Viking men top Jackson

Taking advantage of the bonus late in the game and winning the free-throw battle throughout Wednesday's home contest against Jackson, the Glen Oaks men's basketball team snapped a five-game losing streak with a 74-69 victory. 

The Vikings outscored the Jets 25-7 at the stripe in the game, including a number of clutch makes with under three minutes to play. Darrius Roach and Tylan Harris attacked the rim and both connected on a pair of free throws leading to a 68-64 advantage with 1:18 remaining. 

Then it was Shane Handlon who calmly knocked down two freebies to extend the lead to six points. Roach finished with two more and Harris iced the game with two more foul shots in the final seconds. 

Glen Oaks (9-6) trailed 22-17 at the 7:56 mark in the first half but regained an advantage after a floater in the lane by Handlon, a spin move to the bucket by Daivion Boleware, another smooth jumper by Handlon and an emphatic 3-pointer by Harris. 

The Vikings turned it up another notch offensively to close out the first half as Lavonta Ash scored on a lay-in off a Harris assist, Boleware got to the rim for two points, Jordan Turner layed one in, Ash produced a three-point play after a putback and Boleware threw it down with authority for a 38-34 lead at the break. 

A Boleware 3-pointer in the second half and his two made free throws early on gave GOCC a nine-point advantage — its biggest of the game. Jackson went on a run and tied things up at 46-46. 

In a critical stretch midway through the second half, Roach drove to the hoop, Harris banged in another triple, Roach connected on two more free throws and Handlon hit a foul shot for a 58-50 lead. It was enough to fend off another Jackson push when the Vikings' lead dwindled to just a point with four minutes left. 

Boleware led all scorers with 21 points to go with 12 rebounds, an assist and one block. Handlon finished with 12 points, seven rebounds and a steal, and both Turner and Roach registered 10 points. Turner also had six boards, an assist and two steals, while Roach had four rebounds, an assist, a block and a steal. 

Harris guided the offense from the point with nine points, six assists, two rebounds and a pair of steals, and Tyler Swanwick added seven points, four boards, an assist and a steal. Ash recorded five points, five rebounds and a block. 

Weather permitting, Glen Oaks is slated to return home Saturday, Jan. 13, against Lansing Community College at 3 p.m.