Middleville Thornapple Kellogg gave the Wayland junior varsity girls’ basketball team quite a tussle Thursday evening before the Wildcats finally pulled away in the fourth quarter to claim a 43-35 victory and improve their overall season record to 11-5.

‘Tonight TK had an excellent game plan and almost tripped us up,” acknowledged coach Coralie Miller. “Many of our kids stepped up big with taking care of the basketball and making key baskets and getting huge rebounds. It was neck-and-neck the whole game.

“It was a great team effort. Everyone contributed in one way or another.”

TK actually led 7-4 after the first quarter before Wayland rallied to take a 19-17 advantage at intermission. The ‘Cats led by just one point going into the final eight minutes.

Taryn Coughlin paced the attack with 15 points and 12 rebounds. Sam Nieuwkoop had 10 points and 6 rebounds, and Miller said six of her points were right at the end to help her team pull ahead.
Alexis Kirschbaum 5 points 3 rebounds. Hannah Rybiski came up with eight rebounds and Sam Shealy chipped in six points three rebounds.

“We have a full team again,” the coach said. “Hannah Sikkema is back from an injury. She is taking it slow and is being eased back into games. Chloe Coughlin has joined our team from the freshman team; she adds depth in the post position.”

However, point guard and playmaker Bethany Teunissen has been lost for the season due to injury.