Inland Lakes steals win with fourth quarter rally
It looked like Tuesday would be the day the Hurons cagers got into the win column, but in the end it was not to be as Inland Lakes came away with a 53-50 win. With the score tied at 35-35 heading into the fourth quarter, the Hurons came out determined. Justin Wilbert snatched a rebound and hit a banker, and then Charley Smolinski knocked the ball away at half court. He fed Bret Karsten for a short jumper to give the Hurons the lead. Inland Lakes retook the lead briefly before Justin Senff hit a pretty reverse lay-up off the glass to start a 7-0 run that gave RC a 46-40 lead with 3:31 left in the game. The other five points came on Chris Paschke’s three pointer and two free throws moments later.
WITH THE score tied at 47-47, after an Inland Lakes three-pointer, the Bulldogs reeled off the next five points. The Hurons beat the Bulldogs’ press, setting up an inside shot for Chris Santini to make the score 52-49 with 16 seconds left in the game. With the Hurons forced to foul, Inland Lakes missed both free throws and Santini was fouled at half court after the rebound. He made the second free throw, but the Hurons didn’t get the ball back until a desperation shot from beyond half court went off-course. It was the best chance for a Huron win in what has been a frustrating season for the coach and players.
“We haven’t had the lead enough to know what to do with it,” coach Karl Grambau said. “We had a chance right at the end.”
In addition to losing the game to go to 0-8, the Hurons may be without the services of leading scorer Chris Paschke, the only returning starter from last year’s squad. He aggravated an injury to his knee and left the game late in the fourth quarter. The extent of the injury was unknown, but the coach speculated that it could be serious enough to cut short the senior’s season. “What a blow it is to lose Chris,” Grambau said, expecting the worse, but hoping for the best. “It will certainly hurt us, but I really feel bad for him. He has worked hard all his life to be here and now it is his senior year. It is just not fair. It’s too bad. We hope for the best.”
KARSTEN HAD 14 points for the Hurons and Paschke added 10. David Wieck led all scorers with 24 for Inland Lakes. Last Friday, Sault Ste. Marie took a 56-36 win over the Hurons. Things were going the Hurons’ way early in the second half. They ran a slick give-and-go with center Austin Fairbanks flipping a beautiful pass to a cutting Charley Smolinski for a bucket. The Hurons led 23-20 with 6:05 left in the third quarter. Then the Soo took off. When the dust settled, the visitors had poured in 13 points in four minutes and led 33-23 with 2:30 left in the quarter. Wilbert hit a triple, then Isaac Momrik drove for two more to stop the rally and make it a five-point game. But the Hurons could get no closer as they scored just four points in the fourth quarter. Karsten scored 12 points while Momrik added eight and Paschke scored seven for the Hurons. Center Ed James had 25 points for the Soo with 21 comin
THE JV SQUAD split its games last week. They lost 58-53 to the Soo and defeated Inland Lakes 63-41. Rogers City burst out to a 19-12 first quarter lead over the Bulldogs Tuesday and took a 33-22 lead at halftime. Andy Tulgestke scored 11 while Nick Kowalski and Jordan Claus each had nine points.
Last Friday, the Hurons led early, but lost control of the game in the second half. Rogers City had an 18-14 lead after the first quarter and led 24-22 at halftime. The Soo outscored the Hurons 36-29 in the second half to earn the win. Tulgestka had 13 points while Evan Vogelheim added nine.
BOTH SQUADS host Alcona Friday and play at Inland Lakes Tuesday.