By Mark Lewis
Local Sports Journal
“Look at the size of that team,” said Norse coach Jeff Cooke, when asked why the second half got away from his club. “They have size, they’re athletic, and they’re a pretty good basketball team, too.”
“I think it was our bench,” said Montague head coach David Osborne. “I just think we really wore them down.”
The Norse played the host Wildcats tough through the first half, taking advantage of Montague’s woeful shooting the first few minutes of the game, keyed by Sam Powell, who finished with a game-high 15 points. The Wildcats led 10-5 after one.
The second quarter, in particular, the Norse turned six Montague turnovers into 10 points, finishing off the half on an 8-2 run, to trail by one, 24-23, at the break.
“We hustled the whole game but really during that second quarter,” said Cooke.
One first-half bright spot for the Wildcats was the play of highly touted senior Brandon Moore, who pumped in two 3-pointers to help his team weather the rough shooting stretch.
And so, in the third the rest of the Wildcats came alive. Senior James Boerema scored eight of his 10 points in an eight minute stretch bridging the third and fourth quarters, while junior Luke VanBoxel scored seven of his team-high 11 points in the fourth.
“It was a run that didn’t feel like a run,” said Osborne. “Suddenly we were up 10 points.”
Boerema and Casebolt pulled down 11 and 10 rebounds, respectively.
Reese McCamant scored nine points, and teammate Tony Gordon added seven for the Norse.
Montague 59, North Muskegon 39
MONTAGUE
N. Muskegon 5-18-8-8-39Three-point field goals: Moore (2), VanBoxel, Casebolt (2), Powell (4), McCamant, Gordon, Edick. Total fouls: North Muskegon 15, Montague 11. Fouled out: none. Technical fouls: none.
