MUSKEGON TWP. - Progress is almost never linear in sports.
Young teams with promising futures still have their peaks and valleys as they learn and grow.
Some nights they play well, some nights they don’t - and some nights they never really get a chance to get untracked.
R-P's Ashlyn David tries to dribble around a Big Red. Photo/Jeremy Clark
That was the case on Tuesday when the Reeths-Puffer girls basketball team hosted Muskegon, the 10th-ranked Division 1 team in the state.
The Big Reds – a very fast and composed squad with good depth – took control right away and beat the Rockets 58-31 at R-P’s Dan Beckeman Arena. It was Muskegon's second win over Reeths-Puffer this season.
As R-P head coach Rodney Walker put it, “They are not ranked in the top 10 in the state for nothing.”
Walker, of course, is more concerned about helping his team continue to develop than he is about analyzing opponents.
R-P's Abrianna Do moves the ball up the court. Photo/Jeremy Clark
Last year he switched to a rotation of promising sophomores and freshmen, with an eye toward the future, and the youngsters struggled a lot.
This year those same girls have shown a lot of promise at times, and have also looked rough on occasion.
Earlier in the season the Rockets ripped off five straight victories and had a very nice 5-1 record.
Since then they have lost six of seven in a tough stretch of games, and some of the areas where they still need work have been pretty apparent.
R-P's Mariyana Spears plays defense. Photo/Jeremy Clark
Coach Walker says the ups and the downs are all part of the process, and he is satisfied with the team's progress so far.
“I still think we are in a really good place,” the coach said. “We’ve been playing a lot of teams that are senior-heavy, and we are still young and figuring it out. I felt that by midseason we might be hitting our stride, and I still believe we will.
“I call this growing pains, but there girls are still upbeat. There are still smiles on their faces. We know it’s a process, and we know where we want to go.”
The Big Reds took control early on Tuesday, grabbing a 12-3 lead after one quarter and a 25-9 advantage at halftime.
R-P's Addison Mitchelson launches a shot over defenders. Photo/Jeremy Clark
The Rockets were outscored 18-8 in the third quarter and trailed 43-17 heading into the fourth.
R-P had a 17-15 edge in the final quarter.
Raquel Walker and Ashlyn David led the Rockets with 10 points apiece.
Walker had six rebounds while David and Trinity Moore each grabbed four.