spORTSBEAT by Peter Jakey: Keeping the crowd quiet on the tournament trail

Keeping the crown quiet on the tournament trail (St. Ignace) – – ?At Tuesday?s regional semifinal basketball game, it surprised me that the final point margin was only six points. It didn?t seem that close. There were some dramatic moments in the contest, especially in the fourth quarter, but the Vikings showed some tremendous poise down the stretch in earning the school?s second regional final berth in three years. The key to the ball game was not what happened at the end, it is what occurred at the start. Posen deserves a lot of credit for coming out aggressive against Mackinaw City. For the Comets, it must have felt like a home game as they only had to travel across the bridge to fill the gym. The crowd was loud during opening introductions, but the Vikings silenced them with an all-out-assault on the basket. Center Nick LaTulip got involved down low, weaving through double, and triple teams, and made his free throws, but Jordan Hincka and Brandon Hentkowski also knocked down some big three point baskets.

HINCKA MADE four of them, and to just show how hot he was, after putting down the first three from the left wing, he tried his fourth from the right wing and nailed that too. The three has been a nice weapon for Posen in this year?s playoffs. The Vikings played like a senior-laden group in building a 14-point first half lead. They also showed some patience in the second half, even though the Comets were turning up the pressure.

Mackinaw City likes shooting the trey, and would have tried one from Mighty Mac if the player thought he was open, but the shots were not falling through the first three quarters. I would really like to look at how many three point shots the Comets made and missed in the contest. Believe me, they did some damage with the three in the fourth. One shot was this awkward circus shot in the closing minutes, which would have been worthy of a clip on ?You Tube.?

IN THE CLOSING minute, though, Brad Haske hit a needed field goal from the baseline, LaTulip provided a block, and Hentkowski and Hincka were four-for-four from the free throw line. The lead was 11 with about 30 seconds to go, so that is why I was surprised when the final margin was a half dozen. Now it?s off to the regional title game. The Ce

darville contingent was in attendance and left when the score was in double digits in the closing minute. There is not a soul who does not believe Cedarville will be the opponent? They were taking on Engadine Wednesday. If the opponent is Cedarville, there probably will not be too many people who believe the Vikings can get by the number one ranked Trojans. It?ll be like a number 16 seed taking on the one seed in the NCAA tournament. Posen will be looking to bust the bracket and move onto quarters. If they play four quarters of basketball the way they played the first half against Mackinaw City they?ve got a shot.

(DETROIT) — ?T.J. Sobeck became the latest member of the Rogers City Century Club, pinning an opponent at state who defeated him earlier in the tournament. It was in his final match of the day, but the part I?ll remember is the official making it memorable. He first lifted T.J.?s arm up for one side of the arena, but turned the other way and pointed T.J. in the direction of his cheering family, which would have been about midcourt for a Pistons basketball game. To be continued in St. Ignace Friday?

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