Bad Axe 48, Cass City 43
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Hatchets Come From Behind to Beat Cass City, Win Sixth Game in a Row
January 31, 2025 /// Bad Axe, Michigan
It was a tale of two halves with the Bad Axe Hatchets erasing a five-point halftime deficit, defeating the Cass City Red Hawks 48-43 on Friday, January 31, 2025. With the win, Bad Axe extends their win-streak to six games and remains tied for first place in the Big Thumb - White division with a big week of basketball ahead of them.
For the second time this season, Cass City led Bad Axe after the first quarter, this time by four points, 17-13. The Red Hawks would extend their lead by another point, outpacing Bad Axe in the second quarter 11-10 to enter halftime with a 28-23 lead on the road. The Hatchets turned up the heat on defense to start the second half, taking the lead just five minutes into the third quarter 32-31, part of a 7-0 run in a matter of three minutes. Bad Axe would hold a one-point lead to enter the fourth quarter, 34-33. The final quarter featured big three-pointers from both sides but it would be another 7-0 Bad Axe run in just two minutes that saw the Hatchets pull away once and for all and leading 46-39 with 3:10 remaining in regulation. Cass City would have one more push left with a Trent Patrick three-pointer and Carson Anthes layup to make it a three-point game with two minutes left, but neither team would score until seven seconds remained and Bad Axe’s Damon Blackstock, crowned Snow Carnival King at halftime, sunk two free throws to make the lead insurmountable for the Red Hawks. Altogether, the game featured four lead changes and three ties.
Michael Janssen came alive in the second half, finishing the night with 17 points, including three makes beyond the arc. Grady Seltz finished with 11 points and Damon Blackstock at seven points. Cass City was paced by Carter Patrick’s 15 points. Three scorers each at seven points, Griffin Weiler, Ryker Wallace and Matt Mellendorf, whose collective points all came in the first half.
Bad Axe now shifts their attention to the Reese Rockets on Wednesday, the only team to defeat the Hatchets in divisional play this season. Head Coach Eric Glaza’s squad then travels to Millington on Friday, a potential divisional championship game to decide the Big Thumb White. Cass City falls to 5-4 in divisional play and 8-7 overall. The Red Hawks have three games next week, at Hemlock and home against USA and Vassar on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, respectively.