By Ben Murphy
Sports Writer
Strong second half lifts Paw Paw girls over Plainwell
The Paw Paw girls basketball team faced a six point deficit at the half of their Wolverine Conference North Division game on Friday. The Lady Red Wolves rallied with a 22-10 advantage in the third quarter though, allowing them to claim a 50-43 victory and keep them atop the league standings.
Katelyn Baney was able to score 12 points despite being a focal point of the opposing defense, Grace Mitchell hit four threes to finish with 12 points and Taylor Rickli added eight points.
On Tuesday, Jan. 25 Paw Paw won a home league game over Dowagiac, 51-24.
Baney and Mitchell led the way with 14 points apiece, with Mitchell knocking down three second half three pointers.
Paw Paw (10-2 overall, 5-0 Wolverine North) hosts Vicksburg on Friday and heads to Three Rivers on Tuesday.
Paw Paw boys drop pair of conference games
The Paw Paw boys basketball team continues to look for their first win of the season. The Red Wolves played at Wolverine Conference North on Friday and lost that battle, 64-40.
Ashton Toliver led the team with 24 points.
On Tuesday, Jan. 25 the Red Wolves played a league game at Dowagiac, but lost that one as well, 70-43.
Toliver paced the team with 13 points.
Paw Paw (0-12 overall) hosted Niles Brandywine on Tuesday, hosts Vicksburg on Friday and hosts Three Rivers on Tuesday.
Mattawan girls blow out Portage Northern
Mattawan had little trouble with visiting Portage Northern on Friday, easily handling their Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference West girls basketball foes, 64-34; and hit 11 three pointers in the process.
“Great team win, everyone on the team scored,” head coach Chad Conklin said. “Snow coming night game and a great night to showcase women’s basketball.”
Delaney Elsmore led the team with 15 points, seven assists, three rebounds and two steals, Adelaide Douglass added 13 points, 12 rebounds, six assists, six steals and two blocks, Zhia Martin netted eight points and had five rebounds and Peyton Wright was able to put in seven points.
On Tuesday, Jan. 25 Mattawan came up short to visiting non-league foe Kalamazoo Central, 53-44.
“This was a very close game all the way,” Conklin said. “Kalamazoo Central pulled away in the last three minutes making key free throws.”
Douglass led the team with 17 points, 12 rebounds and five blocks, Yasmin Pirbhai had 11 points and five rebounds and Elsmore added seven points, six assists, four rebounds and one steal. Martin also had five points.
Mattawan (7-5 overall, 3-2 SWMAC West) hosts Portage Central on Thursday and hosts Battle Creek Lakeview on Tuesday.
Late three by Kaylee Stroud lifts Lawrence girls over Lake Michigan Catholic
Down by two late in their BCS White game at Lake Michigan Catholic Monday night, the Lawrence girls basketball team needed a big shot. The Lady Tigers got just that, as Kaylee Stroud buried a three pointer for a one point lead with a bout 30 seconds to play.
The Lawrence defense also forced a turnover in the final moments, allowing to claim the hard-fought 33-32 victory.
Stroud finished with 14 points and six rebounds, Shelbi Rindfield had 10 points and six steals and Savannah Peek added four points and tracked down 13 rebounds.
On Friday Lawrence won a non-conference game over Kalamazoo Heritage Christian, 56-37.
Stroud poured in 25 points in this on and Savannah Peek added 11 points and 10 steals.
Lawrence (8-4 overall, 3-2 BCS White) heads to the Battle Creek Academy on Thursday and plays at Michigan Lutheran on Monday in St. Joseph.
Lawrence boys out play Covert 69-52
The Lawrence boys basketball team was able to pick up a BCS White win on Friday, topping visiting Covert 69-52.
The Tigers led 22-14 after the first quarter and held healthy leads of 38-21 and 47-30 entering the fourth.
Leading the way on offense was Bol Bak with 15 points, Mauricio Mancera scored 11, Tim Coombs put in nine, Anthony Saldana scored seven and with five apiece was Masen Leighton, John Schuman, Ben McCaw and Christian Smith.
Lawrence (4-5 overall) hosted Lake Michigan Catholic on Tuesday heads to the Benton Harbor Countryside Academy on Friday and plays at Howardsville Christian on Tuesday.
Fast start leads Lawton girls over Constantine
Lawton saw its girls basketball team race to a 19-2 lead in their home non-league basketball game with Constantine on Friday. The Lady Blue Devils played their way to a 39-27 victory from there.
Reese Olson led the team with 12 points and 14 rebounds, Sarah Dekoning netted seven points, Adi Price added six points and four assists and Ella Richter contributed six points.
Lawton (7-4 overall) played at home against Martin on Tuesday, heads to Saugatuck on Friday and plays at Gobles on Tuesday.
Lawton boys get non conference wins over Constantine, South Haven
The Lawton boys basketball team picked up a home non-conference win over Constantine on Friday, 62-42.
Chase Mitchell led the Blue Devils with 20 points, Luke Leighton scored 18 and Cooper Geib netted 12.
On Tuesday, Jan. 25 in a non-league home game against South Haven, Lawton won 51-48.
Mitchell put in 22 points and Geib added 11.
Lawton (9-2 overall) was at Martin on Tuesday, heads to Saugatuck on Friday and hosts Gobles Tuesday.
Gobles girls shutout Fennville
The Gobles girls basketball team was able to pick up the ultra-rare basketball shutout on Friday. The Lady Tigers were hosting Southwestern Athletic Conference Lakeshore opponent Fennville and claimed a 68-0 victory.
“We used a very balanced attack with six girls scoring at least eight points and every girl got into the scoring column,” head coach Greg Barber said.
Amanda Barber netted eight points.
On Monday, Jan. 24 Gobles won a home non-conference game against Constantine, 61-40.
Amanda Barber led the team with 18 points, five assists and four steals, Kennadi Killeen had six points and 10 rebounds, Jaiden Woodard had 12 points and five rebounds, Deanna Wood added 10 points and three assists and McKenzie Lisowski added seven points and five rebounds.
Gobles (5-5 overall, 4-2 SWAC Lakeshore) hosted Saugatuck on Tuesday, hosts Watervliet on Friday and hosts Galesburg-Augusta on Monday.
Gobles boys tamed by Fennville
The Gobles boys basketball team wasn’t able to hang with visiting Fennville on Friday, as they dropped the Southwestern Athletic Conference Lakeshore contest, 49-22.
Tristan Harbaugh led the Tigers with 10 points.
“This was winter homecoming for us and we definitely had a few jitters on offense to start the game,” head coach Scott Sherrod said. “We played great half court defense all night and keep improving boxing out. We started pressing a little offensively and the athleticism of Fennville took over in transition. We’re building for districts and we’re growing as a team.”
Gobles (1-9 overall, 1-7 SWAC Lakeshore) played at Saugatuck on Tuesday, hosts Watervliet Friday and heads to Lawton on Tuesday.