The Reeths-Puffer boys basketball team is still learning how to put the finishing touches on potential victories.
The Rockets had a good first half on Wednesday, and led after one quarter and at halftime, but lost the advantage in a tough third quarter and fell 61-53 to Caledonia in an O-K Green conference road game.
R-P started out well, taking a 16-11 lead after one quarter. Hank Mitchelson led the Rockets with a pair of three-pointers in the first eight minutes.
R-P's Hank Mitchelson
Caledonia had a 16-12 edge in the second quarter, but the Rockets still clung to a 28-27 lead at halftime. Zayden Schneider and Justin Chan each nailed a triple for R-P in the second.
The Fighting Scots pulled ahead in the third quarter with a 19-12 advantage and led 46-41 headed into the fourth. Mitchelson and Marvin Moore each hit a three-pointer in the quarter.
Reeths-Puffer battled all the way to the end, but was outscored 15-13 in the final eight minutes. Rodney Walker scored eight of his nine points in the fourth for the Rockets.
“It was a tale of two halves,” said R-P head coach JR Wallace. “We moved the ball well in the first half but turned it over too much in the second.”
R-P's Rodney Walker
R-P had a good night from three-point land with six triples.
Moore led the Rockets with 19 points, Walker and Mitchelson totaled nine and Chan and Schneider each had six.
Mitchelson snagged five rebounds and Moore had three assists.
Reeths-Puffer, now 2-12 overall and 0-3 in conference play, will visit Jenison on Friday.