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E-TC’s Jake Witt tallies 40 points, 13 rebounds in 73-35 win over Hancock

Ewen-Trout Creek center Jake Witt goes up a shot during Thursday night's game against Hancock. Witt scored 40 points in his team's win over the Bulldogs. (Paul Peterson photo)

HANCOCK — Those spectators attending Thursday night’s boys non-league basketball game between Ewen-Trout Creek and Hancock got a quick look at Panthers’ star center Jake Witt.

Witt, a Michigan Tech signee, needed just the first four minutes of the meeting to showcase his considerable skills.

In that span, the 6-foot-7 Witt tallied eight points, dunked twice and blocked a pair of shots as his team grabbed a 12-0 lead.

“We did our best to try to limit Witt’s touches around the basket, and he still got 40 points,” Hancock skipper Matt Strong said after his team’s 73-35 defeat. “But they (Panthers) did a real nice job of moving the ball around and taking our defense out of position to double on him.”

E-TC coach Brad Besonen was pleased with the way his team played.

“With Jake (Witt) out there, we know that we’re going to see a lot of different defensive looks,” Besonen noted. “But I thought the kids did a nice job of moving the ball around. I don’t think we’ve ever had a good start here (in Hancock), but we played well at the start tonight.”

The Panthers grabbed a 23-9 lead after one quarter and pumped that up to 37-16 by halftime.

Senior guard Joe Watson of the Bulldogs tried to keep his team somewhat close, but the overall depth of the invaders was too much to overcome.

“He (Watson) was tough to get in front of,” Besonen said. “He was able to break us down a little bit, but we figured it out as the game went on.”

The second half was little better for the six-member Bulldogs.

“We’re short on the bench, no doubt about that,” Strong said. “But I do believe we’ve got some potential and will improve. I told the kids that after the game.”

Witt added 13 rebounds and four blocks to go with his 40 points. Jaden Borseth, a promising eighth-grader, added nine points and nine rebounds.

Watson led the Crimson and Gold with 17 points and four steals in a solid showing that drew the praise of his coach.

“The strong thing about Joe (Watson) is his quickness,” Strong pointed out. “He’s as fast as any player around here.”

Devin Raasio was next in scoring for Hancock with 13 points. He also had eight rebounds.

E-TC (2-0) will travel to Calumet on Monday.

Hancock (0-2) goes to Lake Linden-Hubbell on the same evening.

– – –

Ewen-TC 23 14 14 22 – 73

Hancock 9 7 9 10 – 35

EWEN-TC — Cousineau 4, J. Borseth 9, Witt 40, C. Borseth 4, Driesenga 5, N. Nordine 3, E. Nordine 3, Brand 5. FT: 11-17; Rebounds: 37 (Witt 13); Fouls: 9; Fouled out: None.

HANCOCK — Raasio 13, Anderson 2, Bal 2, Watson 17. FT: 5-9; Rebounds: 21 (Raasio 8); Fouls: 18; Fouled out: None.

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