By Bill Bray
TOLEDO – The Fremont Ross Little Giants got back to their winning ways to the extreme as they defeated Toledo Waite 86-48.
The outmanned Waite Indians, though starting the first quarter even, soon felt the Giants wrath as they poured in 27 points. It was the play of Jaedyn Bulger, Ayden Carter, Kurt Harrison, and Kaden Holmes that helped the Giants accumulate those points during the quarter. With the 27-16 first quarter in the books, the rest of the contest was smooth sailing for the Giants.
With a 21-5 second quarter, the Giants went to the break up 48-21. Carter helped the avalanche of the quarter’s points exploding for 12 points during the stanza.
Ross hit the cruise control button the second half, as coach John Cahill emptied the bench as his subs outscored Waite 10-6 in the final quarter for the 38-point margin of victory.
Coach Cahill added his comments after the lopsided win. “I feel like we have been playing pretty well, just not getting results lately against good teams so with this opportunity we were going to take Waite seriously and play hard and try to play well. We didn’t start off particularly well, but once we got going, we played pretty good basketball.” With tournament time looming Cahill is still trying to find the combination of players that will give the Giants their best basketball. “We are really getting to a crossroads when you get to mid-January with the tournament not far away and you are really trying to start playing your best ball and I think of the Whitmer game where we had opportunities and the Sandusky game, the same thing. So, we aren’t far away but I think we just keep grinding and working and I do believe this team is destined to do some special things.”
When the fourth quarter started and with a 76-42 lead, Cahill emptied his bench. “I liked our bench. I thought they had great energy tonight,” Cahill said. “We had 12 of our 13 guys score tonight. They were excited for one another for sure. I think of Jaedyn Bulger right now. He has been starting all year and he didn’t do anything wrong, but we just need that sixth man off the bench. So, we kind of have this bench parade now with Jaedyn, Bryson (Hammer) who is probably our best defender, then Kurt (Harrison) who is different than what we have because he is a true five. I feel like all three of those guys gave us great energy tonight, so we have an eight-man rotation with Adam Hrynciw in there at the end coming in there for a ninth man. But I thought Jayden was really good again tonight.”
Statistically the Little Giants had four players in double figures for the contest. Carter led all scorers with 22 points and added seven rebounds. Bulger, Harrison, and Holmes each collected 14 points. Along with Bulger’s 14 points came six rebounds and five assists.
Next up for the Giants will be a home game Friday against TRAC foe Oregon Clay. Meeting for the first go around in early December the Giants took care of the Eagles on their home court with a score of 61-50. “Now we’ll get back to work for Clay on Friday. It’s a big game for us because we just want to keep getting better and keep trying to improve.”
Junior Ayden Carter (22) matched his jersey # with 22 points in the Giants’ win
Senior Kurt Harrison (30) finished the night as one of three Ross players contributing with 14 points.
Junior Kaden Holmes (55) goes up for two of his 14 points in the non-league win.