prior to the 2017-18 season.
Not alone during the journey
But James freely admits that he didn’t get to where he is without the help of the people around him.
The only child of Karie James, Lacey said, “My mom and I are very close. She was there for me always, my number one fan.”
After signing with RU, Karie followed Lacey to New Jersey at his request.
“My mom did move out with me to New Jersey. It was cool, being all the way out on the east coast, to have somebody that close (to me) there. She sacrificed a lot for me.”
But James said he had a lot of people in his support system.
Grand Rapids Gold’s Lacey James dunking the ball. (Courtesy, Sam Iannamico/Grand Rapids Gold)
“I didn’t get here by myself. I had a lot of people that supported me and helped me out along the way.”
James said there were several players in the NBA as well as in his own neighborhood who inspired him, but that, “I never really had somebody that showed me the ropes, showed me what it would be like from elementary school, to middle school, to high school. I never had that.”
But that didn’t stop him.
“I kept trying to inspire and motivate myself every step of the way,” James said. “I just kept pushing myself along the path. I worked hard.”
Even the No. 4 on his jersey has special meaning to James.
“I wear that number because I play for four things,” James said. “God, family, an opportunity to change the world, and making a difference in the world with his platform are what motivates James every day.
James admitted that his favorite player growing up was Lebron James. Lebron’s presence on and off the court was only part of the Los Angeles Lakers player’s appeal. Having the same initials, both being only children, and both being 6-9 helped a young Lacey James relate to the basketball player in a unique way.
A voice in the world
“My goal is definitely to be on an NBA team and to have a long career and do something with my platform, inspire the world with my name, my voice and my resources.”
Lacey James, left, in a game vs. the Windy City Bulls. (Courtesy, Sam Iannamico/Grand Rapids Gold)
Having a chance to play professionally in his hometown during that journey means a lot to James.
“I grew up in Grand Rapids,” said James, “and we don’t have the NBA players like L.A. and New York … I would love to make it to those main teams and be that guy to come back and help those little kids and show them the ropes, show them the way to go.”
James credits God for his many accomplishments.
“God really blessed me … from my body, to my opportunities, to the doors he opened,” James said. “I credit God first because without him, none of this would be possible. I wouldn’t be in this position, I wouldn’t be who I am.”
When time allows, James makes it a point to work with kids on the side and has been to schools to speak with basketball teams and sometimes entire student bodies.
Kids that come to a GR Gold game often want to meet and talk to the players after the game. James tries to make sure he is available if kids are interested in meeting players.
“If they want to listen, or if they want to know something, I’ll do it for sure,” James said.
James, however, does not allow the focus to remain on his accomplishments for long.
“God put me in this position. He blessed me with this, and it’s just the beginning.”
D. A. (Deborah) Reed is an award-winning author of young adult novels and a creative writing instructor from the Grand Rapids area. To find out more about D.A. Reed, visit her website: D.A. Reed Author
Take a look at our latest edition of WKTV Friday Night Highlights!
Every Friday, we’ll bring you an abundance of great local high school boys and girls basketball clips from the Wyoming and Kentwood areas, as well as highlighting some top performers and giving a snapshot of the latest conference standings.
Coming soon, we’ll have coaches and players stop by our studio after their games to chat on the show.
From left, Puma team members: Joy McClendon, 5, and Ivy Andreas, 2. (WKTV)
Defense was the name of the game as Potter’s House Christian defeated West Michigan Aviation 54-23 in an Alliance League girls basketball game.
The Pumas took command of the game with their lock-down defense right from the opening tip allowing just a single point in the first quarter and a single field goal in the second period enroute to taking a commanding 25-3 halftime lead.
“We got our full-court press working pretty well,” said Potter’s House Christian coach Jake Hoogstrate. “Our pressure forced a lot of turnovers.”
Ivy Andreas was one of the ringleaders of the Puma defense.
“Ivy was all over the place defensively,” Hoogstrate said. “She was a big key in limiting them to three points in the first half. She also had a lot of assists on offense and played a great game.”
Playing strong defense is a point of pride for the Pumas who improved to 8-4 overall for the season and 2-0 in the Alliance League.
“We pride ourselves in how we play defense,” Hoogstrate said. “Playing strong defense is definitely a focus of our team over the years. We definitely didn’t play great defense on Tuesday at Saugatuck so we wanted to come out tonight and play great defense.”
