Grand Rapids Community College men’s basketball team suffered its first loss of the season, losing to Henry Ford Community College 88-103.
The Raiders came into the contest riding a five-game winning streak, getting the young season off to the fast start they desired. Henry Ford’s size advantage was a test that the Raiders just couldn’t solve.
Thirty-one of Henry Ford’s 41 first-half points were all scored in the paint. Combatting that disadvantage starts with an attitude of wanting to, according to Head Coach Joe Fox.
“It’s an effort thing,” Fox said. “It’s a non-negotiable, you got to guard and you got to rebound, and collectively as a team we just stood around a little bit too much.”
At one point in the game, the Raiders found themselves down by 27 points. They fought to shrink the gap to 15, but the costly turnovers, missed defensive assignments, and a tough shooting night as a team made the deficit too much to overcome.
“We get a lot of offense based on our defense, and when we don’t get a lot of stops, and we’re attacking a set defense with a team as good as Henry Ford, you just have to be a little more prepared than we were today,” Fox said. “Our lack of stops led to our stagnant offense.”
Along with shooting and defensive woes for the Raiders, turnovers were also a glaring concern throughout the game. The Raiders finished with 18 total turnovers, which made their effort to get back into the game more daunting.
“This was the first game in about three or four games where we had a high number of turnovers,” Fox said. “The last two games we played with a really good pace and didn’t turn the ball over, we scored 110 and 112 points in those games, which we would’ve needed today to get a win. It’s disappointing to regress a little bit there, but it’s a long season and you get games like this every once in a while.”
Freshman Wing McRecco McFadden led the team in scoring, posting 16 points off 63% shooting from the field. Despite the tough first loss, McFadden’s confidence in the team remains high.
“We could’ve been way more aggressive, getting back on defense, getting more rebounds, but I feel like we’re tough enough to bounce back,” McFadden said. “I know when we get back to practice tomorrow, we’re going to tighten up everything. I’m not worried about it.”
In the first half, McFadden played just under three minutes in the entire half. However, the freshman’s number was called for 13 big minutes in the second half where his steady scoring helped chip away at the large deficit. A game where staying ready was paramount.
“I know what I can do on the court, I just keep myself level headed,” McFadden said. “With the amazing assistant coaches we have, they just constantly fill my mind with everything is going to be alright, I will get playing time. So I know with my work ethic that I’m going to be alright, and when I get on the floor, I’m going to do what I got to do.”
Including McFadden, four other Raiders finished the game with double-digit scoring.
Defense was one of the main concerns coming out of the game, something that moving forward will be a point of emphasis in games. Freshman Wing Jared Demoff considers tonight’s performance an anomaly for the team.
“Defensively, transition-wise, we did not get back; there was like one guy getting back every time,” Demoff said. “There’s a lot to learn, I think offensively we’re just not there yet. We have the potential to be very good, we just have to execute better.”
The Raiders will return to the court on Monday, Nov. 24, against Kirtland Community College in Grayling, Michigan, at 7:30 p.m.
