While there’s much left to the season, the basketball teams leave us with little disappointment as they close out 2023 with momentum. Both teams showed improvement and growth both as a team and individually.

The men’s team ended the first half of the season with a 6-6 record and riding a four game win streak. This is night and day compared to last year’s squad who only had two wins to end 2022.

The team started out the season with three tough losses on the road against Vincennes University, Nov. 3, Shawnee Community College, Nov. 4 and Kalamazoo Valley Community College, Nov. 11. 

After an unsteady start the Ocelots regrouped and gained their first victory of the season against Great Lakes Christian, 121- 58, Nov. 16. Kechan Johnson led the starters with 21 points and Mackhi Jackson with 33 points on the reserves list. 

The next four games on the schedule had the Ocelots working on consistency, with the team seeing exchanges between wins and losses. The Mid Michigan College game Nov. 18, was a close loss, 79-72, and the Nov. 21 matchup against Lakeland Community College fell short, 90-73. Jackson led the starters with 19 points and Marshall Thorn with 4 points from the reserves. 

The flip of the calendar to December found the Ocelots back in the win column with a 70-63 win against Grand Rapids Community College, Dec. 2. Lee led the starters with 18 points and 7 points from Johnson on the reserves. 

The win however was short lived as the Ocelots dropped a close game, 65-64 to Hocking College, Dec. 9. 

The game against the Jayhawks of Muskegon Community College Dec. 15 proved to be a pivotal game for the Ocelots confidence. The team was victorious with a landslide win, 72-57. Lee scored 25 points for the starters. Stevens and Te’John McGowan both scored 2 points for the reserves. 

After the Jayhawks win the team found themselves performing on all cylinders and closing out the year with four consecutive wins. 

The Ocelots proudly defeated Alpena Community College, Edison State and Cuyahoga Community College between Dec. 16 and 20.

Lee leads the starters with 165 points and Jackson with 68 points as of Dec. 31. On the reserves Henderson has contributed 39 points followed by Jackson with 33 points.

Trusting the process

Right from the start of the season the Women’s Basketball team has trusted the process laid out by head coach Shay Lewis and her staff and bought into the family mentality with goals in mind.

“As a staff we’re constantly talking to them about what that process looks like and help them to be detailed, specific to reach their goals,” said Lewis. 

The women finished the first half of the season with a record of 8-3. The team jumped off to a fast start to the season with two wins. They beat Kalamazoo Valley Community College (KVCC), 61-25, on Nov. 11 and Nov. 15 the Ocelots won, 70-54 against Illinois Central College. Sharon Smith had 20 points versus KVCC and led all starters while Halle Rogers had 4 points on the reserves. 

The women faced their first setback of the season with a heartbreaking loss against Mid Michigan College, 77-69, Nov. 18. Two difficult quarters created a deficit for the Ocelots that the team couldn’t get back, however a few days later on Nov. 21, the Ocelots would get back into the win column with an epic OT win against Lakeland Community College, 61-53. After the win against Lakeland, the team would go on a four game winning streak from Dec. 2 through Dec. 16 beating Grand Rapids Community College, Spring Arbor University JV, Muskegon Community College and Alpena Community College. The women hit a bump on the road at Edison State, Dec. 19 suffering a four point loss, 58-54. Despite the loss, Kyra Lawrence and Smith both scored 11 points. The reserves were led by Williams who contributed 8 points. 

The team quickly shook off the loss and returned home the next night to play Cuyahoga Community College, Dec. 20. The women won, 66-49 and led three of the four quarters. Smith led the starters with 12 points, while Aliyah Thilavanh led the reserves with 11 points. Right behind her all with 8 points was Sullivan, Cable and Rogers. 

After a week off for the holiday, the Ocelots returned to the hardwood and traveled to Parkland College, Dec. 30. Unfortunately the Ocelots stumbled during the first half and couldn’t get back on track suffering a 68-45 loss closing out 2023. 

As the women head into the new year they have a lot of positives to reflect on. Individual and team performances continue to grow stronger. Coach Lewis feels the same. “Our team works hard and has navigated well through a very tough non-conference strength of schedule,” said Lewis. 

Smith leads the starters with 119 points and Rodriguez with 70. The reserves are just as strong coming off the bench with Overton having 35 points, Williams with 32 points and Cable with 31 points. Lewis knows that no matter what her team will continue to improve and strengthen their skills. Even with all of the successes, she knows what needs to be done for the second half of the season. “We are continuing to work on offensively playing our pace and defensively applying better pressure more consistently.” 

For more information on rosters, stats, and schedules go to www. schoolcraftocelots.com