By Mike Monahan

After an easy 88-49 victory over Grand Rapids Community College Friday in the annual Lake Land women’s basketball Classic, the Lakers had a tougher time Saturday against Muskegon Community College.

Lake Land, the No. 6 team in the nation in NJCAA Division II at 9-1, led by only five at halftime before using a strong second half for the victory, 74-51. 

“The wins were good for us,” said Lake Land coach David Johnson. “We have a big tournament coming up after Christmas and we continued to build on our confidence going into it.”

Neither team led by more than three during the opening 12 minutes.

But the Lakers then outscored the Jayhawks by an 8-1 margin during a 62-second stretch behind a basket by Ali Watson and a 3-pointer by Katelyn Littlejohn. After a free throw by Muskegon, who fell to 5-4, Lexi Niebrugge drained a 3-pointer for a 29-22 advantage. Tayler Barry hit a basket for a 34-25 lead before Muskegon scored the final five points of the half. 

“I give a lot of credit to Muskegon,” said Johnson. “I thought they played hard in the first half. They moved the ball well and got the ball into position to attack us and I thought they did a good job of that.”

Muskegon trailed 46-38 when the Lakers put the game away with an 11-0 run that included back-to-back 3-pointers by Barry and Littlejohn. 

Muskegon (5-4) didn’t get closer than 14 the rest of the way as Lake Land won its fourth straight game. 

Barry came off the bench to lead Lake Land with 17 points, making three three-pointers. 

“I have struggled some games shooting,” said Barry, who was 7-of-11 from the field. “It was a great feeling to come off the bench and hit my first shot. It gives me more confidence. It definitely helped to make my first shot.”

Also scoring in double figures: Lexi Niebrugge with 14, Watson and Littlejohn had 10 points each. 

“We were better at buying into what we were doing in the second half and that certainly helped,” said Johnson. “We did a nice job of moving the ball in the third quarter. We were better with our screening game in the third quarter.”

Muskegon went 2-of-11 during this 7:14 stretch where LLC went ahead by 66-43. 

“They were doing a good job in the first half of switching our hand off action,” said Johnson. “We were not getting much out of it. I thought we were a lot better in the second half with our screen game. We are starting to understand how to move without the ball a little bit better and we made our free throws in the second half (5-5 in the second half after going 2-7 in the first half).”

Lake Land, ranked sixth nationally in 3-point field goals made (10.8), sank 13. They are seventh in 3-point field goal percentage at .365. On Saturday they were 13-of-27 (.481). 

“Our defense in the second half was more of being able to be in better gap help and understanding their roles a little bit better defensively,” said Johnson. “I think that was part of a bigger second half. In the third quarter, I thought we did a much better job of being in the gap and taking away their opportunities which led to some turnovers.”

The Lakers are off until Dec. 28 when they travel to Illinois Central College and play in the eight-team Cougar Holiday Classic, which has six nationally-ranked teams.

Lake Land 88, Grand Rapids College 49

Lake Land got three 3-pointers by Littlejohn. Littejohn came off the bench to help the Lakers to a 22-14 lead after one quarter.

The Lakers outscored the Raider in every quarter leading 41-21 at halftime. 

Lake Land finished with four players in double digits led by Littlejohn with 16, including 4-of-9 from 3-point range, during Friday night’s game. Barry had 14, Niebrugge 12 and Chloe Custis with 10 points. 

Saturday’s game

1234F
Muskegon1613913 –51
Lake Land15192020 –74

MUSKEGON: Kayla Fisk 0 2-2 2, Hayle Zerlaut 3 1-1 9, karleigh Jeffries 5-4-15, Calla Miller 2 0-0 6, Emmerson Goodin 5 4-6 14, Anna Bol 0 0-0 0, Yuna Soma 0 0-2 0, Ashley Richmond 0 0-0 0, Kendall Zoulex 1 2-2 5, Ally Seiber 0 0-0 0, Totals 15 13-19 51

3-point goals: 5-14.357 (Zerlaut 2-6, Jeffries 1-2, Miller 2–3, Zoulex 1-3). Turnovers: 15, Rebounds: 33 (Goodin 7), bench points: 5, shooting percentages: 15-50 (.300).

LAKE LAND: Olivia Niemerg 4 3-3 8, Chloe Custis 3 0-0 6, Ali Watson 4 0-0 10, Lexi Niebrugge 5 0-0 14, Marissa Russo 0 0-0 0, Dori Frederick 0 0-0 0, Katelyn Littljohn 3 1-2- 10, Izzy Hardiek 2 0-0 4, Tayler Barry 7 0-3 17, Alexa Miller 0 1-2 1, Taylor Orris 0 0-0 0, Trinity Wade 0 0-0 0, Kykee Phillips 0 2-2 2, Kyia Haws 1 0-0 2, Avery Fearday 0 0-0 0, Totals 27 7-12 74

3-point goals: 13-27 (.481). (Niebrugge 4-7, Niemerg 1-2, Watson 2-2, Litteljohn 3-9, Barry 3-6, Custis 0-1) Rebounds: 28 (Niemerg 7), Turnovers: 9, Bench points: 36. Shooting percentages 27-56 (.482). 

Friday’s game

1234F
Grand Rapids1471513 –49
Lake Land22191928 –88

GRAND RAPIDS: Grace Lodes 5 2-4 12, Emersyn Koepke 1 1-2 3, Marlene Bussler 1 0-0 3, Sally Merrill 6 3-6 15, Alyssa Keterberg 0 0-0 0, Avery Jirous 1 0-0 2, Marianna Zaragoza 0 0-0 0, Jatriana Wilson 2-0-4, Allison Kellogg 4 2-2 10, Totals 20 8-14 49

3-point goals: 1 (Bussler). Bench points: 16

LAKE LAND: Niemerg 3 0-0 7, Custis 5 0-0 10, Watson 1 0-0 3, Niebrugge 5 0-0 12, Russo 1 1-2 3, Frederick 1 0-0 3, Littlejohn 6 0-0 16, Hardiek 2 0-0 5, Barry 5 3-3 14, Miller 2 3-3 7, Orris 0 0-0 0, Wade 2 0-0 4, Phillips 2 0-0 5, Haws 2 0-0 5, Avery Fearday 0 0-0 0, Totals 35 7-8 88

3-point goals:  11-33 (.333) (Niemerg 1, Niebrugge 2-9, Frederick 1-3, , Custis 0-3, Littlejohn 4-9, Barry 1-3, Philips 1-1, Hardiek 1-2, Watson 1-3). Bench points: 56. Rebounds 38 (Niemerg 10), assists 22 (Niemerg 8), steals: 10 (Littlejohn 2). Turnovers 13, total field goals: 35-69 (.507)

Other scores in Laker Classic:

Muskegon 67, Spoon River 66

Grand Rapids 65, Spoon River 63