State?s longest males basketball win streak ends during Thursday?s Kalamazoo-area hoops actionsPosted by Nordentoft Healy on March 12th, 2021 
Central sophomore Lexi Lee appears to pass the golf ball after getting up the floor on an easy break during Portage Central's home video game against Mattawan at Portage Main SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL in Portage, Michigan on Friday, December 13, 2019.
KALAMAZOO, MI - All good things must come to a finish, and for the Schoolcraft males basketball team, that older saying hit close to home Thursday night, because the Eagles saw their state-best 33-game winning streak ending with a 68-49 residence loss to Benton Harbor.
Kentrell Pullian led all scorers with 25 points, including 21 in the final three quarters, which provided Benton Harbor some life after a sluggish start.
Schoolcraft held a 19-14 lead following the first quarter, but Benton Harbor exploded for 23 points in the second to take a 37-32 advantage into the break.
Benton Harbor?s strain defense made life challenging for Schoolcraft, particularly in the second half, once the Tigers outscored the Eagles 31-17.
?That was the main element to the overall game,? Benton Harbor mentor Corey Sterling stated of his group?s pressure defense. ?Whenever we scouted them against P-W (Pewamo-Westphalia) and a few other teams, they were fighting pressure, so our objective this game was to find yourself in our press soon, as soon as we put some pressure in it, we sped them up a bit, and they got some turnovers, and we received some easy buckets.?
Pewamo Westphalia basketball activity in Grand Rapids, Michigan on Saturday, March 6, 2021.
Both groups entered the contest with lofty rankings within their respective divisions, with Benton Harbor checking out in a No. 4 in Division 2 and Schoolcraft at Zero. 5 in Division 3.
Schoolcraft also boasted the state?s longest winning streak dating back to the 2018-19 regional finals, and the Tigers were excited for the chance to stop the streak.
?They were excited to perform against a group like Schoolcraft, who hadn?t lost a casino game in a couple of years and had a great win streak, therefore to beat them on the court, it will be was a blessing to have a good game like this to prepare for the playoffs,? Sterling mentioned. ?I spoke of (the winning streak) every day in practice this week. I informed them they?re a fantastic team, but I don?t think they had seen a crew like us with our speed.?
Pullian, Benton Harbor?s senior stage guard, helped control the speed and outdueled Schoolcraft rising freshman point guard Shane Rykse, who done with 10 points.
While lost opportunities because of the COVID-19 pandemic include hampered Pullian?s recruitment, Sterling mentioned the senior is one of the top guards in Michigan.
?The last two weeks, he?s ended up on the Mr. Basketball bubble list, and Kentrell is bettering his stock weekly,? Sterling said of Pullian, who added seven rebounds, six assists and two steals against Schoolcraft. ?He?s a ball-hawk on protection, and on offense, he can pretty much can rating at all three levels.
?Kentrell is a college player, but he wasn?t in a position to have a good AAU season due to pandemic, but we?re looking towards getting Kentrell to a good school because he?s one of the top guards in the state.?
Also playing a big purpose for Benton Harbor was 6-foot-5 senior Javaughn Kuykendoll, who finished with 20 tips and five rebounds, despite a tough matchup with Schoolcraft 6-foot-7 forward Bryce VanderWiere, who tallied 10 tips and five boards.
Junior wing Tyler DeGroote obtained 15 points to steer Schoolcraft, which relinquished hawaii?s top rated winning streak to Hanover-Horton, which includes now won 30 consecutive video games.
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The Eagles (12-1) web host Constantine on Friday, while Benton Harbor (11-2) hosts Grand Rapids Ottawa Hills on Saturday.
The marquee matchup at Schoolcraft wasn?t the only real notable finish from Thursday, hence follow along for more ratings, stats and highlights from around Kalamazoo.
Portage Central girls take very first loss in first game again from quarantine
Portage Main was on a roll whenever a couple positive COVID-19 checks sent the team into a 10-day quarantine that has been extended six more times after another positive test emerged.
The Mustangs spent fourteen days from practice before returning on Mon, March 8 to prepare for his or her first game back against St. Joseph on Thursday.
Despite their 4-0 record, the Mustangs looked like a team needing to shake off some rust, because they fell to the Bears 58-41.
St. Joseph?s big 2nd quarter was the distinction in the game, because the Bears scored 22 points in the stanza to have a 30-18 halftime lead, next extended that advantage to 51-31 heading in to the final frame.
Avery Blomgren brought St. Joseph with 14 tips, while Maya Hunter (12 tips), Symone King (11) and Karly Klaer (10) curved out the Bears? double-digit scorers.
Lexi Lee led Portage Central with 11 tips, and Rylee Stephenson added 10.
Portage Central (4-1) will need the court next on Tuesday against rival Portage Northern.
SMAC boys
Kalamazoo Central 76, Battle Creek Central 41
SMAC girls
Kalamazoo Main 77, Stevensville Lakeshore 29
KC: Morasha Wiggins 20 things, 8 rebounds, 7 steals; Alaila Walker 19 factors, 5 assists; Laila Vincent 15 points; Kynnedy Brown 12 tips, 6 steals, 5 assists
LS: Gabrielle Conway 12 points
Mattawan 65, Portage Northern 17
Mattawan: Adelaide Douglass 20 factors, 13 rebounds; Delaney Elsmore 11 points; Meya Vines 8 factors; Olivia Eubank 7 details; McKenna Macon 7 details; Yasmin Pirbhai 6 points
St. Joseph 58, Portage Central 41
SJ: Avery Blomgren 14 items; Maya Hunter 12 things; Symone King 11 factors; Karly Klaer 10 points; Cailynn Junk 7 points
PC: Lexi Lee 11 details; Rylee Stephenson 10 tips; Carly Boughton 6 points
Fight Creek Lakeview 50, Richland Gull Lake 46
Battle Creek Main 43, Kalamazoo Loy Norrix 28
SAC boys
Benton Harbor 68, Schoolcraft 49
BH: Kentrell Pullian 25 details; Javaughn Kuykendoll 20 factors; Trucel Singleton 16 points
Schoolcraft: Tyler DeGroote 15 tips, 4 rebounds; Shane Rykse 10 points; Bryce VanderWiere 10 points, 5 rebounds; Ty Rykse 5 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists
SAC girls
Watervliet 51, Lawton 32
Southwest 10 boys
Bloomingdale 60, Kalamazoo Heritage Christian 46
Southwest 10 girls
Marcellus 36, White Pigeon 27
Marcellus: Rachel Mihills 13 details, 6 rebounds, 2 assists; Allison Daugherty 9 items, 2 assists; Emma Holmes 8 points, 5 rebounds; Gabby Large 6 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals
WP: Lauren Dressler 14 details; Rainie Atherton 11 points
BCS boys
Comstock 57, Vermontville Maple Valley 38
BCS girls
Vermontville Maple Valley 54, Comstock 21
St. Joseph Michigan Lutheran vs. Lawrence
SCAA girls
Climax-Scotts 39, Athens 33
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Kalamazoo Hackett secures present of SAC Valley ladies hoops title with win over Schoolcraft
Top-five shakeup headlines Week 5 Kalamazoo-area girls basketball power rankings
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MLive?s Mr. Basketball see list update for March 10
New top team headlines Week 5 Kalamazoo-area boys basketball rankings
Michigan Associated Press boys basketball state ratings for March 8
Michigan Associated Press young ladies basketball state rankings for March 8
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