Jan. 2: Blue Water basketball roundup
Local girls and boys basketball teams might've been on break over the last two weeks, but they still managed to play exciting games and post notable performances. Here's a look at some of the highlights:
Undefeated streaks
Port Huron Northern, Richmond, and Yale roll into the new year as the only boys basketball teams in the area to boast perfect records. The Huskies and Bulldogs are each 5-0, while Richmond is 6-0.
Northern, which is ranked No. 20 in the DZone statewide rankings, will make its debut in the MAC-White on Friday, Jan. 6, against Warren Mott (0-5) on its home court. The Huskies are averaging 66.6 points per game with two big wins against Ann Arbor Skyline and Hamtramck over the break.
Yale will have one more tune-up on Jan. 3 against Peck before being tested against No. 33 Croswell-Lexington (5-2) on Jan. 5 as league play resumes for the BWAC teams.
Richmond is averaging 65.5 points per game, and after a statement win over Notre Dame Prep, the Blue Devils have worked their way into the state rankings as well at No. 53. They picked up two wins against Marysville and Capac over the break by an average margin of 46 points.
In girls basketball, no team stands undefeated, however, five are 2-0 within their respective leagues: Marine City and St. Clair in the MAC-Gold, Marysville in the MAC-Blue, and Imlay City and North Branch in the BWAC.
Marine City and St. Clair will square off on Jan. 11 in the Mariners’ gym and North Branch and Imlay City will meet in North Branch on Jan. 20.
Narrow victories
The Almont boys basketball team bounced back from a two-point loss against Imaly City to pick up a solid win in the SC4 Holiday Showcase against Bishop Foley, winning 38-37. The Raiders improved to 2-3 with the win and will play Burton Atherton on Jan. 3.
Both of Northern’s showcase wins came by small margins, first against Skyline 65-62 on a buzzer beater three from senior Tyler Jamison, and the second against Hamtramck 70-69.
The Marysville girls fell to Parma Western earlier in the week but managed to recover in an overtime victory against Sanford Meridian in the SC4 Holiday Showcase. Tied 36-36 at the end of regulation, the Vikings went on to win 40-38. They’re now 6-3 overall.
Notable performances
Following his buzzer beater against Skyline, Jamison helped the Huskies to victory against Hamtramck with a double-double performance: 32 points and 13 rebounds.
Speaking of clutch 3-pointers, Almont senior Clay Roszczewski had three of them in the Raiders win over Bishop Foley. He led the team with 18 points and eight rebounds.
The young Cros-Lex girls basketball team improved to 4-3 overall with a 55-25 win over Swartz Creek in the SC4 Holiday Showcase. The Pioneers were led by sophomores Emma Noll and Ava Oleski with 20 and 16 points, respectively.
Marysville junior Avery Wolters continues to impress as one of the team’s leaders this season, and in the Vikings’ overtime victory against Meridian, she posted 23 points.
Bailey Gormley, a senior from North Branch, has led her team all season with double-digit scoring. On Dec. 20, she had a season-high 26 points against Birch Run, helping her team to a 36-31 victory. The Broncos improved to 7-1 overall.
Yale junior Ryan Monarch also posted a season-high 22 points against Birch Run in boys basketball. He added seven rebounds to lead the Bulldogs to a 51-38 victory.
Looking ahead
By the end of this week, every team will have played at least one league game as we get into the heart of the season. Here is the conference schedule:
MAC-Silver boys begins Jan. 6
Marysville (0-6) at Port Huron High (1-4)
Madison (4-3) at Marine City (0-6)
St. Clair (1-5) at Lakeview (4-0)
MAC-White boys begins Jan. 6
Warren Mott (0-5) at Port Huron Northern (5-0)
BWAC boys resumes Jan. 5
Armada (4-2) at Almont (2-3)
Algonac (1-3) at North Branch (1-3)
Imlay City (3-4) at Richmond (6-0)
Cros-Lex (5-2) at Yale (5-0)
BWAC girls resumes Jan. 3
Almont (2-5) at Cros-Lex (4-3)
Richmond (2-4) at North Branch (7-1)
Armada (4-3) at Algonac (3-2)
Yale (4-3) at Imlay City (7-2) * Jan.4
MAC-RED girls resumes Jan. 5
Dakota (4-5) at Port Huron (4-3)
MAC-White girls resumes Jan. 5
Lakeview (2-5) at Port Huron Northern (2-50
MAC-Blue girls resumes Jan. 5
Chippewa Valley (1-6) at Marysville (6-3)
MAC-Gold girls resumes Jan. 5
Marine City (5-2) at Fraser (7-2)
Lake Shore (0-7) at St. Clair (4-4)
Click here for the scores and standings of the local BWAC teams.
Click here for the standings of the MAC teams.
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For in-game updates and other news, follow Calli on Twitter @ newberry_calli
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