By Mike Mattson
Local Sports Journal

At halftime Friday night, Muskegon Heights Public School Academy honored a long list of students who are taking college credits starting in January.

The Tigers, meanwhile, schooled North Muskegon in both halves for an 85-38 nonconference boys basketball victory at John Sydnor Gymnasium.

MHA led 52-13 at halftime en route to a running clock and impressive start to a new year.

“We came to bring it tonight,” said versatile junior Aaron Sydnor, who led the Tigers with 24 points, seven rebounds, three assists and three blocks. “We lost to Benton Harbor and we had a point to prove.”

A loss to Benton Harbor is the lone blemish on the Tigers’ impressive 6-1 record.

MHA put it all together, relying on quickness, pressure defense, rebounding and a lethal transition attack to hand the Norsemen their fifth setback in seven games.

“We have a lot of enthusiastic players who buy in to what we do,” Tigers’ coach Dalrecus Stewart said. “We’re enjoying the ride. I really expected a learning curve, but the kids have been working so hard. You can see our growth from day to day.”

Heights recorded 15 steals, converted seven 3-pointers and had 10 players reach the scoring column.

Point guard Jeffrey Jordan contributed 17 points, six rebounds and four steals, Javen Harvey scored 11 points and Edrick Tornes added 10 points. Stewart cited a strong all-around game by Harvey, who also had four rebounds and three steals.

Same Powell drilled three 3-pointers and led the Norsemen with nine points.

NM has played in streaks this season, but the Tigers’ quickness proved too much to overcome.

“We were just overmatched,” NM coach Jeff Cooke said. “We had some plays ready, but you can’t assimilate their quickness in practice. Their pressure was just too much. We won’t play against anybody in our conference who is that quick.”

The two teams will play another regular-season game this season at North Muskegon and may meet for a third time in the Class C district tournament.

 

MUSKEGON HEIGHTS 85, NORTH MUSKEGON 38

N. Muskegon 7-6- 13-12-38
M. Heights 20-32-22-11-85

NORTH MUSKEGON (2-5)
Sam Powell 3 0-2 9, Zach Rummery 2 0-0 4, Will Byl 3 0-0 6, Corey Hogan 1 0-0 2, Reese McCamant 2 0-0 5, Tony Gordon 2 1-4 5, Adam Edick 1 0-1 3, Bailey Cooper 0 4-4 4. Totals 14 5-11 38.

MUSKEGON HEIGHTS (6-1)
Jeffrey Jordan 6 4-6 17, Aaron Sydnor 8 6-6 24, Edrick Tornes 4 0-0 10, James Doxey 1 1-2 3, Javen Harvey 5 0-1 11, DeMonte Crosby 1 1-2 3, D’montae Jones 1 1-2 3, Carlos Hudson 2 0-2 4, DeQuarie Love 2 0-0 5, Marquis Grissom 2 1-2 5. Totals 32 14-25 85.

Three-pointers-Powell (3), McCamant, Edick; Jordan, Sydnor (2), Tornes (2), Harvey, Love. Total fouls-North Muskegon 17, Muskegon Heights 14. Technicals-none. JV-North Muskegon 67-64.