By Ron Rop
LocalSportsJournal.com
Photo/Joe Lane
MUSKEGON – The Muskegon Big Reds sent a quick and clear message on Friday night at Reeths-Puffer High School.
Any thoughts of the Rockets duplicating the outcome from several weeks ago just was not happening.
This time around, the Big Reds scorched the Rockets 48-28 at Dan Beckeman Arena and pulled into a first-place tie with the Rockets for first place in the OK-Green race. Both teams are 9-1 in the league.
“That is a great ball club there,” Muskegon coach Keith Guy said in reference to the Rockets. “I thought our guys played inspired tonight. We knew they were going to come ready. We didn’t play our best tonight … we have some things we need to clean up and we’re fortunate to get out of here with a win.”
A big part of Friday night’s game plan was stopping 6-8 Travis Ambrose, who was a huge part of the first meeting when the Rockets won big. On this night, Ambrose was battered and bruised inside and several times was picking himself up off the floor. Ambrose did not make a field goal and made 5-of-6 free throws for five points.
Photo/Joe Lane
“We have to give TJ (Terrance Davis) and Elijah (Langston-Jones) credit,” Guy said. “TJ played inspired tonight. If he played that way every night, the sky is the limit for this team.” Davis finished with eight points, but his presence down low was even more of a key to the Big Reds’ fortunes.
Rocket coach Nate Aardema could only tip his hat to the Big Reds for coming onto their home court and winning big.
“They defended us really well,” Aardema said. “Credit to them, they were locked in and did a great job guarding us.”
Muskegon’s early message came in the form of four 3-point field goals in the opening quarter, including two by Justin Watson. By quarter’s end, the visiting Big Reds already had a double-digit lead at 18-5.
The middle two quarters were much different as Reeths-Puffer outscored Muskegon 19-18, but the damage done in the first eight minutes still lingered. Muskegon led 29-15 at the half and 36-24 heading into the final quarter.
Muskegon was able to extend the lead even further in the fourth quarter and claimed the 20-point victory.
“It was just a regular game,” said Watson, who finished with a game-high 14 points. “We came in with expectations and just came in like a regular game … we came out and played the Big Red way.”
“Last time we did not attack the zone the right way and we saw it on film where we left a lot of opportunities out there,” Guy said. “I think we attacked it much, much better with pace and confidence.”
Brayden Mitchelson led Reeths-Puffer with10 points. Jaxson Whitaker had seven.
