MONTAGUE — Already facing an uphill battle against one of the West Michigan Conference Lakes’ top teams Friday, Montague coach Jess DeBruin noted her shorthanded roster. She put less store by the outcome of her team’s 42-34 defeat to Fremont than by how her team responded to the circumstances.
In that area, DeBruin saw a lot to like. Though the Packers built up a sizable lead over the first three quarters, her team played with focus and effort the whole way and cut into that lead in the fourth, outscoring Fremont 16-6 in those eight minutes.
“They didn’t give up,” DeBruin said. “That was the biggest thing. We had, technically, five varsity girls (tonight). We had to pull up two (from JV). Their effort all the way through, it just shows that it’s there and that we’re getting there.”
The ‘Cats were without several players, including injured Braylyn Bultema, leaving them with just seven, including the two JV call-ups - Gentry Knop and Kayden Johnson. DeBruin said Bultema, who left the Whitehall game the previous week with a knee injury, was doing well and the team was hoping for good news from an MRI scheduled for this week.
Given the circumstances, Fremont’s decision to employ a full-court press early in the game was unsurprising, as were the Wildcats’ struggles to break that press. Had the game been played only in the half-court sets, Montague likely would have won, but Fremont scored several baskets off turnovers the press created.
DeBruin said there’s not a lot that can be done to improve how the team breaks the press, which Ludington also used against the Wildcats early this season, other than to continue to get looks against it.
“You can’t really fast-track it,” DeBruin said. “It’s just the confidence; the confidence that they can do it. Obviously, there’s drills you can do in practice.
“We’re getting better with the pressure (when we have) the ball. The little things are going to turn into big things, and that’s part of the little things we’ve got to get better at.”
Without many other scoring options, it fell to Addison Pranger to create the offense for Montague, and Pranger put forth a game effort in doing so, scoring a team-best 13 points. Amanda Cederquist used her size to get eight, and freshman Avah Vandermeulen hit a pair of three-pointers.
“She’s the leader on the court and the girls know that,” DeBruin said of Pranger. “When she gets her confidence that she can hit those shots, they’re going to fall.”
Mia Clemence scored 14 points for Fremont, and Jessica Bennett added 13.
