Derek Ash goes way up for the rebound as Andrew Klompstra boxes out.
The Cedar Springs boys varsity basketball team traveled to Wyoming to take on the Lee Rebels last Friday. The Red Hawks got their first win of the young season, easily defeating the Rebels 52-29.
“We came out with good energy and intensity,” said head coach Andy Secor. “Our starting group did a good job of getting us going offensively. I thought we played very well defensively for the second game in a row. Our team defense was very good.”
Derek Ash won the opening tip, and 19 seconds later Kyle Chaney got the Red Hawks going with a three pointer from the corner. Then Chaney assisted on the next two Cedar buckets, three-pointers by Hank Porter and Jason Gingrich, and the Hawks were off to a 9-0 lead. An 8-0 run by the Rebels cut the Cedar lead to one, but an Ash free throw and 5 straight points by Porter gave Cedar Springs a 15-8 lead after one quarter. The second quarter began with field goals by Andrew Klompstra, Trey Reed, and Ash, all assisted by Porter. Then a Gingrich free throw and a Porter lay-up gave Cedar a 24-13 lead. Alec Hanmer became the seventh Red Hawk to score in the half when he buried a three-pointer to give Cedar a 27-15 Lead.
In the third quarter, buckets by Ryan Dines, Klompstra, Porter and a three-pointer by Gingrich stretched the lead to 15. Then Junior Tyler
Hank Porter led the Red Hawks with 14 points.
Covell hit two three-pointers in a span of 21 seconds and the Red hawks lead was 42-24 after three quarters of play. In the fourth quarter, Gingrich hit a three, then Porter made two free throws followed by a Reed lay-up and the score was 49-26. An Isaac Gloczynski free throw followed by a pair of Brandon Slater free throws rounded out the scoring for the Red Hawks as they cruised to the 52-29 victory.
Coach Secor was pleased. “We started to knock down some perimeter shots, Hank and Jason are shooting the ball with a lot of confidence,” he said. “We got some big contributions from our bench. Tyler Covell hit two big three-pointers in the third quarter and Andrew Klompstra played very well, leading the team with 8 rebounds. Alec Hanmer quietly had a solid game. He handled the ball well for us, knocked down a three-pointer, and was second on the team with 6 rebounds.”
Porter led the Red hawks with 14 points and 6 assists, Gingrich had 10 points and 3 assists. Covell finished with 6 points and Klompstra had 4 points to go with his 8 boards and 2 assists. Ash, Chaney and Hanmer had 3 points each, Dines and Slater two each and Golczynski one.
“It was good to get some of our reserves much-deserved playing time.” said Secor. “Those guys have been working hard in practice everyday to improve and they deserve any minutes we can get them.”
The Red Hawks started OK Blue Conference play this week with a game at West Catholic on Tuesday, December 14th at 7:15 p.m., followed by the home opener against arch rival Sparta on Friday night, December 17 at 6 p.m. at Cedar Springs High School.
