Blissfield, LC both fall in state quarterfinals

3/21/2001

KALAMAZOO, Mich. - Chris Niles scored 15 points and Eric Thompson added 12 for Blissfield, but Kalamazoo Christian jumped to a big lead and coasted to a 68-43 win over the Royals last night in a Michigan Class C boys basketball quarterfinal at Western Michigan University.

Blissfield finishes its season with a 17-8 record.

Jim Deters (16), Greg VanderMeer (14) and Brett Wright 10 led the way for Kalamazoo (20-6), which saw 11 players hit the scorebook.

Blissfield trailed 38-21 at the half and were outscored 14-7 in the final quarter.

HARTFORD, Mich. - Seth Borton's basket with about four minutes left pulled Lenawee Christian to within one, but third-ranked Covert (23-3) put the game away with 12 unanswered points in the final minute and a half for a 57-42 victory in a Class D quarterfinal.

All-State player Mike Folkert paced No. 4 Lenawee Christian with 19 points, including five 3-pointers, and Borton added 17.

“Our offensive rebounds were practically nonexistent tonight. That was the difference,'' Lenawee Christian coach Jim Brown said.

The Cougars was outrebounded 31-15.

Cordell Madden scored 17 points to lead Covert, 11 of them in the fourth quarter.