By Jason Wesseldyk
Sports Editor
It’s been said that good things come to those who wait.
That was the case for the Saugatuck boys basketball team.
After dropping their first eight games of the season, the Trailblazers broke into the win column thanks to a 44-37 decision over visiting Muskegon Catholic Central on Tuesday, Jan. 13.
“We got a win,” second-year Saugatuck coach Ty Rock said. “We gave ourselves a chance and were able to execute down the stretch.”
Saugatuck trailed 33-28 after three quarters of play, but used a 16-4 advantage in the final frame to secure the victory.
Sammy Gamboa led the offense for the Trailblazers, scoring a team-best 14 points.
“We had a ton of turnovers as a team, so that continues to be a problem we need to correct,” Rock said. “But tonight, we will enjoy the victory.”
Saugatuck raced out to a 14-7 lead at the end of the opening quarter before trailing 25-23 at halftime.
The Trailblazers hoped to make it two wins in a row when they hosted Gobles on Friday, Jan. 16, but the Tigers had other ideas.
Gobles took an early lead and never trailed in handing Saugatuck the 67-33 loss.
Despite the final score, Rock was pleased with the effort he saw from his players.
“The guys played hard,” Rock said. “I thought this was the best effort and competitiveness we’ve shown all year. We took a step forward in that department and quite frankly, that’s the first step of many to getting better.
“We now have a baseline of effort to be able to make strides in other areas. We have to keep working each day.”
Rock, a graduate of Gobles, also acknowledged the strong play of his alma mater.
“Gobles is a very tough team and I have a lot of praise for how they did and executed,” he said.
Wednesday, January 21, 2026
