Big Rapids Ends Historic Season in Class B Semifinals

EAST LANSING – A historic run to the Breslin Center came to an end for the Big Rapids boys basketball team Friday evening at the Breslin Center.

Making the program’s first appearance in a Class B state semifinal, the Cardinals saw their seven-point fourth-quarter lead dwindle in the final minute as Stevensville Lakeshore rallied for a 61-60 win.

Big Rapids led by as much seven (53-46) with 6:12 remaining in regulation following a Jeffrey Davenport layup and held a six-point edge after a 3-pointer from Kenny Davis with 3:57 left.

A pair of makes at the charity stripe by Braden Burke with 51 seconds remaining proved to be the go-ahead points for Stevensville Lakeshore as the Lancers regained the lead for the first time since midway through the third quarter.

"To be quite frank, we had a couple calls and steals that didn’t go our way and they executed down the stretch,” Big Rapids coach Kent Ingles said. “We may have lost our composure a little bit too. I think we were up seven with five to go. We let them get a couple of easy buckets. I think that hurt us."

Demetri Martin led the Cardinals with a game-high 22 points on 7-of-11 from the field, while Davis tallied 15 points from beyond the arc.

Burke paced the Lancers with 16 points and eight rebounds, while Max Gaishin and Gibson Archer posted 15 points apiece.

Stevensville Lakeshore (20-7) will face Detroit Henry Ford (19-6) for the Class B state title Saturday night.

Big Rapids ends its season at 23-3.