Potter’s House’s Emmonne Craig helped with the Puma’s defense. (WKTV)
Potter’s House extended the lead to 37-10 at the end of the third quarter and outscored West Michigan Aviation 17-13 in the final quarter.
“We got off to a hot start which was fun,” Hoogstrate said. “It’s always good to see the ball go in the basket early.”
Anyieth Nhial led the way on offense for the Pumas with 23 points. Joy McClendon added eight points while Annie Winkle, Emily Baez and Emonne Craig added six points apiece.
Potter’s House Christian returns to action Tuesday when it hosts Muskegon Oakridge.
West Michigan Aviation was led on offense by Ava Bazuin who scored 13 of the Aviators 23 points. West Michigan Aviation fell to 5-7 overall for the season and 1-1 in the conference. The Aviators are off until Jan. 25 when they travel to Grand Rapids Sacred Heart.
Godwin Heights players, from left, Damarie Thompson, Jace Reid-Anderson and Tre’Vonte Buckley talk over strategy during Friday’s OK Silver game with Calvin Christian. (WKTV, Greg Chrapek)
By Greg Chrapek
WKTV Contributor
Sole possession of first place in the OK Silver was on the line when Godwin Heights visited Calvin Christian Friday night and the long-time rivals added another thrilling chapter to the rivalry with the host Squires holding off Godwin 71-61.
Led by standout senior guard Jakhary Towns, Godwin Heights started fast. The Wolverines jumped out to an 8-1 lead and were up 14-7 before Calvin began to assert its height advantage and pound the ball inside and flex their muscles on the offensive glass.
Senior guard Jakhary Towns led Godwin Heights with 32 points. (WKTV, Greg Chrapek)
Towns was on fire offensively in the opening quarter as he scored 12 of his game-high 32 points then and assisted on both of Godwin’s other two field goals in that quarter.
“Jakhary is one of the best guards in the state and he showed it again tonight,” said Godwin Heights coach Tyler Whittemore. “He just showed that consistency that he’s had over the past four years.”
Calvin was prepared for Towns and the Squires did the best they could throughout the game to keep him from dominating the game.
“We knew coming in that Jakhary is a great player,” said Calvin Christian coach Matt Veltema. “We knew that we had to at least try and contain him because he is just too good a player to stop.”
With three players standing 6-foot-5 and four players 6-foot-4, Calvin had the size advantage and the Squires used that to their advantage. Calvin pounded the glass on the offensive end and came up with numerous second and third chances on offense. Calvin gained control of the game in the second quarter as the Squires outscored Godwin 16-6 to take a 30-22 lead.
“We always make it a priority to battle hard on the boards,” Veltema said. “We knew we had to do a good job of controlling the boards.”
The Squires also featured a talented senior guard of their own in Jack Agema. Agema’s ball-handling skills were key against Godwin’s pressure defense and his playmaking enabled the Squires to get the ball to their big players down low. Agema also led the Calvin offense with 21 points.
Calvin was up 33-26 at the half and opened up a 38-28 lead early in the third quarter. Godwin, however, battled back each time Calvin made a run. The Wolverines cut the Calvin lead to 42-35 midway through the third quarter and then cut the Squire lead to 47-42 on a bucket by Towns late in the third.
“We play the game for the entire 32 minutes,” Whittemore said. “You never know what is going to happen. The guys gave it their best shot and they never quit.”
Godwin makes fourth-quarter run
Trailing by 11 points early in the fourth quarter, the Wolverines made a strong run midway through the final stanza. Godwin reeled off seven consecutive points, cutting the Calvin lead to 55-51 with 4:09 remaining in the game when Towns drained a pair of free throws. That was as close as the Wolverines would get, however, as Calvin stemmed the tide and outscored Godwin 8-3 in the final minute of the game with all the points coming at the free-throw line.
“It was a battle,” Veltema said. “I know Tyler and he always has a very well-coached team. It is always a battle with his team. It was a fun game, up and down the court, and they (Godwin) never gave up.”
With the win, Calvin Christian improved to 8-1 overall and 3-1 in the OK Silver. Along with 21 points from Agema, the Squires received 16 points from Carson DeHaan and 14 from Matt Elderkin.
Godwin Heights fell to 5-2 overall for the season and 3-1 in the conference. Towns led the way with 32 points, while Damarie Thompson added 15 and Jaylen Martin six.
“I think we are growing every day as a team,” Whittemore said. “I give a lot of credit to the boys for how hard they worked in the off-season. They are performing at a high level right now because of that hard work.”
