LocalSportsJournal.com

After Muskegon Heights surprisingly revived its basketball season earlier this week and Orchard View’s opponent for the day cancelled due to COVID-19, the Lakes 8 rivals got together for an impromptu matchup Thursday.

The Cardinals, ranked tenth in the state in Division 2, raced past the Tigers for a 71-37 win to remain undefeated.

Orchard View led 16-5 at the end of the first quarter, 34-15 at halftime and 56-18 heading to the fourth.

Ke’Ontae Barnes posted a double-double to lead OV, totaling 31 points and 10 rebounds. Jay Jay Tunstull scored 12 points for the Cardinals and Larry Brewer added nine points and seven rebounds. 

William Davis led the Tigers with nine points, while DeQuan Matthews added six. 

It was the second game in three days for Muskegon Heights after the school went nearly a year between athletic competitions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The Cardinals are now 11-0 on the season, including 6-0 in Lakes 8 play. Muskegon Heights drops to 0-2. 

O-K GREEN 

MUSKEGON  57, GRAND RAPIDS UNION 26 — The Big Reds raced out to a big early led Thursday night and controlled throughout. Muskegon led 15-3 after one quarter, 24-12 at the half and 41-16 after the third quarter.

A pair of double-doubles led the Big Reds in the win. Anthony Sydnor had a game-high 14 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, while Ethan Hill scored 11 and had 10 boards. Jordan Briggs scored 10 for Muskegon. 

The Big Reds improve to 8-3 on the season and 8-1 in O-K Green Conference action. 

ZEELAND EAST 61, REETHS-PUFFER 49 — The Rockets fell at home against the undefeated, O-K Green leading Chix Thursday night. 

Reeths-Puffer kept it close early, trailing just 19-16 after one and 28-24 at halftime. Zeeland East led 47-38 entering the fourth. 

Kaleb Mitchelson led R-P with 15 points and five assists. Travis Ambrose added 11 points and eight rebounds while Kendall Smith scored 10 and grabbed seven rebounds. 

The Rockets fall to 5-6 overall and 4-5 in the O-K Green. 

WEST MICHIGAN CONFERENCE

RAVENNA 54, MASON COUNTY CENTRAL 50 — The Bulldogs snuck away with a victory in a back-and-forth battle with Western Michigan Conference foe Mason County Central.

The Bulldogs pulled ahead 14-9 after the first quarter, but the Spartans controlled the second quarter to take a 23-21 halftime lead. Ravenna pulled back in front in the third, taking a 38-36 lead to the fourth. 

 Joel Emery led the Bulldogs in scoring with 19 points, while Kyle Beebe scored 14 and Grant Beuleir chipped in 10.

For MCC, Kolden Myer led the way with 15 points and seven rebounds, followed by Will Chye with 13 points and six rebounds.

Ravenna improves to 7-2 overall and in the WMC, while MCC falls to 0-10 overall and 0-9 in conference play. 

NON-CONFERENCE

HART 72, FRUITPORT CALVARY CHRISTIAN 62 — The Pirates rode a hot start to pick up a non-conference win over the Eagles on Thursday.

Hart controlled the momentum from the opening tip, cruising to a 21-9 lead after the first quarter and then extending that lead to 40-21 at halftime. The Pirates kept the pressure going into the second half, leading by as much as 27 points and leading 64-40 going into the fourth quarter. 

The Eagles battled back in the fourth, getting the final margin down to 10, but the deficit was too big to overcome. 

Hart had four players in double figures, led by Parker Hovey with 18 points followed by Tony Raya with 11 and Kohen Porter and Zach Bitely with 10 each.

For FCC, Braden Cohea led the charge with 25 points. Ethan Cammenga had 14 points and 12 rebounds, while Bradley Richards chipped in 13 points. The Eagles went 3/18 on three point shots on the night.

The victory puts Hart at 3-8 overall with a conference record of 1-7

Fruitport Calvary Christian drops to 5-4 overall, with a conference record of 3-2