Cardinals Edge Portagers

Onekama falls out of tie for top spot in league

By MATT WENZEL
Manistee News Advocate Sports Editor

But, it was the Cardinals whose exertion paid off with a 67-65 win over Onekama in Custer, maintaining their tie atop the league with Baldwin, while dropping Onekama back in the pack.

“Neither of us wanted to get that third loss in the league,” said MCE coach Dave Purple. “At this stage of the season, now that we’re that far into it, the third loss is a tough one to take.”

While the Cardinals (11-2, 10-2) picked up their seventh straight win, the Portagers (9-4, 9-3) suffered their second consecutive loss, by a combined four points.

MCE led by as many as 11 points in the fourth quarter before Onekama used an 11-0 run to eventually take the lead.

“We didn’t quit, and went back ahead against a good basketball team,” Smith said. “Nobody likes to lose, but I feel good that my kids played hard and didn’t quit.”

But, as has been the case for Onekama in all of their losses, turnovers were critical. Trailing by two points with 48.1 seconds left, the Portagers coughed the ball up, and MCE iced the game with a pair of free throws for a four-point lead. Onekama finished with 21 turnovers, compared to just 13 for MCE.

“We’ve been trying to work on that and cut it down,” said Onekama senior Ryan Miller, who had 15 points, eight rebounds, six assists and three steals. “But, I guess we still have a lot of work ahead of us.”

Onekama sophomore Skyler Kimpel had 15 points and five rebounds, Hunter Slade had 14 points and Levi Capper had 10 points and eight rebounds, despite being limited by foul trouble, and fouling out with 9.3 seconds left.

Also for the Portagers, Joe Kosiboski came off the bench for seven points, Adrian Norman scored three and Thomas Koon had one.

Eric Purple led MCE with 17 points and five rebounds, while Kyle Purple had 16 points, five assists, four rebounds and three steals.

After both teams were tied at 6 early in the game, MCE closed the first quarter on a 10-5 run for a 16-11 lead. Capper scored seven points in the first quarter.

Slade netted eight in the second as Onekama narrowed the deficit to three points at halftime, 29-26.

The Cardinals had three 3-pointers in the first half, but weren’t shooting well from the outside or inside.

“We really struggled getting anything going tonight,” coach Purple said. “Nothing was falling for us. I didn’t think we could do that bad for two halves, but we had to work for everything we got tonight.”

A 6-0 run early in the third quarter gave MCE a little breathing room with a seven-point lead, which was cut to six, 49-43, heading in to the fourth.

Onekama senior Hunter Slade (10) elevates for a layup in front of Mason County Eastern’s Eric Purple (42) during the first half on Monday night at MCE. (Matt Wenzel/News Advocate)

Back-to-back baskets by MCE’s 6-foot-6 foreign exchange student Marijn Hageman gave the Cardinals a 58-47 lead with 5:01 left to play.

But, just as the game was slipping away from the Portagers, they got back into it with a little bit of help.

Capper went 3-4 from the line, and after getting the ball, Norman was fouled. He made the first free throw and missed the second, which was scooped up by Miller, who scored from under the rim to complete a six-point trip for the Portagers.

“They got all the energy going and that energy carried over for them,” Purple said.

A driving lay-up by Slade and a 3-pointer from Miller on the following two possessions knotted the score at 58.

Onekama had all the momentum in their favor, but numerous turnovers down the stretch sealed its fate. Eric Purple put the Cardinals up 65-63 with 51 seconds left, and after falling behind by four, Kimpel scored as time expired for the final outcome.

“It’s frustrating,” Miller said. “We’ve played so many close games, we just have to look past it.”

Less than a week ago, the Portagers were alone atop the West Michigan D League as the only team with one loss. But, a 73-71 overtime loss to Big Rapids CCA on Friday and another two-point defeat on Monday has them looking up in the standings, and wondering what they have to do to win.

While Smith said the losses are disappointing, he thinks they can be a learning experience for his team.

“We’ve played a lot of close games, and down the road here in the remaining games, I’m sure there’s going to be a lot more,” Smith said. “We know what it’s like to play in close games. One of these days, it’s going to turn the other ways. We’re just going to stay positive.”

The MCE junior varsity team beat Onekama, 48-37. Tanner Kott led Onekama with 13 points and 13 rebounds, Jared Miller had two points and eight rebounds, while Ryan Pienta and Kyle Acker scored eight apiece.