MESICK — Just when it looked like Brethren was making a comeback, Aiden Kemmerling got in the way.
The slender 6-foot-6 junior swatted away three Bobcat shots on one possession after Brethren went on a 12-3 run to pull back within seven points of the home Bulldogs.
Kemmerling’s three rejections were followed by grabbing the rebound as well, leading to a Jackson Abraham drive at the other end for a 47-38 lead in what would end up a 70-58 Mesick victory in Thursday’s nonconference boys basketball game at Mesick.
“Aiden has been earning more and more varsity minutes,” Bulldogs head coach Nate Hall said. “He’s showing up in practice a lot more. The boys have been positively encouraging him, and he’s really starting to step into a role. Last year as a sophomore, he was little timid being up there with the varsity kids. But now that he’s had another year under his belt, he’s really starting to step up.”
Abraham led all scorers with 20 points, plus five rebounds and two blocks of his own. Isaah Stroh brewed up a near triple double with 14 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds and Kyle Redman pitched in 14 points, five assists and six rebounds.
Kemmerling added six points — all in the second half — along with a good number of rebounds. Hall said he set a goal of leading the West Michigan D League in blocks.
“He’s a great rim protector,” Hall said. “He’s a lefty, and we’re still working on that inside game. He’s got more of that finesse jump shot versus the inside.”
The win gets Mesick over .500 at 6-5 overall, having won three of its last four. Brethren drops to 1-12.
Brethren led 25-20 on a John Card baseline 3-pointer early in the second quarter.
Mesick went on an 18-0 run after that, sparked by a stifling defense.
“We just came with a game plan of really manning up their best players and then getting out and running as soon as we got the ball back,” Abraham said. “We just kind of shut down their main players.”
Twins Kyle and Ty Redman hit back-to-back 3-pointers in the run.
Brethren pulled within four or five on several occasions in the second half before Mesick turned on the jets and ended the game with a 12-3 run that put the Bulldogs up 14 with two minutes remaining, ending the spurt with a score by Kyle Redman off an assist from Ty Redman.
“The twins are always all over it,” Abraham said. “I don’t think a lot of people expect them to be the players they are, but then they go out and just destroy them. I love that for them.”
Chase Schmidt led Brethren with 14 points, while John Card and Kenyon Brown added 13 each, Anthony Collier 10 and Knox Schmidt-Stoykovich six.
“Jackson had a big game tonight for us,” Hall said. “Not only did he score 20 points, but he was all over the place for us tonight, with good defensive minutes, too.”