Rockford Rams 73, Flint Northwestern 59
Rockford has no trouble with Flint Northwestern
By Jane Bos / The Grand Rapids
Press
The Rockford basketball team didn't stray from its trademark stifling defense against visiting Flint Northwestern Edison Saturday night.
But the Rams used a potent offensive attack, too, getting four players in double figures to help upend the Wildcats, 73-59.
The win keeps Rockford, ranked sixth in Class A, perfect on the season at 12-0 overall and extends its regular-season winning streak to 34. The Rams have now won 21-consecutive games at home.
Class C's second-rated team, Northwestern dropped to 8-4.
"Oh, those streaks mean we're doing something right," said sixth-year coach Steve Majerle, who earned his 100th victory at Rockford Saturday. "This is special for the kids. This is something no one can ever take away from them the rest of their lives."
It's also special coming against a talented and tradition-rich team like Northwestern.
The Wildcats, who needed overtime to complete an impressive rally to beat Midland 80-67 Friday, are led by Mr. Basketball candidate Olu Famutimi.
Slowing down Famutimi, along with teammate Eric Price, was the Rams' focus, Majerle said. So he gave point guard Michael Redell the job of guarding the Arkansas-bound, 6-foot-5 Famutimi.
Redell, a 6-foot junior, did something right. Famutimi was held scoreless in the first half, which saw Rockford take a 31-27 lead.
In the third quarter, Famutimi scored six points to help the Wildcats take their first lead, 44-42, since late in the first quarter. Then Rockford got tough and ended the quarter with seven unanswered points to go on top, 49-44.
Northwestern narrowed the score to 53-49 early in the fourth quarter, but never got any closer.
Famutimi wound up with 15 points, more than seven points below his average, and seven rebounds to lead the Wildcats.
"Michael Redell is strong enough, he's smart enough, to guard anybody," Majerle said. "Michael did well on (Famutimi), but it was a total team effort."
Redell did well offensively, too, scoring 26 points, including three 3-pointers. Senior forward R.C. Douglas totaled 16 points and nine rebounds, while senior guard Drew Powell tossed in 15 points. Alex Briggs, a 6-7 senior, added 12 points and eight rebounds.
Majerle couldn't say enough about this two guards, Redell and Powell, after the game.
"Those two are very special," he said. "They can play at both ends of the court. It's very unusual to get two guards that good on offense and defense."
While the Rams were doing some things well Saturday, the Wildcats struggled, according to coach David Bush.
"It was bad. Bad," he said. "We never got on track at all. We just didn't make a lot of shots. (Redell) definitely can control the game. Their shooters take good shots, they're well-coached. They're a good team, but they can be had. In a neutral setting, they can be had.
"Olu didn't get the ball at all. Rockford handled him pretty well. Everytime he got the ball, they would double and triple team him."
Vincent Sawyer added 14 points off the bench for Northwestern.
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