Godwin Heights returns to action at Belding on Tuesday and then hosts Hopkins Friday.
East Kentwood players Ardrace Morris and Christian Humphrey-Rembert (from left) try boxing out Rockford. (WKTV, Greg Chrapek)
By Greg Chrapek
WKTV Contributor
In a long basketball season, there are certain games that can tip the balance between a good season and a great season.
The East Kentwood boys basketball team experienced just such a game Tuesday at OK Red rival Rockford when it erased a 13-point halftime deficit and defeated Rockford 51-49 on a last-second shot.
Sophomore Jah Hatchett gets winning bucket
Falcon sophomore Jah Hatchett provided the game-winning basket with three seconds remaining in the game as he rebounded an East Kentwood miss and layed it in for the winning points.
The bucket gave Kentwood a win that was special in more than one way. First, the Falcons bounced back in a big way from their first loss of the season the previous Saturday against Birmingham Brother Rice. Second, the Falcons managed to do it on the road in a hostile environment, and third, they erased a 13-point halftime deficit to accomplish the feat.
East Kentwood’s Marshaun Flakes helped turn things around against Rockford. (WKTV, Greg Chrapek)
“Big Win” says Marshaun Flakes
“This was a big win for us,” said East Kentwood senior Marshaun Flakes, in his third season on varsity. “We haven’t defeated Rockford in a long time. It was also a big win to get after our loss to Brother Rice. It felt good to bounce back.”
Bounce back was what the Falcons needed to do after falling behind by as many as 18 points during the first half. Rockford came out hitting on all cylinders and the Rams led 18-6 at the end of the first quarter. Rockford continued to build on the lead in the second quarter as it feasted on Kentwood turnovers and converted open opportunities.
Big halftime lead for Rockford
At halftime, Rockford went into the locker room with a 30-13 lead, while East Kentwood went back to the drawing board.
The Falcons made some defensive adjustments at halftime and came out in the second half looking like a different team as they picked up the defensive pressure. Using a full-court, trapping press, the Falcons forced Rockford into numerous turnovers and it was Kentwood that turned the turnovers into easy buckets on the offensive end.
“We made a few adjustments to our zone,” said East Kentwood Coach Mike Thomas. “We increased the pressure and started attacking. On offense, once we hit a three our guys really started to feel confident. It was like the light was turned on once they saw that first three fall.”
Marshaun Flakes drained that first three ball of the second half and that trey led to a torrent of points during the third quarter. Down 34-16 in the early minutes of the second half, Kentwood went on a 9-0 run that trimmed the deficit to single digits following a bucket by Jyair Harris.
The Falcons kept applying the pressure on the defensive end producing steals and getting some big blocked shots from 6-foot-9 senior Christian Humphrey-Rembert. Humphrey-Rembert recently joined the team just before Christmas when he transferred back to East Kentwood from La Lumiere prep school in Indiana.
EK grabs the lead by one to end third
Trailing 40-33, East Kentwood finished the third quarter with an 8-0 run and took a 41-40 lead at the end of the quarter on a bucket from Hatchett.
The contest went back and forth during the final quarter with the score tied twice and the lead changing hands four times as both squads played at a slow pace. Kentwood went up 49-47 on a bucket by Flakes with 2:03 remaining before Rockford tied the game with a pair of free throws with 1:36 remaining. After the teams traded turnovers, East Kentwood held the ball for the last 30 seconds of the game before Hatchett put in the final points with three seconds left.
“We are like a new program,” Thomas said. “I’m a new coach and we have some new players and a new system and it’s taken an adjustment period. There were some crazy things happening, but our guys just kept fighting back and never quit. I’m proud of the way the guys kept battling and never quit.”
Hatchett led the Falcons in scoring with 14 points followed by Flakes with 13 and Darryl Thompkins with 10. Harris added six points while Landon Storms added three, Ardrace Morris, two points and Humphrey-Rembert, two points on a highlight-reel dunk during the fourth quarter.
With the win, East Kentwood improved to 5-1 overall and 2-0 in the OK Red. The Falcons return to action Friday at Grandville and then play Detroit Henry Ford on Saturday at 1:45 p.m. at Ottawa Hills High School as part of the Martin Luther King Day Hoops Classic hosted by Ottawa Hills.
After a four-game winning streak, including a “Battle of Wyoming” championship over the holidays, the Wyoming girls basketball team was cooled off by Mona Shores 58-49 Tuesday.
