T JORDAN - The powerful Charlevoix Red Rayders remain tied with Traverse City St. Francis as co-leaders in the Lake Michigan Conference basketball standings as they kept pace with a dominating 87-45 victory over the East Jordan boys varsity basketball team on Friday, Jan. 19.
Charlevoix (9-1 overall) set the tone of the game early on forging leads of 22-12 after one quarter and 48-29 at the end of the first half. The lead stood at 75-39 going into the final quarter.
"Physically we donÕt match up well with them. Their interior play was good and their defensive pressure was good. They forced us into 23 turnovers,Ó said East Jordan coach Darrin Weber.
Justin Friske, who scored 16 of his game high 23 points in the opening half, led the Charlevoix charge. Austin Wilhelm (16 points), Mitch Crandall (15 points) and Trevor Mays (ten points) added to the offensive barrage.
East Jordan was led by Jeff Keyser with 18 points and Adam Daneff with ten.
East Jordan 61
Boyne City 57
The Red Devils sank 14 of their 15 free throws in the fourth quarter to out last conference rival Boyne City 61-57 on Tuesday, Jan. 16.
Keyser was 11/11 from the line in the stretch run and netted 27 points for the game. Daneff chipped in with 17 points.
Jeff Moore led the Ramblers with 20 points, while Robby Jensen scored 15 points and Dan Remsberg netted nine.
"It was a tight ballgame at the half. We were able to make our free throws in the end,Ó said Weber.
"We got going a bit in the third quarter to take an eight point lead, but then our defense let us down. You have to give them credit because they made the shots, including the free throws, to put the game away,Ó said Boyne City coach John Hertel.
East Jordan (5-5 overall, 3-4 LMC) will travel to Traverse City St. Francis on Friday, Jan. 26, and travel to Glen Lake on Tuesday, Jan. 30.
