The MMCRU boys basketball team saw action twice last week. The Royals controlled their game with Trinity Christian, winning 89-41. MMCRU battled Western Christian, the top ranked team in Class 2A, eventually falling 88-75 to dip to 8-2 on the season. Both games were played on the road at Hull.
The Royals owned each of the four quarters in the win over Trinity. They shot 60 percent (40-of-66) from the field and made 21 steals as the Tigers committed 33 turnovers. Steals leaders were Michael Schmillen and Brandon Dreckman with five apiece. The scoring was spread around as Dreckman had 15 points, Lucas Braun 14, Brayson Mulder 12, Wyatt Alesch 10, Michael Peterson eight, Xander Tentinger, Eli Schlenger and Schmillen with six apiece, Jace Colling and Eli Harpenau four each and Clint Staab and Kamden Bork two apiece.
MMCRU shared the basketball to the tune of 31 assists. The top assist men were Schmillen with six and Colling and Staab with five apiece. As the Royals turned the ball over only nine times, their assists to turnover ratio was a sparkling 3.44. The rebound leaders had three a piece and they were Colling, Peterson, Tentinger, Bork and Schlenger. Tentinger and Josh Peterson each rejected a pair of shots.
Western Christian won each of the quarters over the Royals but the margins were small. Each team shot over 56 percent. The Wolfpack nailed 16 three-point baskets, including nine from Kaden Van Regenmorter, who finished with a game-high 38 points. MMCRU got 18 points from Michael Peterson, 14 from Alesch, 11 from Braun, 10 from Bork, eight from Schlenger, five from Colling, four from Dreckman, three from Tentinger and two from Schmillen. The Royals were 4-of-10 from from deep. Schmillen had five assists, Michael Peterson grabbed five rebounds and Braun came away with three steals and Alesch blocked two shots. MMCRU committed 11 turnovers and the Wolfpack were guilty of 12.