TRAVERSE CITY — The Traverse City West Titans turned on the jets after a slow start against Bay City Western at home Tuesday, picking up a hard-fought 63-49 win to move to 4-1 in the early part of the season.
West head coach Doug Baumann called the 14-point victory a “great, gritty win.”
“We play hard. We’ve just got that grit. Call us ‘junkyard dogs’ or whatever, but that solid and aggressive defense with our good offense has helped us be successful,” Baumann said.
The Titans, who are 1-0 in the Big North Conference, were led by Lincoln Lockhart’s 13 points followed by Quinten Gillespie with 11, Ben Habers with 10 points and eight rebounds, Gunnar Canty with eight points and seven boards, and Mason Zimmerman with six assists.
Baumann said West was a bit “sluggish” in the first quarter, but the Titans found their groove offensively in the second and third to eventually build a 25-point lead on a high-powered Bay City Western team that came in averaging 68 points in their two wins this season. Western is now averaging 48 in their two losses, and the Titans are running at a clip of 63.4 points per game in their five contests.
“They’re a real good team,” Baumann said of BC Western. “I was happy with how we hung on against them for the win.”
Both the West JV and freshman teams also picked up wins against Western.
The JV squad won 82-55 to move to 5-0 and remain 1-0 in the Big North, led by Carter Grubb with 18 points and then Drew Esper, Blake LaFaive and Graham Heatherington with 11 each. The freshman team won 54-48, led by Duncan Robinson with 14 points and both Cruz Lockhart and Cam Bohrer with 10 apiece.
The Titans travel to Midland Dow on Friday before welcoming Cadillac to TC West on Monday for an early-season Big North Conference showdown.
BOYS HOOPS
Muskegon 70
TC Central 37
Traverse City Central: Brendan Slack 15 points.
UP NEXT: The Trojans (0-5, 0-1 Big North) travel to Petoskey on Friday.
TC Christian 74
Suttons Bay 46
Traverse City Christian: Reece Broderick 23 points; AJ Wylie 10 points; Hake Wierda 7 points; Charlie Corwin 7 points.
Suttons Bay: Urijah TwoCrow 15 points; Finn Mankowski 9 points; Darius Lopez 9 points.
UP NEXT: The Sabres (4-1) head to Kalkaska on Tuesday. The Norsemen (3-1, 1-0 Northwest) travel to Frankfort on Friday.
Harbor Springs 81(2OT)
Glen Lake 80
Harbor Springs: The Rams hit two buzzer-beaters to force overtime and the second overtime. Braeden Flynn 33 points; Rider Bartel 30 points.
Glen Lake: Jacob Plamondon 25 points, 8 rebounds; Benji Allen 17 points; Michael Houtteman 14 points; Dylan Cundiff 10 points.
UP NEXT: The Rams (2-2, 0-1 Lake Michigan) host Boyne City on Friday. The Lakers (3-2) open their Northwest Conference schedule at Buckley on Friday.
Charlevoix 46
Kingsley 36
Charlevoix: Joe Gaffney 13 points, 2 rebounds, 3 steals; Troy Nickel 8 points, 3 rebounds, 2 steals; Hudson Vollmer 8 points, 7 rebounds, 2 steals.
Kingsley: Eli Graves 17 points, 4 rebounds; Skylar Workman 10 points.
UP NEXT: The Rayders (5-0, 1-0 Lake Michigan) host Grayling on Friday. The Stags (2-1, 1-0 Northwest) welcome Benzie Central on Friday.
Bellaire 52
Gaylord SM 44
Bellaire: Drake Koepke 14 points, 6 rebounds, 2 steals, 1 assist; Dawson Derrer 11 points, 6 rebounds, 1 block; Jayden Hanson 10 points, 6 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block; Kaden Battershell 7 points; Corperryale Somers 6 points.
Gaylord St. Mary: Daniel Jacobsen 21 points; Rylan Matelski 20 points.
UP NEXT: The Eagles (2-0, 2-0 Ski Valley) travel to Central Lake on Thursday. The Snowbirds (4-1, 2-1 Ski Valley) head to Mancelona on Thursday.
