Boys Basketball: Skyline falls to West Bloomfield in overtime at EMU
One thing has become clear when it comes to the Skyline boys’ basketball team – these Eagles like to play ball. After going to overtime on Friday against Pioneer, the Eagles went to two overtimes against West Bloomfield on Tuesday but this time came up on the short end on the scoreboard.
Skyline fell 80-71 in two OTs to West Bloomfield at the EMU George Gervin GameAbove Center. Skyline was missing a few starters and key players but still made a game of it – and then some. Only eight varsity players suited up for the game along with JV player Braylan Brown.
“With all of that we had the best first half we could have hoped for,” said Skyline Coach Mike Lovelace. “We played solid half-court defense and converted on offensive rebounds and turnovers.”
With all of that, Skyline led 35-20 at halftime.
Early in the third quarter, Skyline’s Noah Silkworth picked up his fourth foul and West Bloomfield started making triples to cut into the Skyline lead with 24 third-quarter points to Skyline’s 13 points. Skyline held a 48-44 lead going into the fourth quarter.
The Eagles tried to hang on but the half-court defensive effort was tough to produce results against West Bloomfield’s offense. Skyline was down two with 10 seconds left and had the ball on the baseline. The ball was inbounded to Jayden Potts who found a cutting DA Ellerson for a game-tying basket.
Skyline and WB would be tied again at the end of the first OT with each team scoring one basket and WB holding the ball for a minute for the last shot and missed at the buzzer.
In the second overtime, WB started with a tip-off layup and foul to go up three and would end up pulling away for the win after hitting many free throws.
Skyline was led by tremendous efforts from Potts and Sam Koelling. Potts had 24 points, 6 rebounds and 7 assists, 3 steals and 2 blocks. Koelling had 27 points and 9 rebounds. Skyline also had 6 points from Abdo Alqady, 5 points from Pete Roebuck and Ellerson, and two points from Noah Silkworth and Mekhi Bennett-Cole.
Skyline will hope to get back to full strength soon.
Boys Basketball: Skyline knocks off Pioneer in overtime thriller (see WLAA photogallery)
