Lakeland Struggles But Holds On to Win

With their stellar defense, the Lakeland Eagles boys basketball team didn’t need to make their free throws.

Then again, that wouldn’t of hurt anything.

Despite shooting 16 for 41 from the line, Lakeland applied heavy pressure all night long en route to a 45-35 victory over rival Milford – ending the Mavericks season – and moving on to face Walled Lake Northern in the next round of the MHSAA Class-A District-26 playoffs.

“The funny thing is we’ve shot free throws at least for 45 minutes every day for two weeks in practice,” Lakeland head coach Bob Brugger said. “I give kids the option, shoot them one handed, shoot them two handed. I don’t care if you shoot them granny style right now. Just make the shot. Is it going to get better over night? No. You can’t let it affect the other parts of your game.”

Lakeland used their superior athleticism to help dictate tempo and ran a press defense for most of the contest. The extra pressure and trapping helped them accumulate 14 steals by six different players, and forced 15 turnovers.

“I think we’re very athletic. We can run, we can jump and we used what we had,” Brugger added. “We were going to come out swinging. You’re either predator or prey. We were going to be the predator. We wanted to dictate all 32 minutes and I think we did that pretty successfully.”

The 10 point margin of victory aside – each team made the same amount of field goals, 12.

During a low scoring first quarter, where Milford held the lead at 6-3 with 3:05 left. Lakeland junior guard Joeseph Rossi helped put the Eagles on top with three consecutive 3-point baskets. Helping his team carry a four point lead going into the second quarter.

“I’m so happy for Joey. He struggled early on,” Brugger said. “He’s done a great job these last seven or eight games knocking down shots.”

However, that lead soon slipped away. Lakeland scored just four points in the second quarter. Senior forward Chuck Sanders had two and Ryan Zukowski added the other two during a transition lay-up following a steal. The Zukowski bucket re-tied the contest, for the third time, at 18 all with 1:12 left.

Zukowksi, a senior forward, helped drive the Lakeland run in the second half and scored 10 of his game high 14 points in the third quarter.

“We knew the press was coming, we’ve prepped for it all week,” Milford head coach Chip Lutz said. “I thought we handled it pretty well. There was a two or three minute stretch in the third quarter where I thought they out hustled us. …We couldn’t hit shots we normally hit. ...It was frustrating. I don’t fault our kids effort.”

Milford scored just two points in the first six and a half minutes of the fourth quarter, ending all hopes of a comeback.

Lakeland attempted 28 of their 41 free throws during the last quarter of action. Milford on the other hand attempted none and shot just seven the entire game.  

In his final game, Milford senior Joseph Miller led his team in scoring with 11 points. The Mavericks shot just 14 for 47 from the floor. 

Lakeland will play Walled Lake Northern on Wednesday at 7 p.m. in a rematch of the Battle for Bogie.