The Wayland boys’ varsity basketball 
team committed five consecutive turnovers down the stretch, sank only one three-point basket all evening and was limited to just one field goal in the fourth period.
But the Wildcats won their big showdown for first place in the O-K Gold Conference Friday night against Ottawa Hills, 53-47.
The triumph left Wayland alone atop the league standings with a 5-0 record and pushed the overall record of the No. 4 team in the latest Class B statewide poll to 10-1.
So how could the Wildcats get away with seemingly fatal mistakes, particularly in the waning moments? Defense.
Ottawa brought a fierce full-court man-to-man pressure defense to Wayland’s floor, and started fast by taking a 14-8 advantage in the first seven minutes of the contest. But the home team then went on a magnificent 14-2 run to take a lead it did not relinquish for the rest of the evening.
Important factors in the early going were a 10-for-11 performance at the free throw line by 6-7 junior center Zack Nieuwkoop and a big lift off the bench from sophomore forward Carter Nyp, who drilled the ‘Cats only three and nailed a short jumper during the 
spurt in the second quarter.
Ottawa was whistled for seven of the first eight fouls called, and by intermission, Wayland had taken a 31-27 lead.
Junior guard-forward Jake Holtz scored twice in the first two minutes of the third quarter on drives to the hoop, but the ‘Cats were still clinging to a slim before Holtz scored on a baseline drive and junior point guard Avery Hudson got a breakaway layup to enable to take the biggest lead of the night at 42-32 with 1:38 left in the third quarter.
But the Wildcats managed only three free throws in the first five and a half minutes of the final stanza. And they were guilty of two errant passes, two traveling calls and a carrying the ball call in the span of about three minutes and were perilously clinging to a 46-43 advantage with only about a minute and a half left in the ballgame.
It was a good thing their zone defense essentially was generally effective in keeping the Bengals at bay.
Nieuwkoop came to the rescue at 1:36 with a pair of free throws. Then Hudson came up with a fluke steal and pass inside to Michael Kelly, who sank a crucial layup off balance with 0:46 showing.
The rest of the scoring was done at the free throw line by Holtz and Hudson.
Nieuwkoop finished with 19 points and Holtz and Hudson both had 11.
Point guard Marques Smalley scored 13 points and Anthony McIntosh had 12 for Ottawa Hills.
PHOTOS: Valerie Andrews (right), widow of former Wayland Athletic Boosters President Tom Andrews accepts flowers in recognition of his posthumous award as 2015 Booster of the Year.
Jake Holtz scored 11 points with drives to the hoop and free throw shooting. (Photo courtesy of Kenny Ritz)
