Watervliet Press Box

Boys basketball splits week

The Panther boys varsity basketball team opened last week with a tough 67-35 loss to Schoolcraft, but recovered to beat Bridgman, 73-59.

On Tuesday, Jan. 9 they hosted Schoolcraft in a game where host Watervliet struggled to score points, shooting just 30% from the field. The Eagles (6-3) are loaded with shooters and played solid defense, outrebounding the Panthers 29-19 and making 14 steals. The home team was behind just 14-10 after the first quarter but the Eagles outscored the Panthers 19-4 in the second to blow the game open at halftime, 33-14.

WATERVLIET BALL… #12 Panther Jerry (JT) Davis goes up and over his Bridgman opponents for an offensive rebound in the boys varsity basketball game on Friday, Jan. 12. Davis scored five points in the game and the Panthers won the SAC Lakeshore Division matchup, 73-59. (TCR photo by John Oliphant)

Wyatt Epple led the Panthers with 14 points. Ado Geegan scored seven, and Kaiden Bierhalter scored seven as well. Jacob Pleyer contributed three points and JT Davis and Jacob Schaefer each scored two.

Two nights later, on Thursday Jan. 11, the Panthers hosted Bridgman (7-3) in what would be the last athletic event for several days as winter finally hit the area, hard and all at once, postponing or cancelling several games and events. The Panther team found their offense against Bridgman and ran it well.

Watervliet opened the scoring for a 2-0 lead and the Bees responded with a three. Bridgman eventually hit four threes in the period and 13 total in the game, but didn’t have anything working inside and the Panther offense would score lots of easy baskets.

Watervliet took the lead for good when with the score tied 6-6 Wyatt Epple stole the ball and ran for an easy fast break layup. The quarter ended with Jacob Pleyer making a nifty one-handed put back shot as the buzzer went off to give his team a 21-14 lead. Bridgman would get within four points early in the last quarter and then intentionally put the Panthers in the bonus with over three minutes to play, but the home team went 8-for-11 at the line in the fourth quarter to secure the game.

Jacob Pleyer led the way with 18 points, and both Wyatt Epple and Kaiden Bierhalter scored 15. Ado Geegan scored eight, Emmett Williams (6), JT Davis (5), and Jacob Schaefer (4).

The Panthers are now 7-2 overall and 4-0 in SAC Lakeshore play. They have a game again on Friday, Jan. 19 at Coloma and then host Fennville on Friday, Jan. 26.

HOOPING IT UP… Jacob Pleyer shoots a one-handed buzzer-beater at the end of the first quarter against Bridgman last Friday. The shot went in and gave the Panthers a 21-14 lead. (TCR photo by John Oliphant)

Wrestling and girls basketball have canceled contests

The Panther girls varsity basketball team had a short and rough week, last week, taking a big 59-18 loss at Kalamazoo Christian. The Lady Panthers shot just 24% from the field and gave up 26 steals. Courtney Van Lente led the Panthers with six points.

The girls game on Friday at Bridgman was canceled due to the winter storm, and they’ll play at Coloma on Friday, Jan. 19 followed by a home game against Fennville on Friday, Jan. 26.

The wrestling team’s only scheduled action last week was also a victim of the weather on Saturday. As of press time, they are set to wrestle at Galesburg-Augusta on Wednesday, Jan. 17 and then at Kalamazoo Central on Saturday, Jan. 20. They’ll be in Gobles on Wednesday, Jan. 24.