Drew Weber (21) puts a soft touch on a short bank shot.
The Belding boys’ and girls’ varsity basketball teams braved the bitter cold and snowy and slippery roads Friday to come to Hopkins to play basketball. Then probably wished they hadn’t.
The Black Knights suffered through a dark and stormy night when both visiting squads were clobbered, the boys 87-39 and the girls 64-23.
It was the first time the Vikings had played in a week, but any thoughts they would be rusty were dispelled quickly. The boys’ team raised their overall season record to 8-3 and the Lady Vikings now are 5-4.
Sophomore Trevor Smith (3) played his finest game yet, scoring 11 points.
The boys’ team in the early going threatened to score 100 points, putting up 28 in the first quarter and 25 in the second to take a 53-19 cushion into the locker room at intermission. They cooled their jets throughout most of the second half and coach Jake Jewett substituted liberally all night long.
“We had a very balanced attack and got out to an early lead due to our pressure defense and sharing the basketball,” Jewett said.
Indeed, the combination of Belding turnovers and superior Hopkins rebounding led the way in the first 16 minutes. About the only numbers the Black Knights had were more turnovers and more fouls.
Colin Weber led all scorers with 16 points, Hunter Lewellyn had 14, Trevor Smith 11, Tyler Zomerlei 9, and Kyle Pierce, Drew Weber and Nathan Tew each chipped in 8.
Levi Syrjala was the only Belding player in double figures, with 11.
Sophomore Paris Corneille (20) gave the Lady Vikings a lift with steals and hustle.
“I was very proud of the way we played team basketball, both offensively and defensively, and kept the energy level up regardless of the score,” Jewett commented.
Hopkins is 3-1 in the O-K Silver Conference, with just Kelloggsville and NorthPointe Christian yet to play.
The Lady Vikings were locked in a tight struggle late in the first quarter, especially when Brianna Stone swished a three to bring the visitors to within one, 10-9. But Hopkins went from there to score the next 23 points unanswered, holding Belding scoreless in the entire second period.
It was too much Kennedy Helderop, plain and simple. The senior point guard opened the second quarter with a nifty pass inside to sister Evangeline for an easy layup, then nailed a three and tossed another pass inside to freshman Lexi Teunissen for a three-point play. Then she hit another three and scored an easy breakaway two points on a steal.
The game essentially was over.
Freshman Lexi Teunissen fights for rebound.
Coach John Robinson enjoyed the luxury of rolling players in and out the rest of the way. His girls, after a tough 1-3 start to the season, now have won four of their last five encounters and are threatening to repeat as O-K Silver Conference champions.
Kennedy was the only player to score in double figures, with points, and she came up with five steals and eight assists besides doing her customary floor general routines. Teunissen, the benefactor of many of Kennedy’s passes, scored nine points. Alley Lenard and Evangeline both added seven.
Weather permitting, the Viking boys will play a makeup Monday at Kelloggsville and the girls will be at home against the Rockets.
COVER PHOTO: Alley Lenard scores two of her seven points while Evangeline Helderop (11) looks to obtain a rebound.
