It’s a big week in the West Michigan Conference boys basketball race. In a league this competitive from top to bottom, no game is a gimme.
Two of the better matchups this week, at least on paper, feature second-place Whitehall (6-4, 5-2 WMC) at first-place Ravenna (7-3, 6-1) Tuesday night followed by the Vikings at fellow second-place team North Muskegon (8-4, 5-2) on Friday.
The latter is the CatchMark SportsNet Game of the Week. It’s usually intense when the Vikings and Norsemen square off and this Friday’s 7 p.m. showdown at North Muskegon’s old barn promises to be hotly contested.
Earlier this season, Whitehall stormed back from an early double-digit deficit to defeat North Muskegon, 55-51.
Before Whitehall makes the return trip to North Muskegon, Shelby (7-3, 5-2) will pay a visit to the Norsemen on Tuesday. The Tigers, who are tied with Whitehall and North Muskegon for second place, are fresh off a 63-55 win at rival Hart in which Joseph Hayes poured in a whopping 40 points.
Elsewhere, Montague visits Oakridge Tuesday in a game between teams thought to be conference-title contenders prior to this wild season.
Not to be outdone, it’s rivalry week on the girls’ side of the West Michigan Conference. On Thursday, Montague (9-3, 7-1) visits Whitehall (6-8, 5-4) as the Wildcats look to stay within striking distance of league-leading Hart (11-1, 9-0). Also on Thursday, Hart hosts rival Shelby (8-5, 5-3).
Here are complete schedules for West Michigan Conference boys and girls basketball teams for this week (Jan. 31-Feb. 4):