Mesick 50
Bear Lake 25
Mesick: Tyler Hall 20 points, 14 rebounds, 4 steals, 4 blocks; Connor Sisson 12 points, 5 steals, 5 rebounds.
UP NEXT: The Bulldogs (2-4, 2-1 West Michigan D) head to Mason County Eastern on Wednesday and then host Walkerville for their Pink Out game Friday. The Lakers (2-1, 1-1 West Michigan D) travel to Pentwater on Wednesday.
Harbor Light 66
Boyne Falls 28
Harbor Light: Landon Jakeway 18 points; Kirk Rose 13 points.
Boyne Falls: Keaton Matelski 17 points.
UP NEXT: The Swordsmen (3-2, 2-1 Northern Lakes) head to Mackinaw City on Friday. The Loggers (0-2, 0-2 Northern Lakes) host Ellsworth on Friday.
Gaylord 72
Hillman 35
UP NEXT: The Blue Devils (1-3, 0-1 Big North) travel to Alpena on Friday.
Joburg 78
Pellston 53
UP NEXT: The Cardinals (1-4, 1-2 Ski Valley) head to Onaway on Thursday.
Onaway 65
Central Lake 27
UP NEXT: The Trojans (1-3, 0-2 Ski Valley) host Bellaire on Thursday.
Muskegon JV 55
TC Central JV 49
Traverse City Central (3-2, 1-0 Big North): Ethan Rademacher 19 points.
GIRLS HOOPS
Northview 36
TC West 32
Traverse City West: Grace Bohrer 7 points; Autumn McSawby 6 points; Emily Kelsey 5 points.
UP NEXT: The Titans (1-2) host Caledonia on Friday.
Buckley 47
GT Academy 18
Buckley: Kayla Milarch 20 points; Maddie Chilson 8 points; Mikayla Kulawiak 7 points.
Grand Traverse Academy: Sadie Brown, 4 points, 6 rebounds, 2 steals; Lillie Tschirhart 4 points; Anna Hoffman 4 points.
UP NEXT: The Bears (2-1, 0-1 Northwest) travel to Manton on Monday. The Mustangs (0-1) host Cadillac Heritage on Friday.
Suttons Bay 40
TC Bulldogs 28
UP NEXT: The Norse (1-2, 0-1 Northwest) welcome Kingsley on Thursday. The Bulldogs (0-1) take on Lake Leelanau St. Mary on Thursday.
Leland 54
Cadi Heritage 16
Leland: Elli Miller 16 points, 6 steals, 5 rebounds; Mallory Lowe 15 points, 8 rebounds, 6 steals; Ella Knudsen 8 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists; Kally Sluiter 8 points, 12 rebounds.
UP NEXT: The Comets (3-0, 2-0 Northwest) host Onekama on Thursday. Heritage (2-1) heads to Grand Traverse Academy on Friday.
Elk Rapids 49
Glen Lake 39
Elk Rapids: Kendall Standfest 20 points, 5 assists, 9 steals, 3 blocks; Morgan Bergquist 11 points, 5 rebounds; Hunter Schellenbarger 8 points, 5 assists; Rhielynn Skrocki 6 points, 4 assists, 3 steals.
UP NEXT: The Elks (3-0) open Lake Michigan Conference action at Traverse City St. Francis on Thursday. The Lakers (2-2, 1-0 Northwest) host Frankfort on Thursday.
Manton 56(OT)
Evart 53
Manton: Aubrey Hiller 21 points, 8 rebounds, 5 steals; Lauren Wilder 12 points, 8 rebounds, 3 steals; Genna Alexander 11 points (hit 3-pointer for force overtime), 7 rebounds; Angela Porter 10 points, 8 rebounds.
UP NEXT: The Rangers (3-0, 2-0 Highland) travel to McBain Northern Michigan Christian on Friday.
