The Brandon basketball team continues to prove its mettle in the second half of the Flint Metro League season.
The host Blackhawks spotted Linden a 14-8 first quarter lead and came back to defeat the Eagles 51-42. With the win, Brandon is now 5-4 in league play and 6-10 overall.
After falling behind in the first quarter, the Blackhawks reversed their fortunes in the second quarter, outscoring the Eagles 14-8 in that period to tie the game at 22 at the half.
Brandon continued to gain confidence in the third quarter, led by Tom Schaefer, Robert Carpenter and Adam Howard, all of whom scored in double figures for the Blackhawks. Their firepower was enough to give the Blackhawks a 39-32 lead after three periods.
‘I thought coming out in the second half, we did a much better job defensively,? Brandon coach Denny Butcher said. ‘The key was holding (Desi) Mayner (Linden’s leading scorer) down. It was important that we shut him down.?
Schaefer scored 13 points to lead the Blackhawks, while Carpenter and Howard poured in 12 apiece. Mayner led Linden with 13 points.
After a slow league start, the Blackhawks find themselves tied for third in the Flint Metro with a 5-4 record, 1-1/2 games behind first-place Holly.
Although the Blackhawks cannot control their own destiny, they are still in the thick of the league race with games against the league-leading Bronchos and Lapeer West still on tap.
‘We still have an opportunity to show something for the year,? Butcher said. ‘They’re working hard to accomplish their goals.?
The Blackhawks hope to continue their second-half turnaround when they visit Oxford Friday, Feb. 27 for a 7:30 p.m. tipoff.