Tough Second Half Dooms ACC

ALPENA, Mich. – The Alpena Community College men's basketball team dropped its conference opener to visiting Muskegon Community College 80-55 on Friday afternoon at Park Arena.

The Lumberjacks (1-10, 0-1) kept pace with the Jayhawks (7-7, 1-0) through much of the first half, trailing by just one point at halftime, 30-29. However, Muskegon's explosive second-half performance, outscoring ACC 50-26 after the break, proved to be the difference in the conference opener for both teams.

The opening half featured 10 lead changes and excellent back-and-forth action. The Jacks showed resilience throughout, with sophomore guard Kavon Patterson connecting on a jumper to give the Lumberjacks a 31-30 lead early in the second half after trailing 30-29 at intermission.

Freshman forward Oluwatobi Ogunyode provided an early spark for ACC, hitting a three-pointer and demonstrating his ability to score both inside and out. 

The game's momentum shifted decisively in the second half when Muskegon went on an extended run beginning around the 15-minute mark. The Jayhawks hit back-to-back three-pointers during this stretch, and the Jayhawks' defense forced several turnovers that led to easy baskets. What was a one-point game at halftime quickly became a double-digit advantage that the Jacks were unable to overcome.

Kavon Patterson led the ACC with 16 points on 6-of-15 shooting, adding 5 rebounds and 3 steals in 23 minutes. The sophomore guard showed his ability to score from multiple levels, connecting on 2-of-3 from three-point range.

Derian Williams added 13 points and 6 rebounds while playing a team-high 31 minutes. Ogunyode finished with 10 points and 7 rebounds, showcasing his versatility by hitting 2-of-2 from beyond the arc. 

The Lumberjacks (1-10 overall, 0-1 conference) play at Kirtland Community College on Wednesday, Jan. 14 before returning home next Saturday to host Montcalm CC.