Jeff McDonald Classic: Review

In what is hopefully the first of many iterations. The Cadillac boys basketball program hosted an ambitious three game slate that produced plenty of high level basketball. Following is an overview of the event.

Game 1- Grand Rapids Union 49 Traverse City West 46

As Big North conference members. West has plenty of experience in this gym. It showed early Saturday as Union got off to a slow start. The Red Hawks trailed after the first quarter. However Union used a huge second quarter to go into the half with 31-20 lead.

TC West fought hard and showed they were not going to be put away easily. They spent most of the second half methodically chipping away at the Union lead. After cutting slightly to 41-33 after the third. The Titans really came alive in the final stanza. A Ben Carlson floater cut Union’s lead to 47-46 with 16 seconds left. West was forced to foul and Union pushed it back to a three point contest. West got a good luck for three to tie but couldn’t get it to fall at buzzer.

Union was led by game MVP Ronnie Burton with 15 points. While Tayshaun Allen added nine. West was led by Ian Robertson with 11. Lincoln Lockhart and Quinten Gillespie added eight a piece.

Game 2- Petoskey 73 St John’s 65

The last time he was in this gym. Petoskey senior big man Cade Trudeau knew he let one slip away. After a disappointing but thrilling overtime loss to Cadillac. The 6-7 post wasn’t going to let that happen again.

That being said despite Trudeau’s best efforts. The Northmen still trailed St John’s by one at the half. However things changed quickly in the second. Petoskey outscored the Red Wings 44-35 to secure a comfortable victory.

Like clockwork Trudeau notched another double double with 25 points and 11 rebounds. He was aided by junior guard James Marshall who put up 20. St John’s was led by Anthony Dupuis with 16 while Logan Schroeder added 14.

Game 3- Cadillac 59 Kalamazoo Loy Norrix 49

As the hosts of the Jeff McDonald Memorial Classic. The Cadillac boys basketball program did not disappoint. Notching an impressive 59-47 victory over a game Kalamazoo Loy Norrix squad. The Vikings made a statement offensively in the first quarter putting 19 points on the board. They were led by the eventual Most Outstanding Player award winner Jaden Montague’s eight points. This helped the Vikings take a comfortable 39-20 lead into halftime. 

Loy Norrix was determined to slow the pace of the game in the second half. Limiting the Vikings to a 9-point third and a 11-point fourth quarter respectively. However ultimately they were unable to overcome Cadillac’s ability to hit big shots in clutch moments. Including five straight free throws down the stretch by Montague and junior forward Charlie Howell. Howell matched BNC rival Trudeau’s double double with one of his own. Finishing with 16 points and 10 rebounds on the night. The Knights closed the gap to five points with two minutes left in the game but were unable to get any closer as senior Teegan Baker drilled a dagger 3-pointer. Effectively ending Loy Norrix’s run.

Led by Montague’s 17 points, the Vikings were able to spread the wealth offensively with seven different players getting into the scoring column. Sophomore guard Eli Main added 10 huge points on the night. He was cheered on by his great-grandmother who was looking on from the bleachers while celebrating her 100^th birthday. Cadillac showed the ability to score in both the open court, as well as in half court settings Coupled with their size and perimeter shooting ability. This should make them a force to be reckoned with in both the Big North Conference, as well as deep into March.