Viking men rattle off another road win

It wasn't the start the Glen Oaks Community College men's basketball team was looking for Wednesday at Lake Michigan College, but the Vikings eventually found a groove offensively and cruised to a 79-67 victory. 

The win moved GOCC to 15-9 overall and 6-3 in the Michigan Community College Athletic Association Western Conference. That mark is currently good for second in the conference behind Kalamazoo Valley (20-5, 9-0). 

Glen Oaks failed to convert a field goal until over four minutes into the game. But after trailing 5-1, the Vikings got 3-pointers from Tylan Harris and Shane Handlon, combined with buckets by Lavonta Ash and Darrius Roach, to start getting some momentum. 

A pair of free throws by Jordan Turner, another Roach layup, a floater off the glass by Derek Anderson, two makes at the tripe by Ash and a great assist from Harris to Ash in transition made it a 20-10 lead for the Vikings with 5:40 to go in the first half. 

Anderson extended the lead to 23-10 with a triple following a timeout, and a great entry pass from Daivion Boleware to Ash in transition for a three-point play inflated the cushion to 16 points. 

Ash banged in two more buckets in the paint and Glen Oaks increased the lead to 20 before heading into the locker room with a 35-17 advantage. 

The game was never really in doubt for the majority of the second half until the Red Hawks pieced together a run that cut the deficit to five points at the 3:26 mark. 

An offensive rebound and putback by Boleware stopped the bleeding and Ash would score in the paint a few possessions later for a 71-62 GOCC advantage with under two minutes left. The Vikings moved ahead by double figures again after an Ash defensive board. Harris pushed the ball up the floor and found Ash cutting to the rim for a layup and a 73-62 advantage and the Vikings would hold on for the win. 

Boleware finished with 20 points and 20 rebounds to lead Glen Oaks. Ash registered 19 points and 10 boards, and Jordan Turner reached double figures with 10 points and four rebounds. Along with six points, Harris had a team-best six assists. Roach and Anderson each notched seven points and Tyler Swanwick finished with six.