MUSKEGON TWP. — The Reeths-Puffer boys basketball team appeared headed for a 2-0 start to the season Friday, but a tough fourth quarter unraveled the Rockets against Grand Haven.
The Buccaneers used a smothering pressure defense to flip the game in the fourth and beat Reeths-Puffer 57-51.
“We were kind of tightening up against it,” Rocket coach Nate Aardema said of Grand Haven’s pressure. “I’ve got to have them better prepared for that. They threw different stuff at us and we weren’t as prepared, that’s my responsibility.”
Reeths-Puffer managed just eight points in the fourth quarter, all coming at the free throw line. A number of turnovers hurt the Rockets down the stretch, leading to breakaway buckets for the Bucs.
R-P's Travis Ambrose goes up for a shot. Photo/Jeremy Clark
“We got a little sloppy with it and made a few turnovers and they were able to run out,” Aardema said. “Those live ball turnovers are tough to overcome. They made it tough for us. We were a little bit tentative and they were in attack mode.”
Jaxson Whitaker scored 23 points to lead Reeths-Puffer. Grand Haven was powered by a big game from Harrison Sorrelle, who scored 34 points.
“Jaxson’s put in so much work over the last – well, his life. That’s just the player he is,” said Aardema, adding Whitaker is dealing with an ankle injury suffered last week. “It’s pretty remarkable in terms of the work our training staff has done and the work he’s done to be able to play.”
Friday marked the first game back for R-P standout Travis Ambrose, who returned to practice Wednesday. Ambrose played limited minutes, but Aardema is happy to have him back in the lineup.
Reeths-Puffer's Kyle Schlaff lets a shot go. Photo/Jeremy Clark
“I thought he played pretty well for really having every right to be rusty,” Aardema said. “Some of the conditioning, the timing and stuff is going to come.”
Grand Haven stormed out to a 7-0 lead to open the game, but the Rockets settled in and led 13-12 after one quarter behind eight points from Whitaker. Sorrelle had nine in the first quarter.
Reeths-Puffer extended its lead to 30-24 heading to halftime, closing the half on a 9-2 run. Kyle Schlaff led R-P with nine points in the second while Sorrelle added eight more for Grand Haven.
Reeths-Puffer’s lead grew to as large as 12 in the third before the Bucs clamped down on defense. The Rockets led 43-35 heading to the final eight minutes.
Tyviea Williams drives toward the hoop off-balance for the Rockets. Photo/Jeremy Clark
Grand Haven opened the fourth on a 13-2 run to take a 48-47 lead with 3:07 to play, its first lead since 22-21 in the second quarter. Reeths-Puffer hit two free throws to briefly take the lead back 49-48, but Grand Haven rattled off the next nine points to take the lead for good.
Following Whitaker’s 23 points, Schlaff scored 11 for Reeths-Puffer and Ambrose added nine.
In addition to Sorrelle’s big game, Joey Basil and Gus Abraham added nine points each for Grand Haven. Basil scored seven in the fourth quarter.
Reeths-Puffer is now 1-1 on the season.