Muskegon Big Reds’ tournament run ends with narrow quarterfinal loss to league-foe Zeeland West

By Ron Rop
LocalSportsJournal.com

GRAND HAVEN – The Muskegon Big Reds mounted a furious fourth-quarter comeback on Tuesday night, but in the end, it was the Zeeland West Dux who were celebrating a one-point victory in the Division 1 state quarterfinal game.

It’s Zeeland West that is advancing to Friday’s state semifinal game against North Farmington after staving off the Big Reds and escaping with a 53-52 victory. The game was played at Grand Haven High School before a standing-room-only turnout.

It looked nothing like a game that would be decided in the final seconds after the Dux built a 43-28 lead after three quarters of play.

It took a lay-in by senior Orion Yant with 5 seconds remaining that provided Zeeland West with the winning points.

“That’s just a play we practice all the time,” said Yant. “We planned on them doubling Merritt (Alderink) so that leaves someone open and it just happened to be me. Sometimes when you just stand under the basket and play an old man’s game, that wins.”

For Muskegon, it was a disappointing game in which the Big Reds had a number of shots rattled in and out. Shots that the Big Reds normally make. But, despite that, the game came right down to the wire.

“We are fighters,” said Muskegon coach Keith Guy. “In this uniform, we’re taught to fight and we fight to the end and you’re going to have to carry us off the floor and that happened tonight. I told my guys I’m super proud of them because we went out fighting.”

It was evident right from the start that the Dux came to play as they took a 15-11 lead after the first quarter and 31-22 at the half.

“We started fast and gave us a lead,” said Dux coach David Klyn. “When we were up 15 and they made a run at us to make it 10, I told the guys ‘you earned this chance to be up 10 now let’s go finish it.'”

Then came the pivotal fourth quarter, which started out with Muskegon scoring the first five points, a bucket by Justin Watson, who was fouled on the play, but missed the free throw, and a Montrel Oliver, Jr. a minute later to cut the deficit to 43-33.

Things really started getting interesting when James Martin had a steal and layup to make it 48-44 with 3:27 remaining. A bucket by Alderink, a Mr. Basketball candidate, made it 50-44, but then the Big Reds quickly went back to work.

A long 3-pointer by Arquez Petty from the right corner made it 50-47 and prompted a timeout from the Dux. Zeeland West did get one point back when Lukas Bakker split a pair of free throws with 2 minutes left.

Martin then bagged a 3-pointer from the left wing to make it 51-50 with 1:43 left. The Dux missed two free throws, but the Big Reds were called for traveling with 1:02 remaining.

With 51 seconds left, Mhakai Lenox-Brooks completed the comeback for Muskegon when he converted off an offensive rebound.

Muskegon led for the first time in the game, 52-51.

The Dux held the ball then called a timeout with 26 seconds left. The Dux moved the ball around before finding Alderink at the free throw line. He turned and found Yant cutting alone along the baseline for a lay-in with 5.6 seconds left.

Muskegon did not get the ball over midcourt and the clock ran out.

“We talked about playing four quarters,” Klyn said. “We did three and we held on in the fourth.”

Martin led Muskegon with 14 points. Terrance Davis added 10. In the game, Muskegon made 6-of-10 free throws.

“I’m super proud of my guys,” said Guy. “It wasn’t a particularly good game for us, but we gave ourselves a chance to win.  At the end of the day, that’s all you can do.”

Alderink, a 6-6 commit to Indiana State, led the Dux with 18 points, Yant had 12 and Khi Anderson came off the bench and scored 10. Zeeland West made 18-of-24 from the line.

Muskegon finished the season 23-3. Zeeland West, which lost to Muskegon twice during the regular season, will take a 20-7 record into Friday’s semifinal game.

“Credit to Keith Guy,” Klyn said. “He had his guys ready to go … as he always does. He’s a phenomenal coach.

“But our guys executed when they needed to.”