LocalSportsJournal.com

TJ Ruel hit a three-pointer at the buzzer to give the Oakridge boys basketball team an exciting 58-55 come-from-behind victory over Montague in a West Michigan Conference contest on Tuesday.

Oakridge led 15-7 after one quarter, but Montague dominated the second quarter to take a 35-22 lead into the break. Oakridge cut the lead to 44-35 after three quarters before outscoring the Wildcats 23-11 in the final stanza.

Montague committed a costly 22 turnovers in the game.

Ruel led Oakridge with 19 points and Drew Wilkerson added 17. Hunter Mosher and Kenyan Johnston each had 16 points and seven rebounds for Montague.

Oakridge improved to 2-3 overall and 1-2 in conference play. Montague fell to 4-1 and 2-1.

NORTH MUSKEGON 59, SHELBY 51 – The Norse pulled away in the fourth quarter in a tightly contested West Michigan Conference battle. The game was tied at the half and after three quarters. Jesse Cooke led North Muskegon (4-0, 2-0) with 15 points and nine rebounds. TJ McKenzie added 12 points and eight steals and Eric Rypstra had 10 points. Tyler Schouten paced Shelby (0-4, 0-3) with 16 points while Tristan Landis scored 15 and Ryan Rabe netted 12.

MASON COUNTY CENTRAL 45, HART 27 – A dominating defensive performance in the first half propelled MCC to a conference win. The Spartans (3-2) allowed just five first half points to build a 12-point lead at the break. Tyler Bromley scored a game-high 19 points to lead MCC, while Jeffery Carrier registered a double-double with 11 points and 15 rebounds. Hart (2-2) was led by Dustin Klotz with seven points.

WHITEHALL 74, RAVENNA 54 – Steven Learman and Brandon Rake combined for 44 points as the undefeated Vikings (5-0, 3-0) pulled away in the second half. Whitehall led just 30-25 at halftime, but outscored the Bulldogs 25-19 and 19-10 in the third and fourth quarters. Learman led all scorers with 23 points and grabbed eight rebounds. Rake finished with 21 points and four blocks while Terrell Harris added 11 points and six assists for Whitehall. Josh Cox finished with 15 points and five rebounds for the Bulldogs (3-2, 1-2) and Jacob May chipped in 10 points.