Rams brace for Holland after win over Jenison

Thursday, December 13, 2001

By Jeff Chaney
The Grand Rapids Press

ROCKFORD -- Derek Douglas and the Rockford boys basketball team made a strong statement to start O-K Red Conference action Tuesday night.

And the timing couldn't have been much better with defending conference champion Holland looming Friday night.

Douglas helped lead the Rams to a convincing 74-41 win over visiting conference rival Jenison Tuesday by scoring a game-high 25 points and grabbing a game-high 11 rebounds. Now Rockford, 2-0 overall and 1-0 in the O-K Red, travels to Holland Friday to take on the Dutch.

"I think this win was an eye-opener," said Douglas, a 6-foot-5, 235-pound senior center. "This was a good win at home, and a good start for conference, but it is only December and the second game of the season."

Rockford coach Steve Majerle was happy afterward.

"I am really pleased in how we played," Majerle said. "I was extremely pleased with our defense. We tried to throw a shutout there in the first quarter, and almost made it, but came up a little short.

"My big worry about this team is its ability to play defense," he added. "And they proved me wrong tonight and they did a very nice job."

The Rams left little doubt early about which team was going to win the game, using a smothering defense and the scoring of Douglas to go up 18-3 eight minutes into the game.

Every Rockford player on the court played strong defensively in the first quarter, contesting nearly every Jenison shot. The Wildcats were able to get onto the scoreboard by connecting on three free throws late in the first quarter.

On the offensive end, Douglas scored 13 of his 25 points by getting deep into the Jenison defense to score on six layups and a free throw. He also grabbed four of his 11 rebounds in the first quarter.

Both teams still had three quarters to play after that, but the damage was done.

"Their intensity was there, but they were also smart," Majerle said of his players. "They were in the right spots."

Jenison coach Dirk Weeldreyer knew his team had its hands full trying to win a conference road game.

"You know it is going to be a tough one when you go on the road," said Weeldreyer, whose team fell to 2-1 overall with the loss, 0-1 in the conference.

Now the Rams will try to beat a Holland team that beat them twice last year.

"This is a pretty big game," Majerle said. "Win or lose isn't going to win or lose the O-K Red, but if we can go to their place and win, I think we'll be in the driver's seat -- there is no question about that."