FIRST VICTORY: Big Bay Soars Over Hannahville

HANNAHVILLE---The Big Bay deNoc High School boys basketball team picked up its first win of the season Tuesday night, beating the Hannahville Soaring Eagles, 61-35, in Hannahville. It was the first chance the Black Bears' seven seniors had a chance to celebrate, as they posed for pictures with the final score on the gym scoreboard.

"It's about time," Big Bay Coach Devin Lawrence said. "We've been rebuilding for the last couple of years, and we're in a darn tough conference. It's been a rough season. But finally, to see the smile on their face, it was nice to see."

The Black Bears raced to a 16-2 lead after the first quarter, and led, 28-7, at the half, as Hannahville shot just 3-of-26 from the field in the first 16 minutes.

"That's obviously not going to do it," Hannahville Coach Mark Gauthier said. "But I thought we executed real well on offense, our help defense was great. We were able to create turnovers, and I thought our press made them play fast. But on the offensive end, if you shoot 3-of-26, then that's not gonna cut it, and that's why we were down by 21 at halftime."

Hannahville got a spark in the third quarter, as Dominic Metzger knocked down a triple, and Mason Thunder and Damon Sagataw both scored on baseline drives. Shaye Halfaday had two three-pointers and a lay-up as the Soaring Eagles went on an 11-1 run.

Hannahville closed to within 42-29, but Big Bay put the foot back on the gas in the fourth quarter to pull away, breaking a 13-game losing streak in the process.

Alex LaLonde scored 17 points to lead four Black Bears in double figures.

Travis Johnson scored 15 points, Kellen Thill added 12, and Chris Chaperon chipped in eleven points. The Black Bears will be joining the Soaring Eagles in the Northern Lights League in the 2019-20 season, as enrollment dwindles at the Big Bay de Noc School.

While Big Bay gets ready for the tough Class D district tournaments at the end of the month, Hannahville will not participate in the districts this year, so the Northern Lights Tournament in Rudyard will be their last horrah.

"I think we're really tough," Gauthier said. "If we can do those little things right, shoot a little better, rebound, play the defense that we've been playing. Play fast. Play our press, and execute the way that we want to. The sky's the limit."

Metzger, Thunder, and Halfaday all scored eight points for Hannahville (5-7).

Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box above to see photos, video clips, and hear interviews with Big Bay Coach Devin Lawrence and Hannahville Coach Mark Gauthier.