SAULT STE. MARIE---The Bay College Norse Men's Basketball Team (14-8) overcame some hot three-point shooting from the Lake Superior State University Lakers JV (0-3) Monday night, pulling away for a 112-76 win at the Bud Cooper Gymnasium.
The Norse had beat the junior Lakers by 99 points earlier this season in Escanaba, but LSSU had three members of its varsity team in the line-up for this one. Two of them, Blake Cassidy and Ben Patrick, both knocked down three-pointer after three-pointer, especially in the first half, as the Lakers stayed within 52-41 at halftime. Cassidy had five triples in the first half, and Patrick had two (plus two long two-point jumpers).
Bay had more than enough offense however, routinely attacking the rim and dominating in the rebounding department. Lamar Grayson (FR, Richfield, MN) and Jaylen Flaniken (FR, Troy, MI) both had eight points in that first half, and Justin Nelson (FR, Iron River, MI) had ten points (including two slam dunks).
In the second half, the Norse started "face-guarding" Cassidy and Patrick, which slowed down their scoring. They both ended up with 22 points for the game.
Norse Head Coach Matt Johnson substituted freely in the second half, and all 14 Norse players on the active roster scored at least two points.
Davin Hill (FR, Hancock, MI) made three triples in the second half, including a very deep one near the volleyball line. He had 11 points. Aloung Kang (SO, Apple Valley, MN) was a beast inside, scoring ten points in the second half alone.
Marcus Harris (SO, Brimley, MI), playing 15 minutes from his hometown of Brimley, scored eight points. Tre Burris (FR, Milwaukee, WI) had nine points.
LSSU got ten points from Jayden Perry but the Lakers, playing just their third game of the season couldn't keep up.
The Norse had five players in double figures in scoring: Joc Overstreet (FR, Appleton, WI), Nelson, and Kang all scored 14 points. Flaniken chipped in 13 points while Hill and Grayson both contributed eleven.
For LSSU, besides Cassidy and Patrick's 22 points apiece, Perry had 12 and Neil O'Brien scored eight before fouling out.
Story and photo courtesy of Jack Hall, RRN Sports