LocalSportswJournal.com
 

PENTWATER — After a five-game road stretch, the Pentwater boys basketball team finally played on its home court Thursday night when the Falcons hosted Bear Lake in a Western Michigan D League game.

 
Once again suffering from cold shooting, especially when it came to easy layups, the Falcons still managed to keep the game close, but couldn’t get the key buckets they needed and lost, 42-36.
 
Free throws were the difference down the stretch, when the Falcons were forced to foul and the Lakers made enough of their chances at the line to stay at arm’s length the rest of the way.
 
Pentwater only trailed by three with 20 seconds left, but a 3-point shot by Jack Roberts that would have tied the game rolled in and out.
 
The Falcons outscored the Lakers by six in the second period, and took the lead going into the halftime break, with five different Falcons getting into the scoring column.
 
But foul trouble plagued the Falcons in the third quarter, and the Lakers capitalized at the free throw line to turn the tables and take a five-point lead in the fourth.
 
Pentwater lost three players to fouls in the final period, but Trey Johnson stepped up to score six points down the stretch to keep the Falcons in striking distance.
 
Johnson topped the Falcons scoring with 11 points and he also added two assists and two steals. Jonny Arnouts contributed six points and picked off two steals.
 
Roberts led with nine rebounds, five steals and three points. Will Werkema-Grondsma added seven points and five rebounds.
 
The Falcons had a poor night shooting overall, canning just 9-of-53 attempts from the field for 16 percent. They were 12-of-28 at the free throw line.
 
Pentwater has lost five straight games since a season-opening win and is 1-5 overall and 1-3 in the WMD, with another league game scheduled for next Tuesday against Big Rapids Crossroads Academy at home.