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Late free throws help Ionia boys basketball secure league victory over Lansing Catholic

evan sasiela, ionia sentinel-standard
·3 min read
Ionia senior forward Lance Atkinson dribbles for a breakaway layup during a boys varsity basketball game against Lansing Catholic on Friday, Jan. 27, at Ionia High School. Ionia won the game, 57-43.
Ionia senior forward Lance Atkinson dribbles for a breakaway layup during a boys varsity basketball game against Lansing Catholic on Friday, Jan. 27, at Ionia High School. Ionia won the game, 57-43.

IONIA — Free throws were the Ionia boys basketball team’s best friend Friday night.

Ionia’s final 12 points were all from the free-throw line in a 57-43 CAAC White win over Lansing Catholic.

The win helped the Bulldogs (11-1, 6-0) maintain their one game lead on Charlotte in the White standings.

“Our guys knew coming in that it was a big game,” Ionia coach Scott Swinehart said.” When you’ve got a one-game lead, every game is important. Every league game from this point on, until we play Charlotte, is going to be big.”

After suffering its first loss of the season against CAAC Red leader Mason on Tuesday, Swinehart said his team refocused and went “back to some basics” in the two practices before Friday’s game.

“We have to play better offensively, but that’s not always going to be there,” Swinehart said. “I’m really pleased with our defensive effort. We’ve still got some improvement in that area, but for the most part I was pleased with our effort at that end.”

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Ionia led 3-2 early in the first quarter before scoring the game’s next six points on a pair of free throws from senior forward Lance Atkinson, a jumper from senior forward Miles Gregory and basket from junior forward Max Doty. Ionia led 14-5 after the first quarter.

Ionia junior forward Max Doty drives to the rim against the Lansing Catholic defense during a boys varsity basketball game Friday, Jan. 27, at Ionia High School. Ionia won the game, 57-43.
Ionia junior forward Max Doty drives to the rim against the Lansing Catholic defense during a boys varsity basketball game Friday, Jan. 27, at Ionia High School. Ionia won the game, 57-43.

The Bulldogs led by as many as 10 in the second quarter before Lansing Catholic cut the deficit to four, 25-21, after a 3-point play from Cougars sophomore Drew Tolfree. Ionia scored the final six points of the quarter, capped by a pair of free throws from sophomore guard Spencer Tooker, to take a 31-21 lead into halftime.

“I thought our entire bench gave us a lift and played well,” Swinehart said. “We’ve got a lot of different guys we can play.”

Lansing Catholic outscored Ionia 12-9 in the third quarter to cut the deficit to 40-33 heading into the fourth quarter. The Bulldogs were up 45-37 in the fourth quarter when Lansing Catholic senior Dean Jacobs hit a corner 3 to make it a 45-40 game with roughly three minutes to play.

Ionia senior forward Lance Atkinson (No. 14) and senior forward Miles Gregory celebrate with junior forward Max Doty (No. 24) during a boys varsity basketball game against Lansing Catholic on Friday, Jan. 27, at Ionia High School. Ionia won the game, 57-43.
Ionia senior forward Lance Atkinson (No. 14) and senior forward Miles Gregory celebrate with junior forward Max Doty (No. 24) during a boys varsity basketball game against Lansing Catholic on Friday, Jan. 27, at Ionia High School. Ionia won the game, 57-43.

The Cougars sent Ionia to the foul line and the Bulldogs responded. Junior guard Travis Tucker Jr., senior guard Sam Eppler made two free throws each, while Atkinson and Gregory made four free throws each. Ionia’s final 12 points were courtesy of the free throws — holding the Cougars to just three points down the stretch to seal the victory.

“It was good to see,” Swinehart said. “At the end of games when you’re up, you’ve got to make free throws. It was something we were able to do tonight.”

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Atkinson led the Bulldogs with 16 points and 15 rebounds. Tucker added 11 points. Gregory and Doty scored six points each.

Tolfree led Lansing Catholic with 14 points, while Jacobs and senior Luch Guerrazzi added 12 each.

Ionia defeated Lansing Catholic 52-49 in the first matchup Jan. 16. Swinehart said the Cougars have improved significantly since that contest under first-year head coach Jake Bullock.

“They were a little more of a challenge,” Swinehart said. “They were a little bit harder to guard.”

Lansing Catholic senior Jack Jacobs looks to pass the ball while Ionia sophomore guard Spencer Tooker defends during a boys varsity basketball game Friday, Jan. 27, at Ionia High School. Ionia won the game, 57-43.
Lansing Catholic senior Jack Jacobs looks to pass the ball while Ionia sophomore guard Spencer Tooker defends during a boys varsity basketball game Friday, Jan. 27, at Ionia High School. Ionia won the game, 57-43.

— Contact reporter Evan Sasiela at esasiela@sentinel-standard.com. Follow him on Twitter @SalsaEvan.

This article originally appeared on Ionia Sentinel-Standard: Ionia boys basketball knocks off Lansing Catholic