LocalSportsJournal.com
GRAND RAPIDS--The Reeths-Puffer Rockets took on the Detroit Catholic Central Shamrocks in the 2K23 Showcase and fell 73-70.
The game was played at Aquinas College in Grand Rapids on Saturday afternoon.
“It was a great game for both teams,” said Reeths-Puffer coach Nate Aardema. This is the best we have played all year in terms of our balanced scoring, effort, energy and grit.”
Detroit Catholic Central jumped out to a 26-17 lead after the first eight minutes. The Rockets closed the gap to 38-36 by halftime by outscoring the Shamrocks 19-12 in the second stanza.
Reeths-Puffer came out and took the lead in the third period and, at one point, by 10 points. They held a 20-13 scoring advantage in the quarter and led 56-51 going into the fourth quarter.
It was a lead they couldn’t hold as Detroit Catholic wouldn’t go away. Reeths-Puffer had the lead until about 1 minute left in the contest. The Shamrocks leading scorer Uchenna Amene scored two late buckets and Josh Ross made two free throws to put Catholic Central up by three in the closing seconds. The Rockets missed a heavily contested 3-point attempt at the buzzer.
Amene had a game-high 31 points. Joining him in double digits for Catholic Central were Ross with 13 points, including going 6-of-6 from the free throw line in the fourth quarter. TJ Naduau added 13 points. The Shamrocks made 17-of-19 free throws.
