BRIDGMAN — The Bridgman High School varsity boys basketball team held off Coloma 61-48 in a Feb. 19 contest that saw senior Ethan Stine eclipse 1,000 career points.
Stine’s third basket of the evening (a third straight three-pointer) got him past 1,000 points while also opening up a 13-7 first-period lead for the Bees.
“I was still really focused on the game … It was a cool shot to hit, definitely felt good to get in a rhythm, I hit the first two and I kind of knew that third one was going in,” he said.
Three-pointers from Ty Adams and Stine and Stine’s late regulation hoop left Bridgman on top 20-12 after one period of play.
The Comets came to life in the second quarter as Xavier Pompey knocked down a trio f three-point shots to help Coloma surge on top 28-24. Late first-half scores by Adams and Stine (another “3”) sent the Bees into half-time ahead 29-28.
Bridgman built that lead up to 43-39 heading into the final frame thanks to scores by Stine, Sam Fenech, Brayden Miller and Josh Russell (the last 5 points of the third period).
A pair of early fourth quarter baskets from AJ Moore pulled Coloma within two points of the Bees (45-43), but the home team answered by finishing on a 16-5 run that included 7 points from Fenech and 4 points from both Adams and Miller.
Head coach Jeremy Ackerman said the Bees adjusted their defense at half-time after (24) hit four three-point shots, adding that defense and rebounding lifted Bridgman down the stretch.
Stine finished with a game-high 25 points. Fenech tallied 11 points and Adams added 9 points.
The 16-5 Bees were scheduled to face Cassopolis in a Feb. 25 Division 3 district semifinal game, with the winner advancing to a Feb. 27 final at Niles Brandywine.