RC evens record at 4-4; face undefeated Rudyard Friday (Jan. 17)
The Huron varsity basketball team went north and south for games this week, losing up north to St. Igance Friday and winning at Hillman Tuesday. Undefeated Rudyard brings a tall and talented team to RCHS Friday for a game against the Hurons. Rudyard leads the Straits Area Conference and is certain to come to town with a host of fans.
?They are a very good team and will bring a big crowd,? said coach Karl Grambau about the Bulldogs. Grambau watched Rudyard defeat St. Ignace 73-72 earlier in the season and said Rudyard has good outside shooters, in addition to a tall front line.
TUESDAY IN Hillman, the Hurons bounced back from a defeat at St. Ignace to take Hillman 58-52.
Junior center Kyle Greene got the offense pumped with two dunks in the first quarter, powering the Hurons to a 28-19 halftime lead. Tim Cercone added two three-pointers and Aaron Florip had one in the second quarter as the Hurons took the lead for good. Hillman managed to cut the Huron lead to three points in the fourth quarter before Rogers City regained control.
Greene finished with 23 points, Cerone added 11 and Isaac Momrik scored seven.
LAST FRIDAY at St. Ignace, the Hurons played a good first half, only to see it all collapse in the final 16 minutes. Rogers City led 19-11 late in the first quarter, but St. Ignace came back to tie it at 19-19 as the first eight minutes ended.
A patient offense effectively worked the ball inside during the first half, but St. Ignace?s pressing defense forced Huron turnovers to mount in the second half. Outside shots wouldn?t fall in the third quarter and passing lanes were clogged.
Rogers City shot 15-of-30 in the first half, as St. Ignace led 35-34. That figure dropped to just 5-of-25 in the second half and 0-for the last-12 in the fourth quarter. Adam LaLonde scored 19 points while Kyle Greene added 13. The junior varsity also has a record of 4-4 following a loss in St. Ignace and a win over Hillman.
TUESDAY AT Hillman the junior Hurons took a 56-31 win over the host Tigers. The win included an 1
Charley Smolinski scored 16 points, including 8-of-8 from the free throw line. Chris Paschke had 12 while Clay Hilla added 11.
A high-scoring affair at St. Ignace found the Hurons at the wrong end of a 101-85 score. Rogers City trailed 48-38 at halftime, but stuck right with the run-and-gun Saints. Six Hurons finished in double figures, led by Paschke with 16 points.
Bill Lince had 13, Justin Wilbert and Justin Senff scored 12, Chris Santini scored 11 while Hilla added 10. St. Ignace hit 14 three-point buckets while the Hurons canned just two.
THE HURONS host Rudyard Friday and host the 4-4 Posen Vikings Tuesday.
