Kyle Chaney (21) goes up for two with Andrew Klompstra (54) and Jason Gingrich (10) looking for a rebound.

The Cedar Spring boys varsity basketball team traveled to Coopersville Friday to take on the Broncos in an OK Blue League match up. The Red Hawks entered the game with a 2-5 record and had yet to win a close game, having lost three games after leading in the 4th quarter. That changed Friday as the Cedar Springs stopped Coopersville on the last possession of the game to hang on for a slim 43-42 victory.
In a fast paced first quarter, Coopersville was able to break the Red Hawk full court press and made 5 of their first 7 field goal attempts. During this time, the Red Hawks could not buy a bucket, missing their first 13 field goal attempts. An Andrew Klompstra free throw was the Red Hawks only point as the Broncos were out to a quick 13-1 lead. With 1:22 left in the first quarter, Kyle Chaney drove the lane and scored the Red Hawks first field goal to make the score 13-3 after one quarter. It was Chaney’s first score since returning from a knee injury which forced him to miss 3-1/2 weeks.
In the second quarter, the Red Hawk offense got going. After a Klompstra Lay-up, Jason Gingrich took a pass from Chaney and canned a 3-pointer. After a Ryan Dines free throw, Gingrich went to work with 5 assists on the next 5 Cedar field goals. Buckets by Alec Hanmer and Trey Reed cut the Broncos lead to 17-13. Then Hanmer took over for the Red Hawks. The senior wing scored the next 13 Red Hawk points, including three 3 pointers. With the Red Hawks trailing by 5 late in the third quarter, Chaney found an open Gingrich who sank a 3-pointer to cut the Bronco lead to 31-29. Then another Hanmer Field goal brought the Red Hawks within one, 32-31 after 3 quarters.
Tyler Covell sank 2 free throws to give Cedar their first lead of the game early in the 4th quarter. In the next four minutes, there were 2 ties and 4 lead changes. A Klompstra free throw and a big three point play by Trey Reed again gave the Red Hawks a one point lead with 4 minutes left. After a Bronco basket, Klompstra gave Cedar the lead for good with a put back lay up. Then with 1:28 left, Jason Gingrich got the ball to Klompstra who hit a huge turn around jumper to give the Red Hawks a 3-point lead. After a Bronco field goal, Gingrich threw a perfect pass from half court to a wide open Klompstra for an open lay up that gave Cedar a seemingly comfortable 4-point lead with 30 second left. The Broncos hit a 3-pointer to cut the Cedar lead to 43-42. Then the Broncos forced a Red Hawk turnover with 8 seconds left, but Red Hawk defense held on for the hard fought come from behind victory.
“We essentially shredded the game plan in the first five minutes and had to make plenty of adjustments. I think our players adjusted well and it’s great to comeback and win a game you trailed 13-1,” said Coach Secor. “It was good to win a close game like this. Hopefully it will give us the confidence that we can make plays down the stretch to win games. We have been right in every game, and that is a credit to how well we have played defensively.”
Coach Secor continued. “Alec Hanmer had his best game as a Red Hawk and kept us in the game when we were struggling offensively. Andrew Klompstra had a double-double and made a big bucket late in the game. Jason Gingrich’s 7 assists and Tyler Baker’s 2nd half defense were other big individual performances,” noted the coach.
Hanmer finished with 17 points. Klompstra had 10 points and 12 rebounds. Gingrich scored 6 points and Trey Reed had 5. Derek Ash had 7 rebounds. Chaney had 2 points and 5 rebounds, and Covell had 2 points.
The Red Hawks continue OK Blue play with a home game Friday at 6 p.m.  against the Forest Hill Northern Huskies.