NORTON SHORES — Tuesday night was a bit ironic for Whitehall standout Camden Thompson.
In a game where he had one of his lower-scoring outputs of the season, he became the Vikings’ all-time leading scorer for boys basketball.
Thompson finished with 13 hard-earned points to go with 20 rebounds in Whitehall’s 59-58 overtime victory over a much-improved Mona Shores squad. He had plenty of help, however, including a career type of night by senior Kyle Stratton.
The 5-foot-9 point guard made several clutch plays, including scoring a team-high 15 points on 5-of-7 shooting from the floor — 3-of-4 from 3-point range — plus notching four steals and four assists. Stratton hit two big free throws down the stretch of regulation as the Division 2 fifth-ranked Vikings survived a stern road test for a second straight Tuesday and remained perfect on the season at 15-0.
Stratton, who quarterbacked Whitehall to an historic run the last three football seasons, scored all of his points in the third and fourth quarters plus the OT period.
Thompson achieved the Whitehall boys scoring record on a difficult layup with 2:40 left in the first half. It was only his second bucket of the game, as he entered the night needing three points to pass Jaren Edsall (1,112 points in 2006-08) for the Vikings’ all-time scoring mark. Thompson now sits at 1,124 career points.
Thompson, who has several games remaining this season plus all of his senior year, is chasing Dawn (Baker) Monette for Whitehall’s overall scoring record. Monette, a 1997 alumna, totaled 1,673 points.
Photos by Shayla Hardy for CatchMark
Mona Shores made it difficult for Thompson, who went 3-of-12 from the floor but was solid 7-for-11 from the free-throw line. The 6-5 junior wing added six assists, two blocks, and one steal.
Whitehall senior Kal Koehler continued his steady play with 12 points, five rebounds, two assists, and one block. Fellow senior Camar Ready made plays around the basket and finished with 10 points for the Vikings. Whitehall senior DJ Jamison added six points.
Mona Shores junior forward Jonathan Pittman scored a game-high 17 points to lead his team, all but two of them coming in the second half and OT period. Junior guard Jordan Bledsoe and sophomore Ryan Opsommer scored 15 points apiece for the Sailors (10-5), including a corner 3 by Opsommer late in regulation to tie the game at 52 and force overtime.
Things certainly will not get easier for Whitehall or Mona Shores in their immediate future. The Vikings host perennial power Grand Rapids Covenant Christian on Friday, while the Sailors host Reeths-Puffer on Friday and Muskegon next Tuesday.
Reeths-Puffer, coached by former Whitehall bench boss Nate Aardema, posted a dominant 63-45 win in Muskegon’s gym Tuesday night.
Photos by Scott DeCamp | CatchMark
