Mount Pleasant 6-1 after beating Garber
It was a struggle, like there was a lid on the rim.
Three-pointers, free-throws, runners, baseline jumpers. Clank.
Mt. Pleasant had one of those nights Tuesday night in a 57-41 victory over Essexville Garber in non-conference action at home.
The Oilers struggled from the field and looked all out of sorts in the first half before turning it on in the second via a 3826 run in the final 16 minutes. The Oilers shot a paltry 30-percent from the floor in the opening three quarters before sealing it late.
“It was a struggle,” said Oiler head coach Dan Schell following the festivities.
“I think that was about as poor offensively as we could play. But, we found a way to win so that’s a good thing. We had some good looks in the first half but we didn’t make any of them, the ball wasn’t going through. Some nights are like that.”
Coming into the game the Oilers sat at 5-1 and were receiving votes in the AP prep rankings in Division 1.
Meanwhile, the Dukes brought in a record of 1-6 and a five-game losing streak.
The math pointed towards an easy Mt. Pleasant win, yet sometimes the math is wrong. After taking a 13-11 lead at the end of one quarter the Oilers pushed it to four at 19-15 going into the half.
From there Mt. Pleasant senior star Drew Pereida took the game over, hitting a 3-pointer on the first possession of the third to push Mt. Pleasant’s lead to 22-15.
Halfway through the third junior Andrew Barbee hit a triple to push the lead to 10 and from there on out the hosts pretty much cruised.
Pereida sparked the Oilers in the second half with seven straight points before Barbee closed the night with a strong fourth.
Despite the lackluster showing the Oilers won by 16, albeit the
game was closer than that for the most part.
“You got to keep shooting even if you miss five or six in a row, you got to take them when you’re open,”
Schell said of the second half.
“Eventually, it’s going to go.”
Pereida led the Oilers with 15 while Barbee had 14. Breandan Newsham led the Dukes with nine.
The Oilers return to action at Grand Blanc on Friday night.