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EGR - Rockford is a top 5 team in Class A and East Grand Rapids is equally regarded in Class B. Both have future Division I players, good coaches and athletic depth. With teams that similar, it came down to margins of error like free throws, role players and injuries Friday in both teams' season opener. Those factors favored Rockford, which beat the home team in overtime 76-72. The previously unknown Matthew Karamol was the MVP for Rockford, with 24 points -- including six straight to tie it 63-63 in the fourth quarter -- and nine rebounds. Just as important as the numbers, he made Colin Voss, EGR's 6-8 senior all-stater, work on both ends of the floor. Karamol stuck clutch 17-footers, was tough going to the basket and made hustle plays in the full court. If Karamol is this good all the time, he should be a top recruit for MIAA and WHAC schools.
That Rockford could impede Voss at all is something of a miracle. Just two seasons removed from EGR's state championship football run (like the majority of the hoops roster), he played an aggressive and fluid game. The Central Michigan signee had 29 points on 11-of-19 shooting with 10 rebounds, four blocked shots (on half of those he ended up with the ball himself ) and two assists. That last state could've had twice as many. The only "big man" who passes as well as Voss is Flint Powers' Patrick O'Brien, and he's 6-3. One of those non assists, when Voss whipped a no-look from the left block to the right wing, looked like it was looped off an Arvydas Sabonis Youtube celebration (only J.R. Rider would've sunk the 3). Voss has the potential to go Ben Wallace on the glass, but Rockford's team rebounding was good between Karamol and 6-3 senior Jacob Greene who had 10 boards. Greene is a good athlete and can see some big scoring games for him if he finishes at a higher rate than he did here. 6-3 junior Ryan Majerle had 22 for Rockford. He hit two of those patented three-pointers in the first half, than showed some toughness and craftiness creating points in the second half. He did it mostly from the line finishing 12-of-13. If only East Grand Rapids could convert at that rate, but it fell apart at the line in the fourth quarter and OT. That's when the Pioneers really missed senior point guard A.J. McEwen, out until after Christmas with a football foot injury. EGR threw some panicked passes against Rockford's pressure. Ideally, come winning time, no one should see the ball but Voss and McEwen. Good as are Majerle and Voss, the most naturally talented player in the gym was 6-1 Rockford sophomore Justin Klein. He only had one bucket after the break, but it was major league. In overtime, Klein's defender dissolved after a reverse-pivot spin, after which he his second step was too quick for the next defender and he double-cluthed a float off the glass. Amongst his 10 points were that and an alley-oop dunk. It was Klein's first varsity game, and it looked like he's been there all along. East Grand Rapids' most promising underclassman was 6-4 sophomore Austin Howell. He has a real wingspan and good hands. Howell had back-to-back buckets in the second half, including an adept high-low pass from Voss. |
