Blazers battle for win over Elks
KALKASKA — The Elks’ boys basketball team headed into Kalkaska on Tuesday, Jan. 22 undefeated in the Lake Michigan Conference with a six-game winning streak, but the Blazers ended both runs with an 88-81 win.
The victory was the third straight for Kalkaska over the Elks, after sweeping its conference rivals last season.
Elk Rapids opened up a five-point lead early off two drives to the hoop from Jacob Sayre. Kalkaska tied the game at 16 with a 10-foot jumper from Nathan Blasko, then tied it again at 19 with a bucket and free throw from Seth Riddle with under a minute left in the first quarter. Preston Ball scored five points in the final 30 seconds for the Elks on a jumper and three free throws after being fouled behind the arc at the buzzer, giving the Elks a 24-19 advantage after one. The Elks began the second quarter with an 8-4 run for a 32-23 lead, their largest of the game. The Blazers countered with 14 unanswered points over the next four minutes, erasing the Elks’ lead and putting the Blazer in front 37-32. Mason Travis finally scored for the Elks with a drive down the lane and the teams went into halftime with the Blazers ahead 41-38.
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