White Cloud girls grind out non-league basketball victory over Mason County Eastern

 

CUSTER – It wasn’t the kind of game the Mason County Eastern girls basketball team would have preferred going into the post-season when the Cardinals struggled to match White Cloud’s intensity and physicality in dropping a 51-29 non-conference game to the Indians.

 

Much more was hoped for as the Cardinals were closing out the regular season on their home court, before their partisan fans.

 

But everything was short circuited by the Indians, whose full-court press flustered the Cardinals into making mistakes that often led to White Cloud transition baskets.

 

The Indians jumped out to a 15-9 lead in the first quarter and edged the Cardinals, 7-6 in the second for a 22-15 halftime score.

 

White Cloud stretched the margin out to 36-23 at the end of the third quarter and outscored MCE, 15-6 in the final eight minutes.

 

Andi Vincent was the pacesetter for the Indians, pouring in a game-high 25 points. Foondie contributed 11.

 

Lucy Shoup led the Cardinals with 18 points.

 

The Cardinals concluded the regular season at 11-7 and plays West Michigan D League rival Pentwater for the third time this season in the MHSAA Division 4 districts Monday at Onekama.

 

White Cloud is now 7-15 and tips off MHSAA Division 3 district tournament play Monday against Manistee at Mason County Central at 7 p.m.