NORTON SHORES — The Reeths-Puffer boys basketball team closed out an important week with a dominant performance on Friday night.
After notching a signature win over Muskegon on Tuesday, the Rockets led wire-to-wire in a 62-47 win over Mona Shores on the Sailors’ home court.
Reeths-Puffer led by as many as 31 points in the fourth quarter before a closing run by the home team.
“This was a great week for our kids and our program,” R-P Coach Nate Aardema said. “I thought they showed a lot of maturity tonight after a big win on Tuesday, coming out and playing really well again tonight. That’s a challenge for a lot of teams to keep that hunger and that competitiveness. They’ve really bought into being gritty and tough.”
Once again Reeths-Puffer suffocated its opponent defensively. Mona Shores made just four field goals in the first half — and none in the final 7:15 of the second quarter.
Antrel Jones shoots from three-point range. Photo/Joe Lane
“Our defense has been really, really good,” Aardema said. “It’s all five of the guys working as one. It’s pretty cool to watch the way they’re switching, the way they’re talking, the way they’re communicating. They’re really working well together.”
That defensive effort led to a lot of points on Friday. The Rockets turned Mona Shores’ missed shots and turnovers into quick points in transition on the other end.
“When we play good defense, our transition offense is really good,” said senior guard Jaxson Whitaker, who led R-P with 22 points. “Keeping our arms out, playing solid defense helps a lot in the offensive game.”
Aardema also gave credit to Reeths-Puffer’s bench, a unit that doesn’t always see a lot of time on the court, for getting the team ready in practice on Thursday.
“Our guys that were in at the end of the game had an incredible practice yesterday,” Aardema said, referring to JT Fansler, D’Andre Williams, Drew Brooks, Taylor Boone, Elliot Schneider and Grady Woodrum. “They really pushed us and helped us get ready for tonight. They deserved getting those minutes.”
Jaxson Whitaker dribbles around a Sailor. Photo/Joe Lane
The Rockets’ winning streak has grown to 11 games. Reeths-Puffer is 14-1 on the season, including 8-0 in the O-K Green conference, and is playing great basketball.
“It’s a super fun season,” Whitaker said. ”We are working every day in practice. We’re just focusing on the next day, getting better every day.”
Reeths-Puffer opened the game with an 8-0 run in the first two minutes, powered by two Whitaker triples. The Rockets led 17-9 after one quarter, led by Whitaker’s 11 points.
The Rockets blew the game open in the second quarter with a 20-5 edge, including a 16-1 stretch to close the frame, and led 37-14 at halftime. Travis Ambrose led the way with seven points in the second.
Reeths-Puffer extended the lead to 50-23 after three quarters. Ambrose scored six more points in the third, including an emphatic putback slam dunk in the final seconds.
R-P's Marvin Moore gets ready to pass. Photo/Joe Lane
The Rockets extended the lead to 31 points (56-25) with 6:06 to play before the Sailors closed on a 22-6 run with the Rocket starters out of the game.
Whitaker led the Rockets with 22 points, four assists and two steals. Ambrose tallied another double-double with 19 points and 13 rebounds, along with four blocks.
Marvin Moore chipped in eight points, Antrel Jones had five points, seven rebounds, four assists and three steals, Brayden Mitchelson added five points and three steals and Schneider scored three points.
