On Tuesday, Feb. 27, the Grand Rapids Community College men’s basketball team defeated winless Kirtland Community College, 90-78 on the road during sophomore night at the Thomas Quinn Event Center in Grayling.
In the first half, GRCC shot 18-45 (40%) on field goals, 5-17 (29.41%) at the 3-point line, and 4-9 (44.44%) from the free throw line.
In terms of scoring in the first half, the Raiders got things started after a good 3-point shot by sophomore guard Jovante Jones with 19:56 to go, giving the Raiders an early 3-0 lead. The now 0-19 (0-13 in the conference) Firebirds got their first points of the game after a good 2-point shot by sophomore guard/forward Jassen Decoste with 19:37 left, cutting the Raider lead to 5-2. The Firebirds kept the game close by a point for most of the half, despite GRCC leading the entire half. GRCC took their largest lead of 14 points with 32 seconds left in the half after sophomore guard Joe Francis made both free throws, giving the Raiders a 44-30 lead. The half ended with GRCC leading 45-32.
In the second half, GRCC shot 18-33 (54.55%) from the field, 3-5 (60%) from three, and 6-8 (75%) from the free throw line.
In the second half, the Firebirds got things started after Decoste’s good 2-point shot cut the Raider lead to 11, 45-34 with 19:48 to go. The Firebirds made the game close with 17:41 to go, a 2-point Raider lead, 45-43, after sophomore guard/forward Spencer Utomi’s 2-point shot. GRCC freshman guard J.D. DeGroot ended the scoring drought with a 2-point shot with 16:07 remaining in the game, with the Raiders leading 47-43. With 14:51 to go in the half, the Firebirds took their first lead of the game after sophomore guard Aveion Cavitt’s 2-point shot gave KCC a 51-50 lead.
KCC led for a good three minutes until GRCC’s Francis tied the game with a good 2-point shot with 11-42 to go, with the game tied 56-56. With 11:25 to go, KCC regained the lead after sophomore guard/forward Marco Broome-Hernandez’s 2-point shot gave the Firebirds a 58-56 lead. GRCC’s Francis then re-tied the game 58-58 with 11:11 remaining in the game after a good 2-point shot. KCC took the lead once again after Decoste’s 2-point shot gave the Firebirds a 60-58 lead with 10:46 to go. GRCC once again re-tied the game at 60 after two made three throws by Jones with 10:39 to go.
In a back-and-forth quarter, KCC once again re-took the lead with 10:26 to go after a 2-point shot by Decoste, making the lead 62-60. KCC maintained the lead for two minutes until GRCC freshman guard Jack Agema stole the ball with 8:20 to go and shot up a 2-point shot, giving the Raiders a one-point 67-66 lead with 8:17 remaining. Later, KCC’s Broome-Hernandez tied the game at 69-69 with 7:06 to play after a good 3-point shot.
GRCC sophomore guard Tristian McRoberts’ 2-point shot helped GRCC retake the lead, for good, with 6:57 to go. GRCC maintained their lead for five minutes and took their largest lead of 12 with 20 seconds remaining after a good 2-point shot by sophomore guard Spencer Willman, bringing the Raider lead to 90-78, which turned out to be the final score.
In terms of final totals for the Raiders in this scratch and claw game, GRCC starter Francis had 25 points, three rebounds, two turnovers and one assist. Willman had 16 points, seven rebounds, three assists, one turnover and one personal foul. Jones had 15 points, seven assists, two rebounds, one personal foul and one turnover. T. McRoberts had eight points, six assists and two rebounds. Sophomore forward Alex Ehnis had seven rebounds, four personal fouls, two points and one turnover.
Off the bench for the Raiders, Agema had eight points, three rebounds, one personal foul, one turnover and one assist. DeGroot had six points, four personal fouls, two rebounds, two turnovers and one assist. Freshman forward Dominic McRoberts had six points, two rebounds and one assist. Freshman forward Javon Golson had six rebounds, two points and one turnover. Freshman guard Mason Wilcox had two points, two turnovers, and two rebounds. Freshman wing Logan Dunbar had two rebounds, two assists, and two personal fouls.
Unfortunately for the now 14-15 (6-8 in the conference) Raiders, they did not qualify for the Michigan Community College Athletic Association (MCCAA) Championship, the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) District 8 Tournament, nor did they qualify for the NJCAA Division 2 (DII) National Tournament and will have to look forward to the 2024-2025 season.
