Local News

Bison Cruise to Win in Regional Opener

(New Buffalo, MI) - The high school boys’ basketball team from New Buffalo opened the regional tournament Monday night with an easy victory.

 

The Bison (22-1) defeated Gobles 85-46 before a good-sized crowd at New Buffalo High School, hosting this year’s regional tournament.

 

The game was pretty much over from the very beginning after Anthony Lijewski nailed two shots from beyond the three-point line and buckets followed from Kaden Parmley and Zack Forker. The Bison took a 29 to 12 lead into the second quarter, then scored the following five points.

 

Gobles cut into the lead slightly but went into halftime, trailing by 23 points after Lijewski nailed two more three-point shots in the final seconds of the period. In the third quarter, there was no let-up from the Bison when the lead grew to 68 to 30 on a three-point bucket from Anthony Anderson.

 

Parmley led all scorers with 25 points. Lijewski finished with 21 points. Forker and Mark Shaw added 14 and 13 points, respectively. Shaw also dished out ten assists.

 

“I’m really excited,” said Head Coach Nate Tripp.

The Bison lost in the first round of the regionals last season but have all five returning starters whose mission is winning the Class D state title this year. New Buffalo is ranked No. 1 in the Michigan High School Athletic Association power rankings.

 

The Bison face No. 30 ranked Tri-Unity Christian from Wyoming for the regional title Wednesday night. Tri-Unity Christian (17-6) defeated Muskegon Heights Monday night 53 to 44.

 

Tripp said both teams could move the ball fast up and down the court, but the game could come down to execution in a ball-control half-court style offense and whoever plays the best defensively.

 

“I have no interest in pressing them and I can guarantee they have no interest in pressing us so it’s going to be just a matter of who’s smart and who’s strong in the half-court,” Tripp said.

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