by Ben Murphy
Sports Writer
Paw Paw girls match last year’s win total
The Paw Paw girls basketball team continued to show off their improvement from last season on Friday. The Lady Red Wolves took down host Vicksburg 55-44 in a Wolverine Conference North Division game. Their five wins this season already match last year’s win total.
Paw Paw trailed 23-17 at the half but rallied in the final two frame, holding Vicksburg to just 17 points the rest of the way.
Katelyn Baney had a big game with 17 points and 13 rebounds, Addison Roy had 12 points and 13 rebounds and Avery Vogel had seven points, five assists and four steals.
On Tuesday, Jan. 4 Paw Paw on a home conference game over Kalamazoo Christian, 50-40.
Baney had 19 points and 13 rebounds and Roy had a double-double as well with 15 points and 13 rebounds.
Paw Paw (5-2 overall) hosted Sturgis on Tuesday and heads to Allegan on Friday.
Paw Paw boys drop pair of games
The Paw Paw boys basketball team dropped a road Wolverine Conference North game at Vicksburg Friday, 54-34.
“We came up short in a valiant effort,” head coach Paskell Miller said.
Ashton Toliver led the way with eight points and Joe Miller netted six.
On Tuesday, Jan. 4 it was a 48-35 non-conference loss at Lawton.
Cullen Sylvester and Toliver scored 10 points apiece,
Paw Paw (0-5) was at Sturgis on Tuesday and plays at Allegan on Friday.
Edwardsburg too much for Mattawan girls
Mattawan wasn’t able to keep up with Edwardsburg in the two’s Southwestern Athletic Conference game on Tuesday, Jan. 4. The Lady Wildcats lost the road contest, 72-49.
“Edwardsburg is a very good team,” head coach Chad Conklin said. “We didn’t handle their pressure that well early. They held a 15-2 lead early in the first quarter. We came back and cut the lead to three at the half. The rest of the way it was a four-to-eight point game back-and-forth. They extended their lead to eight late and we couldn’t make a shot to get any closer. My girls played hard and did a nice job. This was a great game to help us prepare for the next teams on our schedule in the league. I was very proud of my team.”
Adi Douglass led the team with 22 points and 14 rebounds, Delaney Elsmore had 14 points, six steals and five assists and Yasmin Pirbhai had 13 points, eight rebounds and six assists.
Mattawan (3-3 overall) had games Monday and Tuesday and returns to action on Friday at Stevensville Lakeshore.
Lawton boys see first setback
The Lawton boys basketball team lost their first game of the season on Friday, falling at Kalamazoo Christian 41-38.
Chase Mitchell and Jake Rueff led the team with 12 points apiece.
On Tuesday, Jan. 4 Lawton won a home non-conference game over Paw Paw, 48-35
Coober Geib paced the team with 15 points, Luke Leighton scored 12 and Rueff chipped in with nine.
Lawton (4-1 overall) was at Gobles on Tuesday and hosts Fennville on Friday.
Gobles boys can’t keep up with Brandywine
The Gobles boys basketball team struggle with host Niles Brandywine on Tuesday, Jan. 4. The Tigers lost, in what was their first contest since the holiday break, 75-29.
“Brandywine’s pressure got to us early in the game and they shot the lights out from three,” head coach Scott Sherrod said. “We boxed out better than in previous games so we will look to build on that.”
Pacing the team was Nick Lopez with 11 points and Tristan Harbuagh netted seven points.
Gobles (1-4) hosted Lawton on Tuesday and stays at home to take on Martin on Friday.
