By Greg Gielczyk
LocalSportsJournal.com

MANISTEE — Walkerville’s boys basketball team was looking for its second straight win, and very nearly pulled it off before Manistee Catholic Central rallied for a 51-47 West Michigan D League victory in Manistee Thursday night.
 
Connor Shafer and Angel Santillan-Lopez got the game off to a rousing start when they each knocked down a 3-point shot from out of the corners to zoom out to a 6-0 lead.
 
The Wildcats managed to fend off several Saber runs in the first quarter, Santillan-Lopez banked in another 3-pointer to extend Walkerville’s lead to seven, 14-7.
 
But, the Sabers (5-5, 4-3 WMD) answered with Nathaniel Barnett finishing the quarter with a 3-pointer to bring them back to within two, 14-12 at the horn.
 
Zeontae De Le Paz scored the first four points of the second quarter to stake the Wildcats to a six-point lead, 18-12. The Wildcats could not stretch it any further, however.
 
Matt Gunia had six points for the Sabers in the second quarter, and Jackson Star Chief and Lee Pizana finished it with buckets to cut the Wildcat lead to three, 25-22 at the half.
 
The Sabers then went on a 6-0 run at the onset of the third quarter and grabbed their first lead, 29-25. They would hold it the rest of the way.
 
Manistee Catholic’s lead reached five, 35-30 on a 3-point bucket by Barnett. The Wildcats got it down to one, 36-35 before trailing, 45-40 going into the fourth quarter.
 
Walkerville could not get any closer than three in the fourth quarter.
 
Shafer finished as the Wildcats’ leading scorer with 12 points. He was followed by Santilla-Lopez with nine, while Collin Chase and Jordan Ooman had eight apiece.
 
The Wildcats fell to 1-7 overall and 1-6 in the WMD. Walkerville host Algoma Christian from Kent City in non-league action next Tuesday.