ALLENDALE – Ethan Alderink continued to get to the basket and the No. 23 Grand Valley State men’s basketball team knocked off No. 10 Northern Michigan 85-80 on Thursday, Jan. 29, at Grand Valley Fieldhouse.
Alderink scored key baskets down the stretch to keep the Wildcats just out of reach.
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Alderink, a Holland native, and Jalen Charity also got to the free-throw line 10 times apiece, each hitting eight. Alderink finished with 23 points and Charity had 20.
Most of the game was a back-and-forth tilt with no team leading by more than four points.
Baskets by Ethan Alderink, David Wilkerson, Shamus Thompson and Trevor Smith Jr. gave the Lakers a 62-57 lead before Jalen Charity nailed a 3 to make it 65-57 with 8 minutes to go.
Alderink got to the basket twice in a row, making two free throws, then scoring a layup over two defenders to push it to 70-66. Jalen Charity followed suit and scored in traffic for a 72-66 lead with 3:37 to go.
GVSU’s Ethan Alderink looks to pass in the Lakers’ home opener on Sunday.
The teams traded 3-pointers and Thompson made a free throw and the Wildcats pulled within 78-76 with less than a minute to go.
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Smith Jr. nailed a 3 as the shot clock expired and it was 81-76.
Again the Wildcats scored and were within a possession with 17 seconds remaining.
But a couple of 3s and free throws later, the Wildcats were within 66-65 with 5:20 to go.
Mason Docks had 13 points for GVSU.
Cal Klesmit led Northern with 17 points.
This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Grand Valley State basketball beat Northern Michigan in ranked battle
