MONTAGUE — Montague's early strategy against West Michigan Conference Lakes leader Fremont Friday night was to more or less play keep-away. The Wildcats displayed that strategy right after tip-off, holding the ball for nearly a minute to start the game before turning it over.
However, after a few minutes, the Fremont avalanche that has come for all league foes eventually buried Montague as well, in a 66-27 defeat. The Packers have beaten every WMC Lakes opponent by 16 points or more this season.
Montague (8-4, 5-3 WMC Lakes) led 2-0 after three minutes, but Fremont quickly scored eight straight points, including a sequence in which the Packers scored an and-one basket, missed the free throw and rebounded it, then scored again.
In fact, that kicked off a stretch in which Fremont scored five and-one baskets out of six, sparking a 16-0 scoring run. The Packers overpowered Montague on the glass, getting a lot of points on second or even third chances.
"We stopped them (at first)," Montague coach Jess DeBruin said. "They had more second-chance shots than
us and they were making them. I think there was one time I
counted and they shot three three-pointers (on one possession), missed
them all, and then they got two other shots. They were good
pressure-wise, but it was (the) second-chance shots.
"I don't know if we had popcorn before the game or something, but we just
didn't want it on the boards tonight. That's all that is."
It kept getting worse for Montague, which didn't score in the second quarter until Braylyn Bultema got on the board in the final minute. Naturally, the Packers quickly responded with a three-pointer by Taylor DeKuiper, making the score 37-8 at halftime.
Montague's Adilynn Peterson is fouled by Fremont foes during Friday's game at Montague. The Wildcats lost, 66-27.
Montague didn't cut into the Packers' lead in the second half, but it did play much better than in the first, led by a hard-nosed half from Maizie Collins. The senior forward scored nine points in the game and showed aggression and grit that could pay off for the Wildcats in the postseason.
"She attacked the boards," DeBruin said. "She was more poised and patient with the
basketball. She can take that, move forward and continue to get better
and be a very key player for us down the road."
DeBruin was pleased at the improved second-half effort and the Wildcats, though they won't be able to make a run at a conference championship as they'd hoped, can still stay in the running for second place. Montague lost a close game to Ludington earlier this season and reversing that result when the teams play again Feb. 18 could put the Wildcats in position to tie the Orioles.
"The last time we played them, it was a good, strong battle and we easily
had that chance," DeBruin said. "It's a matter of how much we want it when we get that
chance."
Mia Clemence scored 20 points for Fremont, with DeKuiper adding 18.
