MAPLE CITY — “Down by 30!” the Glen Lake student sections chanted in the fourth quarter.
Lakers head coach Jason Bradford took a quick break from the game to step over to the section and say, “Be nice.”
Glen Lake wasn’t particularly nice, putting up a 57-30 rivalry victory in Thursday’s Northwest Conference boys basketball game at Glen Lake.
Glen Lake’s defense and the frontcourt of 6-foot-6 sophomore Jacob Plamondon and 6-4 senior Dylan Cundiff proved the difference. Frankfort countered with 6-6 Bryce Plesha inside, but he could only guard one at a time.
“We definitely took advantage, especially when they went zone and we could dish it around inside when necessary,” Cundiff said. “Jake had a heck of a game there. It’s an advantage for sure, and on the boards, too, to get put-backs. One of us would take the tall guy, and that leaves one of us to get the boards.”
Glen Lake (11-3, 7-1 Northwest) needed a win to stay within striking distance of first-place Benzie Central (13-2, 9-0 Northwest). The two meet up again Feb. 16 at Benzie. A nine-point home setback against the Huskies remains Glen Lake’s only loss since Dec. 12, a span of nine contests.
Glen Lake had Frankfort more than doubled up before both teams emptied their benches with several minutes remaining. The student section’s “down by 30” chant came after Tyler Bixby’s fastbreak layup put the Lakers up 53-23 with 3:30 left.
Plamondon led the Lakers with 15 points and six rebounds, while Cundiff and Benji Allen each added 10 points. Gage Baker had seven points, and Cooper Bufalini added five points and two assists.
Frankfort surely will remember this game, as the two likely meet again in districts at Glen Lake.
“This is the team we’re looking to beat in districts to win districts,” Cundiff said. “This is a huge step forward. We’re hoping to keep it up.”
A Glen Lake student threw an oversized red rubber chicken on the court after the win. Frankfort point guard Carter Kerby, who was a focus of the Laker defense and ended with two points, picked it up and chucked it across the gym.
Glen Lake won the first season meeting by 10 just under a month ago.
“One thing you control is your defense,” Bradford said. “We focus a lot on that. Take care of business on defense, and hopefully your offense comes from that.”
The Lakers led 12-3 5:12 into the game as that defense limited Frankfort to an Emmerson Farmer 3-pointer. That lead grew to 14 by halftime, 27-13. A 12-0 Glen Lake run ending the third quarter and starting the fourth broke the game wide open.
“When you play GL, you have to be clicking on all cylinders,” Frankfort head coach Dan Loney said. “Tonight, they beat us at all levels. We weren’t locked in from the start. We’ll get things figured out, and we look forward to future matchups.”
Frankfort (10-6, 6-4 Northwest) had won four of its last five. Farmer led the Panthers with 10 points, and Eli Lietaert’s six was the only other player with more than two. The Lakers host Leland next Tuesday, while the Panthers host first-place Benzie Central the same evening.
“This is a tough week,” Bradford said. “It’ll get us ready for tournament play. Buckley was a tough team on Tuesday, then coming here facing (Frankfort) on Thursday, that’s a tough week.”
Benzie snuck past Bradford’s younger brother Nathan’s team Thursday, earning a 50-43 decision to stay atop the league.
The Bradfords face off for the first time as head coaches next Thursday in Onekama.
“He sits in a zone, so we’ll see what happens,” Bradford said. “I have three nephews getting a lot of playing time there, and it’ll be fun.”