By Ron Rop
Local Sports Journal

Western Michigan Christian girls basketball coach Mike Henry did not want to talk about his team’s play in the first half.

The second half was a different story as the Warriors captured a 56-38 nonleague victory over the visiting Hart Pirates.

WMC struggled with turnovers in the opening half yet led 24-19.

And while WMC was having trouble taking care of the ball. Landyn Lorenz was keeping the Pirates in the game with 14 of her team’s 19 points in the first half. That included a layup with 2:16 left in the second quarter that put her over the 1,000-point plateau in her career. Lorenz finished with 21 points.

“It was a good night for her,” Hart coach Dean Bates said. “She came out and played really good in the first half. It’s a pretty big milestone.”

The Warriors, on the other hand, had nine players get into the scorebook, led by Vanessa Eekhoff with 14 points and senior guard Julie Merz with 12 points. Eekhoff had 12 rebounds and three blocks. Rachel Bruinsma had 11 rebounds and three blocks.

“I felt that a lot of people contributed tonight,” Henry said. “It’s good to get other people involved.”

After the turnover-filled first half, WMC got it rolling in the second half and outscored Hart 35-19.

Others who scored big baskets for the Warriors were Anneliese DeKam with six points and Lindsey Johnson with five. Both came off the bench and contributed.

“Hart is a pretty solid team,” Henry said. “They have played against some good teams.”

Senior guard Macayla Greiner used her quickness and ball handling skills to finish with 11 points and six steals. Taylor Wiegand had seven rebounds.

“Everytime we got it to two, they made a run and made it six or eight points,” Bates said. “That’s a good team and they are keep … they play a lot of girls.”

WMC improved to 12-4. Hart is 9-6.

Western Michigan Christian 56, Hart 38

HART
Macayla Greiner 3 4-6 11, Annika Wilson 0 1-2 1, Landyn Lorenz 10  0-2 21, Anna Herzler 0 2-2 2, Taylor Wiegand 1 1-3 3. Totals 14 8-15 38.

WESTERN MICHIGAN CHRISTIAN
Julie Merz 5 0-0 12,  Alyssa Wright 2 0-2 4, Sarah Hughes 1 2-2 4, Anneliese DeKam 3 0-0 6, Jessica Knoll 2 0-0 4, Rachel Bruinsma 2 1-1 5, Paige Recknagel 1 0-0 2, Lindsey Johnson 2 1-1 5, Vanessa Eekhoff 6 2-2 14. Totals 24 6-8 56.

Hart 5 – 14 – 10 – 9 – 38
WMC 13 – 11 – 15 – 17 – 56
3-pointers: Greiner, Lorenz, Merz (2). Fouled out: none. Total fouls; Hart 10, WMC 14. Technicals: none. JV: Hart 22-13.