Manistee boys rally for league victory over visiting Montague

 

MANISTEE – It’s been a tough season for the Manistee boys basketball team, and in particular senior point guard Kaden Kott, who has been scuffling to make his 3-point shot.

 

Kott didn’t even take a shot from beyond the arc Friday night, and had his best night of the season with 19 points to lead the host Mariners to a 51-44 victory over Montague in a West Michigan Conference Lakes Division matchup.

 

It was the first conference win of the season for the Mariners after an 0-4 start and its second straight after a 20-point loss to archrival Ludington.

 

“We haven’t been shooting the ball well, but you can’t beat that horse anymore,” Mariners coach Zach Bialik said. “At this point, maybe that’s just who were are, so we have to find different ways to win. I think (Friday) night was a great example.”

 

The Mainers scored on just one 3-pointer, but made 10-of-15 free throws.

 

“We have to find different ways to get some baskets,” Bialik said. “Defense and rebounding are going to be big keys for us, and not turning the ball over, and holding them to one shot to try to keep them a low scoring games.”

 

Manistee started the game on a 5-0 run, and finished the first quarter with a 15-8 lead.

 

But, the Wildcats answered that with a 9-6 second period to make it a four-point game, 21-17, at the break.

 

Montague continued its run in the second half by outscoring the Mariners 16-10 in the third quarter and gaining a 33-31 edge.

 

The Mariners could have folded at that point, but instead they came out firing in the fourth and pulled the game out with a 20-11 scoring advantage.

 

“Kott (eight steals) and Braylin Zimmerman did a great job of pressuring the ball for us,” Bialik said.

 

Landin Sowa, a junior, followed Kott in scoring for Manistee with 18 points on just 15 shots and a 5-of-5 showing at the line, with 15 rebounds.

 

The Mariners made 20-of-53 shots from the floor and outrebounded the Wildcats, 30-26.

 

Kellen Francis paced the Wildcats with 13 points, followed by Jack Degen had 12 and Riley Mulder contributed 10.

 

“We need some other people to step up,” added Bialik. “Outside of Kott and Sowa, we only had 14 points from the other players. We need a couple more guys to step up.”

 

Manistee improved its record to 4-7 overall, 1-4 in the conference and has a non-conference game at Frankfort on Wednesday.