Click the thumbnails to see photos and video highlights, and to hear post-game comments from Trey Frye, Kyle Hustrulid, and Coach Matt Johnson. Also click the AUDIO button to hear Mohamed Madey's player spotlight interview.
SIDNEY, Mich.---The season was starting to unravel for the Bay College men's basketball team on Saturday in Lower Michigan. The Norse were on the brink of another loss, trailing the second place Montcalm Centurions by seven points.
A loss would have sent the team into an almost-impossible spot trying to get a home playoff game, putting them firmly in fourth place and down in every tiebreaker.
But then a firey timeout changed everything, one that everyone in the entire gym could easily hear. An angry Norse Coach Matt Johnson slammed his chair to the floor and blasted his guys for their under-performance. What was that time out like for the players? Norse point guard Trey Frye says he felt like he had to step up.
“He said during the timeout that we didn't care,” Frye said. “So, I was just like, I had to let him know, we are mad, too. We care. We want to win. But we just can't let our emotions come out. We've got to calm ourselves down and not lose focus, and keep our heads on straight, because if we we're all throwing chairs around and kicking stuff, it wasn't going to end well for us. We kept our composure and we pulled through.”
They did, winning, 59-48, outscoring Montcalm after that timeout, 23-8.
“I did,” Johnson said. “I jumped on them. I'm sure everyone in the gym hear it, heck everyone listening on the radio probably heard it. I challenged them. I said why am I the only person in this group who cares that we're getting beat up by these guys? Trey looked me square in the eyes and said 'we do care'. He got them going. It was a big step for him leadership-wise. It was a great response by Trey and it was a great response by the group after that."
Frye and William Kelley keyed the game-changing run with tough defense in the trap and press, and even in the half-court defense. The Norse forced four turnovers in a span of a little more than two minutes, and Bay scored baskets at the other end after every one of them. That erased a 40-36 deficit and helped the Norse save their chance for a home playoff game.
And on the offensive end, it was an unlikely hero who turned a four-point lead into a ten-pointg cushion. Kyle Hustrulid, known more for his defense and taking offensive foul charges, stepped up with back-to-back triples to give Bay College a 55-45 lead late in the game.
"For maybe the first two-thirds of the game, I was having one of my worsr performances," Hustrulid said. "I got a little down. Coach was right to bench me. I knew I was struggling. And when I was sitting there, I kept thinking about all of those players that struggle so much and then they step up at the end of the game. I was like, why can't I do that? I knew I needed to step up."
And Hustrulid had to, playing at the "five" position that he's not used to playing at because big men Savion Johnson and Taveon Vann were in foul trouble, and Ziad Abouali was back home in Escanaba suffering from the flu.
"I think that kind of gave me a feel for the game," Hustrulid said. "That really got me back in it. Got some of thoise hustle plays, some of those easy baskets, some of thoe offensive rebounds."
Kelley led the Norse with 13 points by sinking seven free throws down the stretch. Hustrulid had ten points, five rebounds, two assists, and two steals. Emerson Droubie had eight points and a game-high 14 rebounds. Savion Johnson added eleven rebounds despite the foul trouble.
The Centurions were led by Zihan Briggs with 16 points and James Browning added eleven points.
Montcalm (13-10 overall, 6-3 MCCAA) fell into a second place tie with the Norse (17-6 overall, 6-3 MCCAA). Kirtland Community College is now fourth at 5-4 in league play.
The Norse travel to winless Alpena Community College for a game Wednesday night. It will start at 7:30 and it will be broadcast live on FM-106.3 and on-line at the audio link at www.baynorse.com.
