Division 3 – Region 19 semi-final Recaps

<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>HART - CALVIN CHRISTIAN -  NORTHPOINT CHRISTIAN -  PEWAMO-WESTPHALIA</strong></span></p> <p><strong>Northpointe Christian vs. Hart</strong></p> <p>Pewamo-Westphalia boys basketball team took down NorthPointe Christian 53-41 at the Division 3 regional semifinal Tuesday.  The win moves the Pirates to 23-0 on the season and to Thursday’s regional final against Calvin Christian.</p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">OFFENSE WINS GAMES DEFENSE WIN CHAMPIONSHIPS</span></p> <p>Northpoint opened up strong offensively knocking down a pair of 3-pointers and finished well around the hoop to take 14-10 after one quarter. Pewamo-Westphalia junior <span style="color: #ff0000;">Aaron Bearss</span> ignited the Pirates with a couple of big 3-pointers closing the gap at the half with NorthPointe leading 22-21.</p> <p>Defense was the key in the second half as Pewamo-Westphalia came out ready to lock the Mustangs down. The Pirates  6'4 senior <span style="color: #ff0000;">Nathan Wirth</span> and 6'6 senior <span style="color: #ff0000;">Andre Smith</span> controlled the paint while <span style="color: #ff0000;">Collin Trieweiler</span> and  junior <span style="color: #ff0000;">Aaron Bears</span> scored 15 and 10 respectively.</p> <p>NorthPointe Christian's  junior <span style="color: #ff0000;">Sam Vasiu</span> led all scorers with 17 points and 6'3 senior <span style="color: #ff0000;">Grant Baker</span> added 12.</p> <p><strong>Hart v. Calvin Christian</strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">CAN YOU SAY CINDERELLA?</span></p> <p>Calvin Christian is making a playoff run that fairy tales are made of. After an 8-11 record, the Squires won their third straight playoff contest to advance to the regional finals. Hart bowed out of the state tournament on Tuesday falling 58-47 to Calvin Christian in the regional semifinal contest. Calvin Christian is .500 on the season now at 11-11 overall, but the Squires are headed to the regional final after this victory. Juniors <span style="color: #ff0000;">Brock Stevens</span> and <span style="color: #ff0000;">Jack Bristol</span> lead the way for the Squires.</p> <p>Hart finished the season 13-10 but did not go away and clawed back into this contest. They kept things close in the second half. The Pirates trailed 17-8 after one quarter and 34-23 at halftime. They outscored the Squires by eight points in the third quarter, and trailed 45-42 headed into the fourth. But it was too little too late as Calvin Christian secured the win with a 13-5 edge down the stretch.</p> <p>Senior guard Simon Herrera and the rest of the Pirate seniors didn’t want to go out without a fight which was fitting for them, the way they have scrapped and fought and worked their way through obstacles. led the Pirates with 16 points as Alec Kempker had 10.</p> <p><strong>NEXT UP:  REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP</strong><br /> <br /> <strong>CALVIN CHRISTIAN VS PEWAMO-WESTPHALIA</strong>  </p>