Rockford Rams 59, Northview Wildcats 37

2012 District Champs - Rockford Rams

Rockford holds Northview's dynamic duo to 14 points in Class A district championship victory
Steve Kaminski | skaminsk@mlive.com, March 09, 2012 10:48 p.m.

Rockford’s boys basketball team eliminated one of the area’s most dangerous dynamic duos Friday night and will now focus on stopping another.

The host Rams defeated Northview 59-37 in Class A district finals action, which means Rockford will advance to Tuesday’s regional semifinals at Grandville, where the Rams will play Hudsonville. The Rams beat Hudsonville twice in OK Red Conference play this season, and they will have to contain the Eagles’ Blake Hibbitts and B.J. VanLoo one more time.

But Rockford (18-5) first had to stop Northview’s Darren Kapustka and Kevin Rich, who averaged a combined 36 points a game this winter. Kapustka and Rich, who teamed up for 58 points in Monday’s win over Greenville, were held to eight and six points, respectively, against the Rams.

“We had to take away Darren and Kevin,” Rockford guard Chad Carlson said. “That was our goal, to take them away, and we did a pretty good job at that. We had to set everyone in the lane, try to compact it so they couldn’t get in there.”

Rockford senior Scott Nikodemski said it helped that he and many of his teammates have played against Kapustka and Rich in youth basketball.

“We have been playing against (Kapustka and Rich) since we were little,” Nikodemski said. “So we know most of their moves.”

Northview (15-8) started strong, going up 9-7 after the first quarter. The two teams were later tied 11-11 when the Rams went on a 10-0 run and eventually took a 21-14 halftime lead. The Wildcats never got closer than five points in the second half. Ryan Rushmann led the Wildcats with 12 points and five rebounds.

“We just couldn’t crack them,” Northview coach Trevor Chalmers said. “They were strong defensively, from start to finish. They took away our best two players. They did a good job the whole 32 minutes. When they can hold Darren and Kevin to 14 points total, that makes it very hard for us to stay in the game, and they were able to do that tonight.

“There weren’t a lot of mismatches for them against Rockford. We were able to expose some other teams throughout the season in terms of matchups. They have a solid five guys to start with, and then they bring in three more solid defenders. When they are on their game defensively, it is tough sledding.”

Carlson sparked the Rams with 14 points, while Nikodemski and Ivy Johnson added nine apiece and Mitch Caywood eight. Rockford dominated the boards, holding a 34-18 edge in rebounding. The Rams limited Northview to nine offensive rebounds. Rockford only committed two second-half turnovers as well.

“It was a total team effort,” Rockford coach Nick Allen said. “They missed some shots, we made a few, and that made it easier.”

Rockford shared the OK Red Conference championship Hudsonville and East Kentwood. Hudsonville advanced after rallying to beat Jenison 54-52 Friday. Hibbitts and VanLoo combined for 40 points.

 

2011-2012 OK-RED STANDINGS
Team
Conference
Overall
Rockford
11
3
22
6
East Kentwood
11
3
18
4
Hudsonville
11
3
17
6
Grand Haven
8
6
14
11
Jenison
6
8
8
15
Muskegon
6
8
11
11
West Ottawa
3
11
8
13
Grandville
0
14
3
18

SCORES from Saturday, March 24
Rockford 42, Saginaw 54
Lansing Sexton 67, Stev-Lakeshore 32

Flint Beecher 74, St. Francis 60
Southfield Christian 76, Climax-Scotts 44