On Friday night, the boys JV basketball team began its conference play with a 64-50 win over Lowell. Sophomore Tyler Hudkins led the Rangers scoring 16 points, and his teammate, J Coe, followed with 14 of his own. The Red Arrows of Lowell did a good job hanging with the Rangers in the first half but failed to execute its game plan in the second. 

“Lowell came out strong, and we had some of our own struggles in the first half,” J Coe said. “We were slow but were able to turn it around when we needed to.”

The Rangers trailed 25-21 with few minutes remaining in the second quarter. Head coach Ike Tilden then gathered his team and proceeded to tell the boys to step up the pressure. 

“The team did a great job when we applied pressure in the second quarter,” coach Tilden said. “We were able to forgive turnovers and speed up the pace.”

The pressure applied by Forest Hills Central proved to be a tall task for the Red Arrows to overcome. The quick guard play by Quincy Henry and Mason McDonald gave the Rangers a headstart on most possessions. 

Sophomore Brady Miller made an impact early in the second half and helped to regain the lead for the Rangers. Miller would finish the night, scoring 12 points and assisting his teammates multiple times. 

The Rangers are now 5-1 on the season and will continue its conference play on the road against East Grand Rapids on Tuesday, January 11. East Grand Rapids has given this JV team trouble in the past. The Rangers will have to adjust to the Pioneer’s zone defense and stay strong in the paint to secure rebounds and put-backs.

“East usually will play a little zone against us,” Coe said. “But I think between our zone offense and ability to run the floor, we can beat it.