MUSKEGON - It’s tough to look at a heartbreaking one-point loss as a reason for hope, particularly when it came in an overtime nail-biter that put an end to the season.
But the Reeths-Puffer boys basketball team displayed its continuing improvement on Monday in a 61-60 loss to Mona Shores in the opening round of the Division 1 district tournament at Muskegon High School.
A group of young and talented sophomores are coming back next season, meaning the Rockets will have a real chance to significantly improve on this year’s six-win record.
One of those sophomores is Artis Williams, who had a breakout game and scored a career-high 21 points.
R-P's Artis Williams goes high for a shot. Photo/Jeremy Clark
His most important three points came with four seconds remaining in regulation, when he hit a step-back triple to tie the game at 52-52 and send it to overtime.
“He was the first option,” said R-P head coach JR Wallace about Williams’ shot. “You always have a couple options, but that was the first one. He got some space, shot it over the big fella and knocked it down.”
R-P had a chance to capitalize and win the game in OT. The Rockets held a 60-58 lead with 44 seconds left, and after breaking the Mona Shores press, they took an open three-point shot that missed the mark.
The Sailors got the rebound, and Ryan Opsommer hit a triple with 14 seconds left, putting Mona Shores up by one.
Marvin Moore takes a shot from the outside. Photo/Jeremy Clark
R-P got one more shot off, but it also missed, and the Rockets’ season came to an abrupt halt after a heck of a fight against their biggest rivals.
“They really went out there and grew,” Coach Wallace about the battle his team gave the Sailors. “Hopefully this is us turning another corner in the long run. Hopefully what they did tonight will give them a shot in the arm for spring and summer workouts.
“We’ll be better and grow for all of the big minutes our sophomores played.”
Reeths-Puffer finished the season with a 6-17 record, but four of the wins came in the last eight games after a 2-13 start to the season.
R-P's Rodney Walker puts up a hook shot. Photo/Jeremy Clark
The Rockets improved significantly in the last month, after moving the sophomores from part-time to full-time varsity duty, and they will be key guys next season.
“We have to bring an internal fire,” Wallace said about the future of his program. “I think this group has it, and nights like tonight will help fuel them.”
While the Rockets have great hope for the future, Monday’s loss meant they had to say goodbye to six seniors.
That group was led by standout Marvin Moore, who became the ninth player in R-P history to score 1,000 career points, and also included Cal Millis, Justin Chan, Alex Kieft, Carson McCollum and Zayden Schneider.
Moore tries to score over a defender. Photo/Jeremy Clark
“It’s been fun to have an absolute stud,” Coach Wallace said about Moore. “He showed up every day and worked hard. He does everything right, on and off the court. He’s a great leader and an example for our young guys, and I’m really glad the young guys got to talk to him every day to learn from him.”
The Rockets showed a lot of fight throughout the game on Monday.
They fell behind 12-4 in the early minutes before going on an 8-0 run to leave the game tied 12-12 after one quarter. Moore has seven points in the first eight minutes.
The Rockets opened the second quarter with a 6-0 run to take an 18-12 lead, then the Sailors struck back and R-P went into halftime with a thin 26-24 advantage.
Williams had six second quarter points while Hank Mitchelson had four.
Walker dribbles past a Sailor. Photo/Jeremy Clark
Mona Shores had a 16-12 advantage in the third quarter and led 40-38 heading into the fourth. Moore and Williams each scored six points in the third quarter.
Reeths-Puffer outscored Mona Shores 14-12 in the fourth, behind eight points from Williams, including his game-tying triple that sent the game to overtime.
Mona Shores had a 9-8 edge in OT. Moore scored five points in his final quarter as a Rocket.
Moore finished with 25 points and Williams had 21. Mitchelson and Jamicheal Williams, two other sophomores, chipped in seven and four points, respectively.
Mona Shores will play Rockford in the semifinals on Wednesday.