Wayland was lightning fast out of the gate in its basketball season opener at home against Caledonia Tuesday night, but slowed down considerably afterward to grind out a 61-53 victory.
The Wildcats, smarting from heavy graduation losses from last year’s district champion outfit that finished 19-4, looked ready to take on the world in the first eight minutes. They out rebounded and outran the guest squad to post a 21-9 advantage at the end of the first quarter and threatened to take the contest in a blowout.
The Fighting Scots enjoyed a 15-10 run in the second period to whittle their deficit down to seven points, 31-24, at intermission and crept as close as three points early in the fourth quarter, 49-46, to make Wayland work hard to close the deal.
Wildcat twin towers, 6-9 senior Carter Nyp and 6-8 junior Cory Ainsworth did most of the damage in the early going and Nyp has 10 points at the half while Ainsworth collected six points and a boatload of rebounds.
Nyp and junior forward Jack Donewald hit back-to-back three-pointers to bring the ‘Cats lead back into double figures in the first three minutes of the second half, but Caledonia, behind eight points from 6-4 forward Max Dion, battled back to finish the third period down by only four, 42-38.
Andrew Taylor, a 6-5 forward-center, dropped in two free throws about halfway through the final stanza to narrow the gap to 49-46, its smallest since just after the opening tip. That’s when senior quarterback and point guard Travis Cutler hit Ainsworth with a pass underneath and Donewald tipped in his own miss on the next possession to get a little breathing room at 53-46.
Ainsworth scored inside again, but it was his four consecutive free throws down the stretch that put the Scots away at 59-50 with just a minute showing on the clock.
Nyp, who owns the unusual distinction of being a pretty fair three-point shooter despite his size, led Wayland with 21 points. Ainsworth, in his first varsity start, dropped in 17 and Donewald finished with 12.
Taylor led Caledonia with 17 points.
The Wildcats next play away against Detroit Country Day Tuesday evening, Dec. 19.
COVER PHOTO: (Courtesy of Terry Ellis) Jack Donewald, shown shooting here, scored 12 points in the Wildcats’ season opener.