MUSKEGON TWP. - The Reeths-Puffer boys basketball program has waited a long time for a night like Friday to come along.
Playing their final regular season game of the year, the Rockets celebrated Senior Night, enshrined a new all-time scoring leader, and - at long last - won a conference championship trophy with a thrilling 54-50 win over Zeeland West.
With Friday’s win, the Rockets finished the season 13-1 in O-K Green conference play and shared the title with Muskegon.
It’s the R-P boys basketball team’s first conference championship since 1985.
“For this group, it just means that they’re champions,” R-P coach Nate Aardema said. “I know it’s been a long time since they’ve put a number up on that banner. It means for the rest of their lives, any time they come back here, any time they talk about this season, they’re champions.
R-P's Jaxson Whitaker (5), who became the team's all-time scoring leader. Photo/Joe Lane
“That’s a heck of an accomplishment. I’m incredibly proud of them.”
The Rockets came into the season with lofty expectations and achieved one of their major goals, according to standout senior guard Jaxson Whitaker.
“Coming into this season, we knew we were going to be pretty good,” he said. “This team has been great. We all love each other, we play for each other every game, we practice hard, it’s just part of the process.
“We have fought through adversity, and we knew how clutch we play at the end of our games. That’s why we went 13-1 this year and we’re putting a number up on that banner for the first time in a long time. It feels really good.”
While the night ended with the Rockets cutting down the nets, the celebrating began well before the final buzzer ended the close game.
R-P's Travis Ambrose gets ready to muscle his way to the bucket. Photo/Joe Lane
Seconds after the opening tip, Whitaker officially became the most prolific scorer in the history of Reeths-Puffer basketball.
He entered the game just one point shy of tying JR Wallace’s career scoring record of 1,352 points. On R-P’s first possession, he cut back door, caught a pass from Travis Ambrose and converted an easy layup to become the new all-time scoring leader.
“The first possession we planned to mix up one of our plays on a back cut,” Whitaker said. ”I knew Trav was going to give me the ball so we could just get that out of the way early.
“It’s hard to take in right now. I can’t believe it. Having great coaches and teammates that believe in me, and knowing the work I put in outside would pay off on the court, it means a lot. I just love this team for always having my back and supporting me.”
Setting a new record and passing all of the Rocket greats on the all-time scoring chart was the payoff for years of hard work for Whitaker, according to Coach Aardema.
R-P's Brayden Mitchelson takes a shot from the outside. Photo/Joe Lane
“It takes an incredible amount of work and commitment,” Aardema said about Whitaker. “I’m so impressed with what he’s been able to accomplish so far.”
Although it was Senior Night at Reeths-Puffer, it was a sophomore who provided a major lift for the Rockets at a pivotal time in the game.
Marvin Moore scored 13 of his 16 points in the second half to help the Rockets keep pace in the tight contest against a very good Zeeland West squad.
“It’s really just my teammates having the confidence in me to play, to believe in me to shoot those shots,” Moore said about stepping up in a big moment. “Knowing that I helped to get this win for us, for this whole community, it’s just amazing.”
“Marvin doesn’t get rattled,” Aardema said. “He’s always in the moment and always trying to go out and compete. I’m really proud of him tonight, he was a difference-maker for sure.”
The players react with joy after the final buzzer. Photo/Joe Lane
Friday’s celebration was well earned, because Zeeland West led for much of the game and gave the Rockets a fight for the second time this season.
The visitors had a 14-13 edge at the end of the first quarter. Eight of the Dux’s points came on putbacks after offensive rebounds.
Zeeland West led by as much as 23-16 in the second quarter before an 8-2 Rockets run brought the score to 25-24 in favor of the Dux at halftime.
ZW had an 11-10 edge in the third quarter to extend the lead to 36-34 heading into the fourth. Moore scored seven of R-P’s 10 points in the frame.
Reeths-Puffer took the lead for good on a three-pointer from Whitaker with 3:37 to play to make it 47-44. The lead grew to as many as five points, but the Dux pulled within 51-50 with 28 seconds left.
Two free throws from Whitaker, one from Ambrose and a handful of stops later, the Rockets were O-K Green co-champs.
The Rockets celebrate on the court with their conference trophy. Photo/Joe Lane
Whitaker led Reeths-Puffer with 22 points and seven assists. Moore added 16 points, while Ambrose had eight points, seven rebounds and four blocks.
Brayden Mitchelson scored seven points, grabbed four rebounds and dished out four assists. Antrel Jones had one point, four assists and two blocks for R-P.
Reeths-Puffer, which ended the regular season with a 19-3 overall record, will face Mona Shores in a Division 1 district semifinal game at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, with the winner advancing to the district title game.
