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HomeSportsCrawford SportsVikings hold off Charelvoix 57-54

Vikings hold off Charelvoix 57-54

GRAYLING — Struggling to find their consistency throughout the game the Grayling boys basketball team saw a big early lead wither away in the second quarter, but the Vikings managed to survive and take a 57-54 victory over Charlevoix in a Lake Michigan Conference game on Friday, Jan. 5.

Troy Summers played like he had a big Superman “S” on his chest, scorching the Rayders’ defense for 29 points and turning into a real beast on the boards with 23 rebounds for a double double. He chipped in six steals for good measure.

Providing support, although it didn’t seem like he needed much, was Spencer White. Attacking the basket aggressively and forcing the Rayders’ defense into concerning themselves with a second offensive weapon White finished with 10 points. Justin Nicholas added eight rebounds, three assists and hit some timely free throws in pressure situations.

The Vikings ran out to a 22-3 lead to start the game and appeared on the verge of blowing the Rayders out of the gym. Grayling’s defense gave the offense a major assist by forcing eight turnovers and the Vikings converted those turnovers into transition baskets at the other end in the first eight minutes.

But the game eventually settled down into a more closely contested affair.

“We struggled to cover the perimeter in the second quarter off missed defensive rotations and Charlevoix made us pay,” Grayling coach Rich Moffit said. “We have a lot of games coming up so it’s time to find some rythm and get things going here.

“I thought we competed hard. It was kind of like the movie ‘The Good, The Bad and The Ugly’ (with Clint Eastwood). Our first quarter was probably our best quarter of the year. Then in the third quarter was the ugly part. A lot of turnovers.

“There were a lot of positives but at the same time there’s a lot of work yet to be done. Seems like we’re always a step off from interceptions and that on defense in our press. Defensively we’ve got work to do on the boards. Our primary concern offensively is turnovers.”

Grayling built a 22-6 lead at the end of the first quarter but then was outscored by the Rayders in the second 15-10 but still led by nine 32-21 at the half. Charlevoix had a 12-11 edge in the third but the Vikings actually increased their lead to 43-33 entering the fourth. Grayling was outscored again in the final eight minutes 21-14 but managed to hang on.

The Vikings improved to 2-2 overall and 1-1 in the LMC.

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