The Reeths-Puffer boys basketball team got back into Tuesday's game with a huge third quarter, but still ended up falling short in a 57-52 non-conference loss to Forest Hills Eastern on the road.
The Rockets got off to a slow start, scoring only six points in both the first and second quarters. They trailed 12-6 at the first buzzer and 26-12 at halftime, and were in a pretty tough spot.
But they battled hard in the third quarter, pouring in 29 points to get back in the contest. Brayden Mitchelson led the uprising with 14 points in the third while Marvin Moore added seven, and R-P trailed 46-41 headed into the fourth.
R-P's Marvin Moore, who led the Rockets with 19 points.
The teams played even in the final quarter, 11-11, allowing Forest Hills Eastern to escape with the victory.
"We dug ourselves too big of a hole to get out of," said R-P head coach JR Wallace. "It's hard to win games when you only play one half."
Moore finished with 19 points and four assists for Reeths-Puffer. Mitchelson totaled 18 points and five rebounds, Kristian Brown had eight points and four rebounds, and Elliot Schneider chipped in seven points and four rebounds.
Reeths-Puffer fell to 6-15 on the season. The Rockets will wrap up their regular season schedule with a home game against Muskegon on Friday night.
Forest Hills Eastern, which broke a seven-game losing streak, is now 7-14.