A Dec. 7 basketball summit provided a chance for both Brandon and Goodrich to see where they’re at.
After a close first quarter, the Martians pulled away from visiting Brandon to defeat the Blackhawks 58-38 in the season opener for both teams.
The matchup was a study in contrasts. The Martians, under longtime coach Gary Barns, have eight seniors on their active roster (in addition to injured seniors Wayne Coulman and Kenny Cramb), while the Blackhawks, under first-year coach Tim Donnan, have only one senior, Brandon Olejnik, on their team.
However, the Blackhawks hung tough in the first quarter, as the Martians could only maintain a 10-6 lead after the period.
Goodrich started to pull away in the second quarter, outscoring the Blackhawks 18-11 to take a 28-17 lead at the half.
Barns said the Martians started using their speed to their advantage in the second.
‘I thought we just changed the tempo of the game,? he said. ‘We went into more of a pressing game. They were bigger than we were, but we thought we could outquick them.?
The Martians pulled away from the Blackhawks in the fourth quarter, outscoring them 21-13 during that stretch. Seniors Michael Skinner and Kirk Elsworth helped seal the win, with Skinner scoring nine points in the fourth quarter and Elsworth scoring seven.
‘That’s what they’re supposed to do,? Barns said of his seniors. ‘These guys have great minds for doing what it takes to win basketball games. Skinner’s what I call a basketball junkie. He lives, breathes, and sleeps basketball.?
The Martians also asserted themselves on the boards, pulling down 49 rebounds, and made their free throw opportunities count, connecting on 14-of-18 (77.8 percent) from the free throw line. By contrast, Brandon was 19-of-33 from the charity stripe (57.6 percent)
Donnan said several factors contributed to the Martians pulling away from the Blackhawks, such as the Blackhawks allowing too many second chances to Goodrich, as well as poor shooting from the field (17 percent) by the Blackhawks.
‘I thought they came out and put pressure on us, which we didn’t handle well right away,? he said. ‘I thought we got the shots we wanted, we just weren’t able to connect on them. Goodrich is an experienced team, and they’re well-coached. Coach Barns does a great job with that team.?
Skinner led a balanced Goodrich attack in which 12 Martians scored. He scored 17 points, including nine in the fourth quarter, and led the team in rebounding with seven. Elsworth followed with nine points and four rebounds.
Junior Charlie Richards, senior Ben Wilson, and senior Andy Klumpp pulled down five rebounds each for the Martians.
On the Brandon side, junior Adam Howard scored 11 points, including 6-of-8 from the free throw line, while junior Gary Glasby added eight points.
Despite the loss, Donnan said he was pleased with how hard the Blackhawks competed throughout the game.
‘It was a good game for us to measure where we’re at,? he said. ‘I liked how our team played hard until the end. I like the attitude and resiliency of our team. We’re going to have growing pains. We have a lot of good things to build on. It’s going to take some time, but I think halfway through the season, we’ll put things together and be a tough team to beat.?
Barns said the Blackhawks are going to be a quality team down the line in the Flint Metro League, particularly when Pontiac Central transfer students Donald Carter and Adrian Harges join the team next semester.
‘They’re a big and physical team, and they’re going to stay together,? he said.