Onekama’s Bryce Reckow (left) elevates for a shot in front of Crossroads’ Dylan Balsitis during Wednesday’s game. (Bob Allan/Pioneer News Network)

BIG RAPIDS — Patience and being aggressive would seem to be opposites. But on the basketball floor, it was the right combination for Onekama to pull out a 54-33 victory over Crossroads Charter Academy on Wednesday night.

Onekama is now 8-4 overall and 7-3 in the West Michigan D League. The Cougars fall to 2-12 overall and 1-11 in the conference.

The Portagers struggled from the field in the first half, according to coach Jim Hunter. The problem was the Cougars’ zone defense and Onekama not being patient, taking good shots, or attacking the rim.

The Portagers led 25-19 at halftime.

“We beat (Crossroads) at our place by getting ahead of them in the first half,” Hunter said. “When you play teams the second time, they are going to get better and I don’t think the kids bought into that.

“I thought we were out-hustled in the first half, we weren’t patient and we didn’t play hard,” he continued.

Onekama was able to stay out front throughout the first half because of second-chance opportunities. Four of the last eight points of the second quarter by the Portagers came from the free throw line and were all on second-chance opportunities.

“We forced them into not great shots, but we just didn’t give enough effort on the boards with getting bodies on people,” Crossroads Charter Academy coach Jason Kostecki said.

That changed in the second half, partly because of better shooting from Onekama.

The Portagers were able to pound the ball low to players like Joe Eno, who tallied 10 points, eight of which came from the free throw line, and Jarett Sovereign, who netted six.

They also attacked the defense better with quards Quinn Matthews and Bryce Reckow. Matthews led Onekama with 15 points, while Reckow added 11 points.

“In the second half, we were a little more aggressive,” Hunter said. “Once we got a lead, they couldn’t afford to stay in the zone and they went man and that helped us.”

The Portagers led 41-24 as Crossroads managed just five points in the third quarter. The Cougars trimmed the deficit to 42-28 with six minutes remaining after a pair of free throws from Aron Garland, who paced CCA with 13 points.

Kavoceya Vanassche tallied nine points for the Cougars.

But Onekama put the game away, scoring the next six points in two minutes for a 48-28 advantage.

“Our decision making (in the second half) was poor,” Kostecki said. “We threw the ball around, took shots that were ill advised and we got away from being aggressive and that ultimately the difference.”

Posted by Bob Allan for Manistee News Advocate