Coach Jesse Vasquez said every time his Wolves cut into the lead, Mona Shores would build it up again.
“In the fourth quarter, Mona had us by 14 points and we cut it down to seven, but couldn’t get over the hump,” said Vasquez, whose team fell to 6-4 overall. “They would make a big 3 to put it back at 10 points.
“We just couldn’t get in a rhythm. They did a real good job defensively against us, and we couldn’t find a bucket when we needed one.”
Last year, Mona Shores finished atop the OK Green at 12-2 and were 19-4 overall.
Wyoming freshman Myah Nabors led in scoring with eight points.
Vasquez said La’Anna Griffin, Shakya Anderson and Meneliza McGee are “some big pieces for us this year.”
Turning things around
Vasquez said recently winning the Potter’s House holiday tournament, the “Battle of Wyoming,” was a cool experience.
“It was a great atmosphere; really loud and great that our girls found a way at the end to win,” said Vasquez, whose Wolves were 4-17 overall last year and have won two more games at this early point in the season.
“I didn’t come in to a bare cupboard; the cupboards are very full,” continued Vasquez, in his first season. “We’re getting them to rely on their teammates, trust one another and they definitely put the work in every practice.
After a tight 33-32 halftime lead, the Tri-unity boys turned it up a notch in the second half to knock off host Western Michigan Christian 78-50 on Tuesday.
“We really let it fly in the second half,” said Defenders Coach Mark Keeler, whose team improved to 6-1 overall. “We stepped it up in the second half and they kind of cooled down a little on their shooting.
“It was a war in the first half. Western Michigan Christian played a good game against us. They shot the ball, really, really well.”
Jordan VanKlompenberg had 12 points and five assists for the Defenders. (Courtesy, Tri-unity)
Senior Roy Fogg led the Defenders with 15 points, followed by Jordan VanKlompenberg, 12 points and five assists; Akais Giplaye, 12 points and 10 rebounds and Keaton Blanker with 11 points and 6 assists.
Fogg (6-foot-3) is a first-year varsity player who played homeschool basketball last year, according to Keeler.
“His mom Becky graduated from Tri-unity in 1996, our first state championship in basketball,” continued Keeler, who’s coached for 36 years. “He’s a very good player and a nice young man. We’re so happy that he’s here.
“We had a very good returning crew this year. Giplaye (junior) was on varsity last year and played in the state finals. We have such good balance that the scoring leaders vary. Owen Rosendall scored 21 points (7 three-pointers) last week against Fruitport Calvary.”
Last year, the Defenders won the D-4 state championship.
“I think we can make another run at the state championship,” Keeler said. “We obviously want to win the conference (Alliance League) again, but it’s not going to be easy this year with three solid teams; Lee, Potter’s House and West Michigan Aviation.”
South Christian’s lethal combination of Carson Vis and Jake Vermaas combined for 50 points to give the Sailors a 71-56 win over visiting Byron Center.
Vis led with 28 points, while Vermaas added 22.
“That was pretty special,” said South Christian Coach Taylor Johnson, whose team improved to 4-2 overall. “They’re our 1-2 punch.”
The pair also helped South Christian win a D-4 state championship in football this year.
“It was just a great team effort in a packed house, standing room only,” Johnson continued. “It was fun to see. I want to thank the fans for coming out after the holiday; both visitors and home fans.”
Byron Center was undefeated at 4-0 heading into the contest, coming off a win over Hudsonville.
The Sailors trailed by 12 points to end the first quarter and then grabbed the lead 37-33 at the half.
“It was a big win tonight for us to get to 4-2,” said Johnson, in his first year at South Christian.
Senior center also impactful
Johnson said Senior Sam Medendorp, a 6-foot-6 center, “was huge for us tonight, with tons of blocked shots and rebounds.
“He’s a tall, thin, shot-blocking athletic player who’s very unselfish. He does a great job of finding ways to impact the game defensively, and just does all the little things that help you win the game.”
Johnson said Medendorp has scholarship offers from Cleary University, Olivet College, Aquinas College and Grand Rapids Community College.
The Sailors open OK Gold conference play at Forest Hills Eastern on Friday.
Coach Johnson: a GVSU history and former state champion
Johnson previously was an assistant coach and interim head coach at Grand Valley State University, and played for Kalamazoo Christian during their 2008 Class C state championship.
