Big Rapids’ boys basketball team fired out to a 1-2 start this season but with one regular-season game left, the Cardinals are a win away from tying for a share of the Central State Activities Association title.
On Tuesday, Big Rapids slipped past Lakeview 51-48 to improve to 12-3 in the league. The final league game is Friday against Holton. A win would guarantee the Cardinals at least a tie for the Central State Activities Association title.
In the win against Lakeview, Quinn Tyson scored 20 points and had six rebounds while Nick Baldwin had 13 points.
Baldwin had a big day at Chippewa Hills in early February to keep the Cardinals in the race.
The Cardinal junior scored 23 points including 12 in the second quarter, to lead the Cardinals past Chippewa Hills 70-48 in Central State Activities Association action.
Jake Daugherty added 18 points, 11 rebounds and four assists for Big Rapids, which kept pace with Reed City in the league race by staying at two CSAA losses.
Baldwin had a previous high this season of 22 against Central Montcalm.
“Being one of the guards, I felt Dario (Williams) and I had to slow things down.” Baldwin said. “In the first half, we played poor defense. We picked it up in the second half.”
With Big Rapids leading 31-28 at halftime, Baldwin came back with his first 3-pointer of the game and the visitors were up 38-32 at the five-minute mark.
“We got them to take outside shots and were in a 2-3 zone,” said Chippewa Hills coach Mark PeLong. “We hit some threes early on. But the second half, their pressure got to us. We got beat back in transition several times.”
Big Rapids was coming off an emotional win over Morley Stanwood to get into a first-place CSAA tie.
“When he plays under control, he’s a load,” said Ingles.