Despite mounting a furious comeback in the fourth quarter, the Goodrich varsity boys basketball team could not get past a determined Montrose squad.
The Rams held on for a 64-60 win against the host Martians Jan. 11 to take command of the GAC Red with a 4-0 record.
Brett Bowers and Kirk Elsworth led the charge early on, with Bowers scoring eight points and Elsworth five in the first period. However, six Montrose players scored in the first to take a 20-16 lead at the end of the period.
Again in the second, the Martians hung close but could not overtake the Rams, who took a 33-28 lead into halftime.
The Goodrich offense went as cold as the Michigan weather has been recently, scoring only six points, which enabled the Rams to build a 45-34 lead heading into the final period.
As they have done several times before, Goodrich’s seniors stepped up to key the Martians? comeback. Bowers scored eight of his team-leading 18 points in the final frame, while Elsworth and Craig VanWagoner each added five points in the fourth.
Bowers? three-pointer with 25 seconds left put the Martians within a point, 60-59. However, Goodrich could not get any further.
David Lenear scored 17 points for Montrose, while Antraz Burton added 13. Elsworth scored 10 points in a losing cause for Goodrich.
Although visiting LakeVille hung around Jan. 7, the Martians held on for a key Genesee Area Conference victory.
Senior Michael Skinner scored 14 points and drilled four three-point shots as the Martians defeated the Falcons 50-42.
Skinner drained a couple three-point shots in the first quarter to help the Martians take an early 12-6 lead at the end of the first quarter.
In the second quarter, it was senior Kirk Elsworth’s turn to step up, as he scored six points in the period. Skinner added five in the second as the Martians took a 27-16 lead at halftime.
Despite being outscored 18-13 in the third quarter, the Falcons could not overtake the Martians, with Goodrich holding a 40-34 lead at the end of the quarter.
In addition to Skinner’s efforts, the Martians also received nine points and six rebounds from Elsworth, with Andy Klumpp adding six rebounds.