Lake City 50
Houghton Lake 24
Lake City: MacKenzie Bisballe 28 points, 6 rebounds, 6 steals; Alie Bisballe 12 points, 8 rebounds, 3 blocks; Baylee Eisenga 4 points, 4 steals, 4 assists.
UP NEXT: The Trojans (1-2, 1-1 Highland) host Pine River on Thursday.
Kingsley 67
Kalkaska 36
Kalkaska: Lucy Hall 16 points; Aubrey Manchester 9 points; Alyssa Colvin 7 points, 8 rebounds.
UP NEXT: The Stags (2-1, 1-0 Northwest) travel to Suttons Bay on Thursday. The Blazers (0-1) welcome Evart on Monday.
Onekama 55
Manistee CC 33
Onekama: Callie Sinke 13 points, 10 rebounds, 5 steals; Delaney McCarthy 9 points, 5 rebounds, 3 blocks; Ava Mauntler 9 points, 7 rebounds, 7 steals, 3 assists; Hailey Hart 7 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals; Heather Zielinski 8 points.
Manistee Catholic Central:
UP NEXT: The Portagers (2-1, 1-0 Northwest) travel to Leland on Thursday. The Sabers (0-3, 0-1 West Michigan D) host Mesick on Thursday.
Brethren 56
Pentwater 21
Brethren: Alice Amstutz 12 points, 9 steals; Stella Estes 10 points, 8 rebounds, 5 blocks, 3 steals, 5 assists; Ell Sexton 8 points, 14 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks; Maddy Biller 9 points, 5 rebounds; Paige Gutowski 9 points, 4 rebounds, 4 steals; Olvia Sexton 5 points, 7 rebounds, 2 steals.
UP NEXT: The Bobcats (2-0, 2-0 West Michigan D) head to Mason County Eastern on Thursday.
East Jordan 31
Pickford 26
East Jordan: June Kirkpatrick 8 points; Grace Nemecek 8 points.
UP NEXT: The Red Devils (3-0) are next scheduled to play at Mancelona on Jan. 3.
Ellsworth 66
Wolverine 26
Ellsworth: Kerri DeYoung 14 points; Isabella Essenberg 13 points; Avery Strange 12 points; Ruby Pletcher 12 points.
UP NEXT: The Lancers (2-1, 2-1 Northern Lakes) travel to Bellaire on Wednesday.
Roscommon 43
McBain NMC 27
UP NEXT: The Comets (0-3, 0-2 Highland) host Manton on Friday.
Benzie Central 45
Lake Leelanau SM 42
UP NEXT: The Huskies (1-2, 0-1 Northwest) welcome Big Rapids on Dec. 20. The Eagles (3-1) travel to Cedarville on Saturday.
Mesick 34
Bear Lake 21
UP NEXT: The Bulldogs (1-2, 1-1 West Michigan D) travel to Manistee Catholic Central on Thursday. The Lakers (0-3, 0-3 West Michigan D) next play at Big Rapids Crossroads on Jan. 5.
Alma 51
Gaylord 47
UP NEXT: The Blue Devils (2-1) open Big North Conference play Thursday at Alpena.
Petoskey 54
Grayling 22
UP NEXT: Petoskey (3-1) hosts Sault Area on Tuesday. The Vikings (1-3) begin their Lake Michigan Conference schedule hosting Charlevoix on Thursday.
Northview JV 48
TC West JV 47
Traverse City West: Abella Gallagher 14 points; Brooke McSawby 13 points.
St. Francis JV 38
Cadillac JV 36
Traverse City St. Francis (2-1, 1-0 Lake Michigan): Addie Peterson 18 points, 11 rebounds, 3 steals; Vivian Bramer 10 points, 6 rebounds, 6 steals; Olivia Padisak 5 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists; Riley Collins 3 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals.
St. Francis frosh 41
Cadillac frosh 28
Traverse City St. Francis (1-0): Lauren Mueller 14 points, 4 rebounds, 2 steals; Helen Biggar 13 points, 5 rebounds, 5 steals; Addie Lesinski 5 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists, 8 steals; Greta Eichberger 4 points, 2 rebounds; Stella Houdek 4 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals.