Hurons nearly pull upset of Inland Lakes powerhouse, losing 55-51 at home

by Richard Lamb, Advance Editor

Coach Tom Adrian?s boys? basketball team came within an eyelash of a great upset on the home floor Tuesday night. Highly regarded Inland Lakes left Rogers City High School with a narrow 55-51 win over the scrappy Hurons.

?They came out with intensity, we had a fire lit under them, against a team with only two losses. I have to feel proud about that. We have to come out with that same intensity against Onaway on Thursday and we will be alright,? Adrian said.

Rogers City (5-14) came out of the gate storming, scoring 12 straight points to lead 12-2 after the game?s first two and one-half minutes.

Two buckets by Erik Meharg, and Devin Ferris, along with a basket and free throw by Justin Idalski got the hustling Hurons out to the lead. Adrian had a plan to beat the Bulldogs? man-to-man defense with a fast-paced attack.

Ferris had nine and Idalski scored seven in the first quarter. After an Inland Lakes timeout, the Bulldogs came out with a zone and patiently cut into the Huron lead, trailing 22-14 after the first quarter.

Inland Lakes, which came into the game with a 17-2 record, used good ball moment while controlling the offensive glass in the second period. With the Hurons leading 29-18, after two free throws from Kevin Fairbanks at the 6:58 mark of the second quarter, the Bulldogs went on an 8-0 run.

IDALSKI?S DRIVING layup stopped the string and Ferris followed that two possessions later with a rebound banker. Rogers City led 33-27. Evan Wagner?s inside jumper with 1:30 left in the half would be the last Huron points of the half. The Bulldogs scored on a free throw and after a steal to cut the lead to 35-33 at the half. The teams traded baskets in the early-going of the third quarter until the Bulldogs went on a 7-0 run to take a 44-40 lead with 3:35 left in the third quarter. Wagner?s put-back and Meharg?s three-pointer from the wing left the score 47-45 in favor of Inland Lakes as time expired in the third quarter.

Two baskets by Idalski and a third one from Ferris gave the Hurons a brief 51-50 lead as Inland Lakes went scoreless for more than five minutes of the fourth quarter. But Ferris? inside jumper at the 3:01 mark would be the last Huron points of the game as the Hurons were forced to foul in the game?s closing moments.

Ferris and Idalski each scored 15 points while Meharg added 10 for the Hurons. LAST SATURDAY in a game at Newberry, the Indians handed the Hurons a 57-46 loss. Newberry led 37-28 at halftime.

Meharg had 13 points while Idalski scored 10 and Ferris added six. The Huron junior varsity won a pair of games to improve to 12-7 on the season under coach Chris Shay.

At Newberry, a 23-6 first quarter powered a 77-46 Huron win. Rogers City had 12 players

score in the game, led by Austin Brege with 15 and Jesse Wilbert with 10. Against Inland Lakes on Tuesday, the junior varsity led 18-9 at the end of the first quarter and 24-19 before winning 60-36.

Nine players made the score sheet led by Chris Waibel with 18, Jordan Bellmore with 16 and Joe Kasubowski with 10. The boys play a makeup game with Onaway tonight (Thursday) and are in action in district play Monday at Alcona (7-9), winners of their last four games, with game time set for 7 p.m. If the Hurons win, they would host the second round game Wednesday, March 11, facing Whittemore-Prescott (2-18).

In the other half of the bracket, Inland Lakes (18-2) hosts Hale (18-1) Monday with the winner facing Oscoda (3-15) Wednesday at Oscoda. The championship game will be played at Oscoda.

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