Hillman wins hoops rematch with Hurons
by Richard Lamb, Advance Editor
After four up it has been three down for the Rogers City girls? basketball team. Hillman held off a fourth-quarter charge to gain a 52-42 win over the Hurons (4-3) as they suffered their third-straight loss. Hillman, which the Hurons beat in the fourth game of the season, played a very physical game and led 32-15 at halftime. In the third quarter, Rogers City made the score 38-21 after Greta Grambau set up Shelby Schelben for a basket inside. Then four straight Hillman points increased the lead to 42-21, the largest Tiger lead of the night. Then Huron coach Emily McLean unleashed a press and the Hurons cut into the lead. With 1:42 left in the third quarter Grambau hit an acrobatic runner to start a 12-0 Huron run. Two free throws by Logan Schuiteman, then another basket by Schuiteman made the score 44-28 to end the third quarter.
ON HILLMAN?S first possession of the fourth quarter Schuiteman stole the ball, dribbled the length of the floor and sunk a ten-footer. A hustling Grambau hit a layup with 5:49 on the clock and then nailed two free throws 20 seconds later. A huge lead shrunk down to 44-34. Hillman forward Maci Schook, who missed most of the first game between the teams earlier in the season, nailed a three-pointer to end the Huron
Rogers City cut the lead to nine after another driving layup by Grambau, two free throws by Schuiteman and a short banker by Leanne Knopf with 2:17 left in the game. But that would be as close as the Hurons came as Hillman secured the ball in the last two minutes. Grambau led the team with 13 points, Schuiteman scored 10 and Knopf added nine. THE HURON junior varsity (5-1) drove away from Hillman with a 36-26 win. A pressing defense gave Hillman troubles and set up easy hoops for the Hurons. Coach Karl Grambau?s squad kept the heat on the Tigers the entire game.
Rogers City led 6-3 after the first quarter and 16-15 at halftime. Nikki LaLonde scored all of her team-high 14 points in the first three quarters. Kelleigh Lamb added five points, all scored in the fourth quarter. Rogers City travels to Newberry for its next games Friday and hosts Alcona Tuesday.