Central Lake Falls in District Final Despite Late Rally Against Top-10 Buckley

BELLAIRE, Mich. — Central Lake’s furious fourth-quarter rally came up just short Saturday night, as the Trojans fell 56-49 to state-ranked Buckley in the District Finals at Bellaire High School.

Central Lake surged to a fast start, building a 17-11 lead after the first quarter behind aggressive defense and balanced scoring. The Trojans controlled the early tempo, forcing turnovers and turning them into points in transition to grab the edge on a Buckley team that entered the matchup ranked in the top 10 in Michigan with a 19-4 record.

Buckley responded in the second quarter, tightening its defense and outscoring Central Lake 10-7 to trim the Trojans’ lead to 24-21 at halftime. The momentum shifted after the break, as Buckley put together a decisive third-quarter run, using a 21-7 advantage in the frame to flip the game and build a double-digit lead. Central Lake suddenly found itself trailing by as many as 14 heading into the final stretch.

The Trojans did not fold. Central Lake mounted a strong comeback in the fourth quarter, attacking the basket and creating scoring opportunities while turning up the defensive pressure. Central Lake outscored Buckley 18-14 in the final eight minutes and clawed all the way back to make it 45-44, pulling within a single point and putting pressure squarely on the Bears.

Buckley, however, closed the door at the free-throw line, converting clutch attempts in the final minute to keep Central Lake from completing the comeback. The loss ends Central Lake’s season at 12-9, while Buckley improves to 20-4 and advances to face Gaylord St. Mary’s in the next round.

Maleeya Hibbard led Central Lake with a strong all-around performance, finishing with 16 points, five steals and three assists as she sparked the Trojans on both ends of the floor. Aspen Evans added 13 points and three rebounds, providing key offense during Central Lake’s early surge and late push. Abby Miller delivered a standout effort in the paint with 10 points, seven rebounds, four steals, two assists and two blocks, impacting the game in multiple statistical categories.

Joelyssa Hayden contributed six points, four rebounds and five assists while helping orchestrate the offense and fueling the fourth-quarter rally with her playmaking. Claire Shooks chipped in four points to round out the Central Lake scoring attack. Despite the final result, the Trojans’ performance against a top-10 opponent, highlighted by their resilience and late-game surge, capped a 12-9 season on a competitive and promising note.