–The Munising Mustangs Boys play on 1400am GTO Good Time Oldies and WQXO.com with Mike James!
02/24/2015 North Central High School, Munising, MI – The Munising Mustang boys basketball team came into the night with a white-hot record of 15 wins and zero losses, and the North Central Jets had an equally impressive record of 16 wins and zero losses. The game was sure to be filled with exciting action, with both teams having equally impressive records, and each team looked to give the other their first loss, so the night was sure to be filled with electric action. The play started-off with Ben Stasewich winning the tip for the Mustangs, who attempted to move the ball down the court. The Munising Mustangs were unable to convert on the tip-off win, though, when a North Central Jets player intercepted a pass from the Mustangs. The Mustangs implemented their famous full-court press right from the first whistle, which was a key factor for the Mustangs defense in past games. Both teams came into the night with clear plans for the game, and the Munising Mustangs looked to conquer with defense, while the North Central Jets looked to overpower with a very strong offense. Colin Immel made a great in-out-in jump shot to make the score Munising seven and the Jets four with three minutes left in the first quarter.
First Quarter Score:
Munising Mustangs: 7
North Central Jets: 14
The Munising Mustangs started the second quarter with the same intensity that they came into the first quarter with, however, they were fighting a tough North Central Jets defense and a significant point deficit. Ben Stasewich continued his excellent play, when he made a tough lay-up after being fouled by a jets player with just over five minutes left in the half. The Munising Mustangs fought their way back to within two points halfway through the second quarter, when the Mustangs had 14 and the Jets had 16 points. With only two minutes left in the half, Alex Hill made an incredible pass to Alex Cooper, who then made a great jump-shot to even the score. Points were traded back and fourth as the first half came to an end, but neither team was able to obtain an advantage before the halftime buzzer.
Second Quarter Score:
Munising Mustangs: 22
North Central Jets: 22
Halftime was a needed reprieve from the tough play that was the first half. The Munising Mustangs came out of the locker room with renewed vigor, after realizing that they were up against a very tough North Central Jets team. The Mustangs received the in-bounds pass to start, and Garrett Blank was able to drive to the basket and make a strong lay-up for two quick points to open the half. Fouls remained fairly sparse, with none of the North Central Jets players having more than one foul in the first half. The Munising Mustangs came out of the locker room with a very strong six point scoring run in the first two minutes of the quarter to make the score 28-22, in favor of Munising. As the quarter neared its end, Nick Cercone made an excellent play to score a lay-up, during which he was fouled very hard by a North Central Jets player for an extra point attempt on the same play. With 1:25 left in the third quarter, the Munising Mustangs began to pull ahead by a score of 35 to 27.
Third Quarter Score:
Munising Mustangs: 35
North Central Jets: 29
The intense action continued into the fourth and final quarter of play between the Munising Mustangs and the North Central Jets. Neither team was willing to capitulate, which made for a very exciting game for the packed stands. Discipline was an important source of the Mustangs success, thanks to a limited number of fouls, but the North Central Jets, however, began to foul more as the game approached its end. Nick Cercone continued to be a vital factor in the Mustangs success, by drawing multiple fouls and scoring several free-throws. With just over three minutes left in the game, the North Central Jets fought their way back to within three points by a score of 41-38 in favor of Munising. Due to a sketchy call from the referees, Ben Stasewich fouled a Jets player, who made the basket and extra point try to even the score at 41-41 with just two minutes left to play. The controversy continued after the buzzer, thanks to a goal-tending whistle just at the end of the game. As confusion set in (and with a score of 45-43 in favor of the Jets), the referees looked to take control back, when they put 1.3 seconds back onto the clock, and gave the Mustangs the in-bounds pass. However, the buzzer sounded again as the in-bounds pass was in the air, so the Munising Mustangs were unable to even attempt a hail-Mary shot at the end of the game, much to the Mustangs, and their fans, disappointment.
Final Game Score:
Munising Mustangs: 43
North Central Jets: 45
