On Dec. 10, Whitehall’s boys basketball team did not look anything like a conference-title contender. The Vikings lost by 24 points on their home court against Ravenna.
Now, they’re West Michigan Conference champs.
Whitehall secured at least a share of the league title with a 61-53 victory over visiting Mason County Central Friday. The Vikings (13-5 overall, 10-3 WMC) can claim the outright championship with a win at home over Shelby Tuesday.
“We got a share of the conference, which was one of our goals at the end of the season, so I’m extremely proud of them,” first-year Whitehall coach Christian Subdon said.
Whitehall has come a long way since the 66-42 home loss to Ravenna. Standout freshman Camden Thompson returned from an injury, players settled into their roles and the Vikings began to play harder.
Now, they’ve won 11 of their last 13 games, including an impressive 57-54 overtime victory against Ludington Wednesday. The two losses during that stretch were by one point against Shelby and by two points in overtime to equally red-hot Oakridge.
“We changed how we played. We decided that we’re just going to get back to being tough and that’s what we’ve done,” Subdon said. “They bought in at practice, they’ve worked, they’ve grinded – that’s just something that I’m extremely proud of where they’ve come (from). They could have just packed it in at the beginning. Ravenna beats us up by 25 and we come back and beat them later in the season. I’m just extremely proud.
“We’ve got one more. Hopefully we can take the conference outright. It’s going to be a tough game against Shelby.”
Here are details from each of the West Michigan Conference games Friday, Feb. 25:
WHITEHALL 61, MASON COUNTY CENTRAL 53: At Whitehall, the host Vikings were led by Camden Thompson and used a balanced effort to keep the Spartans at arm’s length. Whitehall earned at least a share of a second-straight conference title.
Whitehall leaders:
Camden Thompson 23 points
Red Watson 6 points
Nate Bolley 6 points
Isaac DeHart 6 points
Brodie Fogus 6 points
Kal Koehler 5 points
MCC leaders:
Jayden Perrone 18 points, 9 rebounds
Will Chye 13 points, 6 rebounds
Jack VanderHaag 8 points
Records:
Whitehall 13-5 overall, 10-3 WMC
Mason County Central 5-12 overall, 2-11 WMC
RAVENNA 51, SHELBY 47: At Ravenna, the host Bulldogs assembled a furious fourth-quarter rally to pull out the win and keep their conference title hopes alive. Ravenna rallied from a 15-point deficit in the quarter. The Bulldogs need to beat Montague Tuesday and hope Shelby knocks off Whitehall to earn a share of the league championship.
Ravenna leaders:
Grant Becklin 21 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals, 1 block
Kyle Beebe 13 points, 3 rebounds, 9 assists, 2 steals, 1 block
Travis May 6 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists
Owen Scott 6 points
Clay Schullo 5 rebounds
Shelby leaders:
Joseph Hayes 22 points, 10 rebounds, 3 steals
Bishop Lee 11 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists
Mason Garcia 7 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists
Records:
Ravenna 11-6 overall, 9-4 WMC
Shelby 11-7 overall, 7-6 WMC
OAKRIDGE 59, NORTH MUSKEGON 49: At Oakridge, the host Eagles remained red-hot in notching their sixth straight win by turning back North Muskegon in the CatchMark SportsNet Game of the Week.
Oakridge leaders:
Garrett Wever 22 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists
Hunter DeLora 15 points
Ethan Jozsa 14 points, 10 rebounds
North Muskegon leaders:
James Young 12 points
Sam Gallo 11 points
Jason Bogue 8 points
Records:
Oakridge 11-8 overall, 7-6 WMC
North Muskegon 10-8 overall, 7-6 WMC
MONTAGUE 63, HART 30: At Montague, the host Wildcats jumped on Hart in the first quarter with a 17-5 lead and coasted to the victory in their home finale. Sophomore Isaiah Atchison was dominant for Montague.
Montague leaders:
Isaiah Atchison 14 points, 13 rebounds, 3 assists, 5 steals, 3 blocks
Tate Stine 12 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals
Colton Blankstrom 9 points, 2 rebounds, 2 steals
Owen Raeth 8 points, 2 rebounds, 2 steals
Paul Olson 8 points, 2 assists, 3 steals
Owen Petersen 5 points, 3 steals
Hart leaders:
Wyatt Dean 6 points
Caleb Bitely 6 points
Tony Rayo 7 rebounds
Records:
Montague 13-5 overall, 8-5 WMC
Hart 5-13 overall, 2-11 WMC
