The final stretch of the regular season is delivering exactly what fans hope for — conference titles on the line, packed gyms, senior nights, and teams sharpening their edge for districts. Here’s a full roundup with added details and a few new highlights worth circling.
Ludington 78, Whitehall 58
Ludington didn’t just win Friday night at Hawley Gym — it officially separated itself as the class of the WMC Lakes. The 78-58 victory locked up the outright conference title and extended the Orioles’ win streak to seven, the kind of late-season roll that changes how a team is viewed heading into districts.
The opening quarter had the feel of a game that could turn either way, with Ludington edging ahead 17-13. Then the Orioles delivered the stretch that decided everything. A decisive second quarter run pushed the lead to 45-31 at halftime, and from there Ludington played with the poise of a team that knew exactly what was at stake. By the end of the third, the Orioles had widened the gap to 58-39 and never let Whitehall back within striking distance.
Cam Gunsell’s night told the story of a team built for big moments. After dealing with early foul trouble, he erupted in the second half, scoring 19 after the break and finishing with 27. Taj Williams kept pressure on the defense all night and added 21, while Messiah Himes chipped in 13 to round out a balanced, championship-level performance. Whitehall got strong production from Corde Anderson (20) and Aaron Wincheski (13), but the Vikings couldn’t recover from the second-quarter surge.
For Ludington, the win is more than a trophy moment — it’s confirmation. The Orioles are 19-1 overall and 11-0 in league play, and they’re playing their best basketball at the exact time the season demands it. The regular season title is earned, but the bigger consequence is what it sets up next: Ludington enters the postseason as a hunted team with expectations, not just hopes.
Top Scorers
Whitehall: Corde Anderson 20, Aaron Wincheski 13
Ludington: Cam Gunsell 27, Taj Williams 21, Messiah Himes 13
North Muskegon 73, Hart 56
If you wanted a preview of what postseason basketball feels like, Friday night in North Muskegon delivered it. The Norsemen and Pirates came in with a combined record that demanded attention, and they played like two teams preparing for March. When it was over, North Muskegon had a 73-56 win, a perfect 12-0 conference run, and a signature moment that may echo long after the regular season ends.
Hart controlled the tempo early and led 35-32 at halftime. The tension didn’t fade after the break — the game was tied at 43 deep into the third quarter, the kind of stretch where every possession feels like a decision and every mistake feels amplified. That’s when North Muskegon found its defining swing.
With the third quarter winding down, senior guard Adam Dugener launched a three-quarter-court shot in front of the Hart bench. It dropped clean at the buzzer. The gym erupted, the momentum tilted, and suddenly North Muskegon carried a 56-44 lead into the fourth — a gap that felt even larger because of how it happened.
Dugener finished with 37 points, hitting seven three-pointers while adding four rebounds, three assists, and three steals. Braylen Burrel added 15 points with four triples, including key shots during the stretch that broke the game open. Hart didn’t lack fight or production — Caleb Ackley stuffed the stat sheet with 16 points, eight rebounds, six assists, three steals, and three blocks, while Kolton Rockwell scored 15 and Jagger Lenon added 13 points and three assists — but North Muskegon owned the moment that changed the night.
Now the stakes shift. North Muskegon ends the regular season 21-1, and the perfect conference mark confirms what teams already knew: they’ll enter districts with the target on their back. Games like this one don’t just decide titles — they reveal whether a team can handle pressure, respond when it tightens, and make the play that breaks an opponent’s belief. On Friday, the Norsemen did all three.
North Muskegon: Adam Dugener 37, Braylen Burrel 15
BOYS BASKETBALL
Mason County Central 70, Montague 44
MCC took control early and never looked back, building a 39-10 halftime lead and maintaining steady pressure throughout the second half with balanced scoring and strong defense.
Top Scorers
Mason County Central: Cole VanderHaag 24, Michael Chye 12
Montague: Cooper Bradley 11, Karter Johnson 8
Mason County Central 59, Ravenna 57
In a physical, playoff-style matchup with district seeding implications, MCC won the rebounding battle and hit timely shots and free throws late to escape with the win.
Top Scorers
Mason County Central: Cole VanderHaag 24, Trent Hawke 12
Ravenna:(not provided in notes)
Hart 93, Holton 25
Hart overwhelmed Holton with energy and depth from the opening tip, led by a huge senior-night style performance inside.
Top Scorers
Hart: Caleb Ackley 31, Jagger Lenon 12, Lorenzo Furlan 11
Holton:(not provided in notes)
Western Michigan Christian 65, Holton 25
WMC jumped out fast with a 12-2 run, built a 35-10 halftime lead, and had 12 different players score in a complete team win.
Top Scorers
Western Michigan Christian: Luke Visser 10, Zach Weare 9, Jakin Doornbos 8
Holton: Keon McMillan 15, Justin Dean 5
Fremont 67, Montague 52
After a competitive first quarter, Fremont’s defense fueled a massive second-quarter run to create separation and secure the conference win.
Top Scorers
Fremont: Mossen Green 20, Gabe Hulst 17
Montague: Carter Johnson 24
Oakridge 58, Orchard View 50
Oakridge controlled the game with defense early and carried that momentum through a strong Senior Night win, holding off an OV push in the second half.
Top Scorers
Oakridge: Logen Huston 17, Bryce Falbe 16
Orchard View: Tyshawn Smith 18, Damari Wright 11
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Hart 55, North Muskegon 39
Hart’s third-quarter defense was the difference, holding North Muskegon to just five points in the period to pull away from a close halftime game.
Top Scorers
Hart: Rilynn Porter 21, Reese Smith 8, Aurora Virtanen 6, Leah Walker 6
North Muskegon: Delaney Young 20, Caroline Lamiman 6, Maddie Friesner 6, Grace Miller 6
Ludington 47, Whitehall 20
Ludington pulled away in the second half using transition offense and improved spacing against Whitehall’s zone.
