By Justin Stulpe
The Grand Rapids Community College men’s basketball team improved to 12-2 after securing two statement road victories over Oakton College and eighth-ranked South Suburban College. The Raiders defeated Oakton 78-70 on Dec. 14, rallying in the second half to complete a comeback that highlighted the team’s grit and resilience. GRCC followed that win with a dominant 99-82 victory over South Suburban on Dec. 16, the eighth-ranked team in the country, leading the game from start to finish to extend their winning streak to nine games.
GRCC vs Oakton
In their first game of the weekend, the Raiders battled Oakton College in a contest that wasn’t their most impressive performance during their strong winning streak. Despite a slow start, GRCC did just enough to secure an eight-point victory. While the win wasn’t marked by eye-popping scoring figures that appeared in previous matchups, it demonstrated the Raiders ability to overcome a sluggish start—something they haven’t often needed to do this season.
The game was a tale of two halves. GRCC struggled in the first half, shooting just 31.4% from the field and 14.3% from 3-point range. Thus, the Raiders trailed by 10 points early in the second half, but a 22-5 run reignited the offense and gave them the lead for the remainder of the game. GRCC shot 54.1% from the field and 44.4% from beyond the arc in the second half, both being big components of the comeback and securing their 11th win of the season.
The Raiders’ defensive effort was a key factor in their come-from-behind win over Oakton. GRCC recorded 11 team steals and eight team blocks, which helped fuel the victory. The Raiders capitalized on 18 Oakton turnovers, scoring 26 points off them, a crucial element in a game where they had to scratch and claw their way back into after falling behind early.
Sophomore Bashir Neely led all scorers with 26 points and added seven rebounds. Freshman Tyran Thomas contributed 11 points and seven rebounds of his own, while sophomore Jack Agema chipped in 12 points and a team-high four assists to help propel the offense down the stretch in crunch time.
Neely, Thomas, Agema and freshman Marshaun Flakes each recorded two steals, with Neely and Flakes also adding two blocks. Freshman Ethan Bennett led the team with three blocks, anchoring the Raiders interior defense. The team’s defensive versatility created turnovers and chaos from all positions on the court, showcasing the team’s ability to defeat teams in a multitude of different ways.
GRCC vs South Suburban
In contrast to their previous win, the Raiders came out strong against South Suburban College, and they needed every bit of momentum as they faced the eighth-ranked team in the country, ultimately winning by 17 points. GRCC dominated throughout, eventually building a 28-point lead in the matchup with the Bulldogs. The victory proved to be the Raiders’ most defining win of the season so far.
GRCC set the tone from the opening tip, scoring the first 11 points of the game en route to a wire-to-wire victory, leading the entire contest. The Raiders focus and execution on both ends of the floor were key in the statement win over the top-10 ranked Bulldogs. GRCC shot 56.3% from three, finished a perfect 24-for-24 from the free-throw line and posted a season-high 14 blocks, including a career-high six rejections from Bennett.
The Raiders were led by three players with 20 or more points, Neely scored 22, Thomas added 21 and Flakes poured in 20, all three players blocked two shots in the contest. Neely recorded 20 or more points for the second consecutive game, while Thomas had his most complete performance of the season, scoring a season-high 21 points and grabbing nine rebounds, Flakes also contributed, pulling down four rebounds.
A win against a team of South Suburban’s caliber is a major achievement for the Raiders. Not only did they win convincingly by 17 points, but they dominated a well-respected and challenging opponent. The victory serves as a benchmark, showing that GRCC is capable of competing with—and defeating—the best teams.
This win cements GRCC as a legitimate force, with teams set to face a tough challenge trying to match up with the Raiders going forward. The next opponent to take aim at the white hot Raiders is Montcalm Community College, who will visit GRCC on Jan. 4 at 3 p.m. at Ford Fieldhouse. The Raiders will aim to complete a season sweep of the Centurions and extend their winning streak to 10 games.
