By Grace Howard
The Grand Rapids Community College women’s basketball team fell short of a win against North Central Michigan College Saturday afternoon with a 59-56 loss to the Timberwolves. Despite a fast start and standout performances, the Raiders were unable to hold off NCMC.
In the first quarter, the Raiders came out with a strong lead against NCMC ending the quarter at 18-5. GRCC was powered by their defense, which held North Central Michigan to shooting 13.3% from the field while GRCC shot 43.8% in this quarter. Redshirt freshman Tianna Daye and freshman La’ Anna Griffin set the tone early, combining for 11 points. Griffin was also a force in the paint, eventually finishing with a double-double of 12 points and 13 rebounds.
However, the Timberwolves had a big comeback in the second quarter. Led by freshman Maziah Shelton with 12 points, the Timberwolves had a 23-point comeback. Shelton connected on five 3-pointers and brought her team back to the lead. North Central Michigan ended with a 29-28 lead going into halftime. The Raiders only shot 20% from the field during this quarter.
The Raiders came back strong in the third quarter, reclaiming the lead with a balanced team effort while shooting 26.3%. Sophomore Ava Schultz, who logged a full 40 minutes, hit a big 3-pointer and grabbed key rebounds, finishing with 11 points, eight rebounds and four steals. Freshman Tatyana Hardiman added nine points and nine rebounds to a 43-37 lead going into the fourth.
The fourth quarter was taken back by the Timberwolves led by Shelton and bench player freshman Ceara LeBlanc, who had 14 points, including four 3-pointers. GRCC’s defense struggled, with late turnovers and missed free throws, the Raiders were unable to gain a lead over NCMC, despite an eight-point effort from freshman Averi Peot. The Timberwolves sealed their first win of the season with a perfectly timed free-throw to end the game.
The Raiders will look for a win in their next game at Muskegon Community College on Saturday, Dec. 14.
