Montague steps on the gas in blowout win over Manistee

Local Sports Journal

MANISTEE – It took more than a quarter for the Montague boys basketball team to get heated up.

Once the Wildcats got rolling, they nearly ran host Manistee out of its own gym, defeating the Chippewa 74-33. Manistee led 14-11 after one, but was outscored 63-22 the rest of the way in both teams’ season opener.

Riding a 21-9 second-quarter run, Montague allowed Manistee the first four points of the third before reeling off a 29-0 run en route to the 41-point blowout.

The Wildcats forced 31 turnovers.

Senior Brandon Moore took top-scorer honors, finishing with 17 points to go with nine rebounds and five steals in the victory. Teammate Chase Casebolt finished with 14 points and seven rebounds, and Kalup Bentz added 12 points and four steals for Montague.

Wildcat James Boerema chipped in eight points and pulled down as many boards, and teammates Luke VanBoxel and Brandon Stine dished out five and four assists, respectively.