By Jason Wesseldyk
Sports Editor
OTSEGO—Would the Otsego boys basketball team extend its winning streak, or would Plainwell bounce back from a tough loss to Mattawan three days earlier.
That was the question when the Bulldogs hosted the archrival Trojans on Friday, Jan. 9, for the first of two meetings between the teams this season.
As it turned out, it was the latter situation as Plainwell started quickly and led by more than 20 points at one time before settling for the 52-46 victory.
The win upped the Trojans’ record to 7-2 overall and 4-1 in the Wolverine Conference after a 50-35 loss to Mattawan on Tuesday, Jan. 6, snapped what had been a five-game winning streak.
Otsego, meanwhile, entered the game on a five-game winning streak following a pair of losses to start the season. The Bulldogs fell to 5-3 overall and 3-2 in the league.
“We did not finish the game at Mattawan like we should have, and we knew coming into Otsego for the rivalry game that we had better be on our game,” Plainwell coach Larry Ash said. “We needed to set a tone right off the bat and then focus on the discipline part of the game, like staying organized.”
And set the tone right off the bat is exactly what the Trojans did, jumping out to a 7-0 lead less than a minute into the game to prompt a timeout by Otsego coach Matt Dennis.
Chib Amaezechi had a 3-point play during that stretch on his way to 13 points, one behind Reece Trahan for the team lead. Drew Rayman scored 10 points to give Plainwell a third double-digit scorer.
Amaezechi also led Plainwell with four assist and three blocks.
“The quick start gives you a little confidence, especially if the other team has to call an early timeout,” Ash said. “Then it becomes a matter of who is going to be that leader to make sure we don’t get too full of ourselves or cocky.”
The rest of the first quarter was much more competitive, with Otsego actually holding a 12-9 scoring edge as Plainwell’s lead stood at 16-12. The Trojans led 26-19 at halftime.
The third quarter, though, belonged to the Trojans, who outscored Otsego 19-8 to take a 45-27 lead to the final frame.
“Rivalry games are a lot of fun, but for a young team like ours, it’s a big stage and a big moment,” Dennis said. “It took us about three quarters to settle in and just play Bulldog basketball, specifically on the offensive end of the floor.
“By that point, we were already down 18, and that’s a tough hole to climb out of.”
But the Bulldogs didn’t go quietly, as they went on a 1907 run in the fourth quarter to pull within six points before time expired.
“Credit to Plainwell,” Dennis said. “They came out more physical, they hit the glass hard and they forced us into way too many turnovers. You give up second-chance points and turn it over 20 times, it’s tough to win any game, especially a rivalry one.
“But even with the loss, I think this game helps us. Our guys got a real taste of what this rivalry feels like. They know now what kind of energy and execution it takes to compete with the top teams in the conference.”
Leeland Longcore and Wyatt Dennis each had a game-high 16 points to lead Otsego. Longcore also had six rebounds, while Wyatt Dennis had five assists.
“I’m proud of the way we finished,” Matt Dennis said. “We made it a game late. That kind of fight tells me we’re headed in the right direction. We’d always rather come out with a win, but looking back, this might end up being a turning point for us.”
Ash, meanwhile, praised Ronald Nunez and Luke Filkins for their contributions to the win.
Nunez had a game-best 11 rebounds. Filkins had seven points and played solid defense in the middle with three steals.
“Ronald and Luke did a great job,” Ash said. “For Ronald, we wanted him to just stay in front of the point guard. He is a really good point guard. Plus he 11 rebounds and we were really glad he played a good game.
“Luke stepped up on the inside game controlling the paint and making some good decisions.”
The teams are slated to meet again on Friday, Feb. 13, at Plainwell. Not that Ash cares about that game right now.
“The message I shared was that we have a long way to go and we need to focus every day to improve and take one game at a time,” Ash said. “I think the Wolverine conference is pretty good. Everyone is playing tough non-conference games and if you underestimate someone, you might get beat.
“We just need to hold each other accountable and keep our improvement standards high if we want to reach our goals.”
