Advertisement

Unfortunately, the Elks failed to build on that advantage and eventually dropped a 44-36 double overtime game to the Gladiators in the Lake Michigan Conference.

The Elks started out hot, but quickly cooled down and what had appeared to be a budding Elks blowout settled down into a typical LMC defensive struggle.

Brandon Tully nailed back-to-back baskets to send the Elks out to a 4-0 lead to start the game, and Ian Sliger made it a 10-6 lead at the end of the first when he hit for four points.

Andy Tezak drove down the middle for a layup that extended the Elks' lead to seven points, 14-7 with 4:30 to play in the second.

Sliger buried a 15-foot jumper and the Elks' lead grew to nine points, 16-7. But the Gladiators (10-3, 5-2) finished the quarter with a 5-0 run to slice the Elks' advantage down to just three, 16-13 at the half.

"We knew they could come back," Elk Rapids coach Andy Kenney said. "They did it at our place.

"My guys know they have nothing left to lose, and they played with a lot of heart and a lot of pride."

The Elks trailed, 26-22, after three quarters.

Elks Rapids got down by as many as seven points, 29-22, in the third quarter before Anthony Zakrajsek triggered a 6-0 Elk Rapids run that cut it to one, 29-28.

Dreffs scored on a layup off a pass from Garrett Gribi, and Sam Wittbrodt nailed consecutive jumpers to lift the Elks into a 31-31 tie in regulation and force overtime.

Elk Rapids did not score in the second overtime.

Wittbrodt led the Elks with 7 points and 5 assists. Dreffs finished with 5 points, 3 assists and 2 blocks. Gribi had 4 points and 3 assists, Zakrajsek added 4 points and 6 rebounds, Tully had 6 points and 11 rebounds while Sliger contributed 6 points and 6 rebounds.

"We gave one of the best teams in the area all they could handle," Kenney said. "But, they have a good team.

"Tully has been playing great the last five or six games. He's much more determined. Very proud of him."

Elk Rapids defeated Glen Lake, 58-52, in a non-conference game last Wednesday.

Zakrajsek and Wittbrodt scored 11 points apiece for the Elks. Wittbrodt distributed 4 assists.

Dreffs contributed 5 assists and 3 steals and Sliger added 3 steals. Both scored 8 points as well.

Elk Rapids fell to 5-7 overall and 3-5 in the league with the loss to St. Francis.