Goodrich senior Kirk Elsworth is headed for Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo on a football scholarship.
However, against host Bentley Feb. 1, Elsworth showed the Bulldogs he has plenty of skills on the hardwood.
Behind Elsworth’s team-leading 18 points, the Martians edged the Bulldogs 40-37 in a Genesee Area Conference crossover game. With the win, Goodrich improved to 9-4 on the season, while Bentley fell to 4-9.
Elsworth scored seven of his points in the fourth quarter as Goodrich held off Bentley, outscoring the Bulldogs 13-11 in the fourth to earn the win.
‘He played very smart inside,? Goodrich coach Gary Barns said of Elsworth. ‘He had a steal late in the game that was very big for us.?
The Martians had to come from behind to earn the win, as the Bulldogs held an 18-15 lead at the half. Goodrich struggled with their shooting in the first half, shooting 8-of-27 from the field.
‘They didn’t have to replace the nets after we left last night,? Barns quipped. ‘We didn’t set any nets on fire. I think we forced our shots early in the game. Our offense kind of struggled, but we pulled through.?
Andy Klumpp, who was battling the flu, was an unsung hero for the Martians in the post with six points and seven rebounds, Barns said.
‘He was a true force down there,? Barns said. ‘I was really pleased with his efforts.?
Frank Borst led Bentley with 11 points in the loss.
Against host New Lothrop Jan. 28, the Martians came through in crunch time to earn a 49-40 victory in another GAC crossover game.
Goodrich connected on 9-of-11 free throws (81.8 percent) in the fourth quarter as they pulled away from the Hornets for the win. The Martians held a three-point lead, 34-31, at the end of the third quarter.
Craig VanWagoner went 4-for-4 for the Martians from the charity stripe in the fourth quarter, while Michael Skinner and Elsworth each made a pair of free throws down the stretch.
Van Wagoner led the Martians with 11 points, while Skinner added nine.
At 6-3 in the GAC Red Division, the Martians are very much in the thick of the league race with seven league games left to play.
‘I think it’s still anyone’s race,? Barns said. ‘We’re going to play it one at a time.?