MUSKEGON TOWNSHIP - Friday’s anticipated boys basketball showdown between Reeths-Puffer and Muskegon started out as slowly as anyone could have imagined.
Muskegon led 5-4 after one quarter and 20-15 at halftime. For two teams with a lot of talented offensive players, that was not much of a show.
The Big Reds found their rhythm in the second half, however, using a 19-5 edge in the third quarter to take control of the contest.
The Rockets never really warmed up and ended up on the losing end of a 51-26 final score on their home court.
Reeths-Puffer's Travis Ambrose tries to work his way past a Muskegon defender.
“We just struggled to score,” said Reeths-Puffer coach Nate Aardema. “Their defensive pressure was tremendous all night and we just struggled to get open looks. I thought our kids played hard, we’ve just got to be able to handle the ball against pressure.”
Tough defense was really the story for Muskego, which held R-P to 11 points after halftime, including six that came in the final two minutes of the game.
“I thought they were tougher than we were in the first half,” said Muskegon head coach Keith Guy. “Every rebound, loose ball, they beat us to it. I challenged our guys at halftime about rebounding, finishing the possession and being tougher.
“We pride ourselves on toughness, doing the dirty work. I thought we did that in the second half.”
Neither team found much of a rhythm in the first quarter, with Muskegon leading 5-4 at the first break. The offensive pace picked up in the second quarter, with Muskegon outscoring the Rockets 15-11 to lead 20-15 at the half.
P's Tyveia Williams (30) defends against the Big Reds.
Muskegon standout Jordan Briggs, who was scoreless in the first half after playing just five minutes due to foul trouble, started the second half on fire.
Briggs scored Muskegon’s first 12 points of the half on four three-pointers to extend the lead to 32-17. Muskegon led 39-20 after three quarters.
Muskegon had a 12-6 advantage in the fourth, including the first six points of the period.
Briggs led Muskegon with 12 points, all coming during his third quarter three-point barrage. Anthony Sydnor III had 10 for the Big Reds, followed by Montrel Oliver and Stanley Cunningham with seven each.
R-P's Jaxson Whitaker follows through after hitting a three-pointer.
Travis Ambrose led Reeths-Puffer with 14 points followed by Jaxson Whitaker with six.
Aardema said his team will continue to work and get better as O-K Green conference play continues.
“The kids, they’ll be resilient,” said the coach, whose team is now 3-3 overall and 0-1 in O-K Green conference play. “They’re willing to work to be successful. I’m not worried about them in terms of their mindset there. We’ve just got to turn the page and get ready for the next one.”
