The lights were bright and the stakes even higher Tuesday night as three area teams stepped onto the regional stage with their seasons on the line. Packed gyms, roaring student sections, and the pressure of March basketball set the scene for an emotional night across West Michigan. For Fruitport and Western Michigan Christian, the dream of a deeper postseason run came to a heartbreaking end against tough opponents. But just a few miles away, Ludington turned the moment into a celebration, delivering a dominant performance that sent the Orioles soaring into the regional championship and kept their title hopes alive.
Ludington Too Fast, Too Deep in 82-58 Rout of Gladwin
Ludington and Gladwin traded pace and pressure early Tuesday, but once the Orioles found their rhythm, the game turned into a runaway. Ludington’s speed, depth, and ball movement wore down the Flying G’s as the Orioles rolled to an 82-58 win in the regional semifinal, snapping Gladwin’s 23-game winning streak and improving to 23-2.
The game was competitive through one quarter, with Ludington holding a 21-17 edge, but the Orioles delivered the separation in the second. Ludington outscored Gladwin 23-10 in the period to take a 44-27 lead into halftime, then slammed the door in the third with a 28-11 burst that pushed the margin to 72-38 entering the fourth.
Junior Taj Williams powered the Orioles with 24 points and reached a major milestone in the third quarter, scoring his 1,000th career point. Ludington’s balance stood out as well, placing four players in double figures and getting five players to nine points or more. Cameron Gunsell finished with 14, while Steele Stowe and Kyle Himes Jr. added 11 apiece, and Messiah Himes chipped in nine.
Gladwin was led by Ben Verellen’s 20 points and 13 from Brody Verellen, but the Flying G’s couldn’t match Ludington’s sustained tempo as the Orioles kept pouring it on in transition and in the half-court.
Orioles Set for Regional Final vs. Kingsford
With the win, Ludington advances to the Division 2 Regional 9 Championship, where the Orioles will face Kingsford Thursday at 7 p.m. at Gaylord High School (Jim Mongeau Gymnasium). The Flivvers earned their spot in the final with a 56-42 win over Cheboygan in the other semifinal.
The matchup pits Ludington (23-2) against Kingsford (17-6) and features two teams that handled similar opponents during the regular season. Both teams defeated Traverse City St. Francis — Kingsford winning 56-35 at the Ray Graham Elk Rapids Invitational and Ludington taking a 70-54 victory. Each team also picked up wins over Elk Rapids, with Ludington winning 65-55 in overtime and Kingsford earning a 56-35 victory earlier in the season.
With a trip to the state quarterfinals on the line, Ludington will look to continue the fast-paced, balanced attack that powered its dominant win over Gladwin.
Fruitport’s Historic Season Ends Against GRCC
Fruitport’s memorable season came to a close with a 65-44 loss to Grand Rapids Catholic Central in a Division 2 regional semifinal at Fremont High School.
Despite the defeat, the Trojans capped one of the most successful seasons in program history, finishing 21-4 and capturing their first district title since 1938.
GRCC set the tone early, opening the game with a 9-0 run and holding Fruitport scoreless for more than four minutes. The Cougars led 14-1 after the first quarter and carried a 29-15 halftime advantage. GRCC continued to build the margin in the third quarter and closed strong to secure the win.
Senior DayDay Williams led Fruitport with 15 points, while sophomore standout Dexter Lillmars added 13 and Hudson Hazekamp chipped in nine.
Western Michigan Christian Falls to Pewamo-Westphalia
Western Michigan Christian saw its season end with a 54-40 loss to Pewamo-Westphalia in regional play.
The Pirates controlled the early flow, taking a 12-6 lead after the first quarter and extending the advantage to 29-15 at halftime. WMC battled in the second half but couldn’t fully erase the deficit as Pewamo-Westphalia stayed composed down the stretch to finish off the win.
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