WARRIORS SEAL THE DEAL ON CLEARY ON SENIOR DAY

ROCHESTER HILLS, Mich. - The Warriors closed out a big game against the Cleary Cougars on Saturday to guarantee a spot in the WHAC Tournament and avoid the play-in round, winning 86-78. Prior to the contest, the Warriors celebrated the careers of Raoual Jackson, George Reshotka, Brett White, and Brody Parker. Three Warriors - White, Parker, and James Fisher - scored over 20 points in the contest.

THE RUNDOWN

FIRST HALF

The Warriors put up a strong showing in the first half, executing well on the offensive end and getting efficient looks at the basket. Helping the Warriors get to a double-digit lead was Gunner Walters, who went 5-5 to start the game en route to 13 points in the first half. Walters used a variety of shot-creating moves to get looks, and his hot start helped create space for the rest of the Warriors, who attacked the paint and scored at the rim. 

White and Parker made big plays throughout the first half, with Parker getting a steal and score to help give the Warrior crowd a bunch of energy midway through the first half. White's rim attacks created six free throw attempts, which the forward went 100% on. RCU headed into halftime up 43-32. 

SECOND HALF

The Cougars had a change in strategy that was highly effective for the visitors, using their bigs to attack the paint and disrupt RCU's zone. To make matters worse for RCU, the Warriors fell cold on the offensive end, struggling to hit shots. Nine minutes into the half, the Cougars tied things up at 53-53. 

Poetically, it was the seniors who made big plays down the stretch for the Warriors, with Parker breaking the ice on a top-of-the-key three from an assist by White to give the Warriors the lead back. After the Cougars answered by taking the lead a few possessions later, White hit a highly contested three on the wing to give the Warriors back the lead. On the next trip down the floor, RCU got another three from Parker in the corner to fall. Ashton Goul kept the running with another wing three to make it three consecutive trips with threes for RCU. 

The Cougars fought back from the RCU run, but another dominant run by RCU came thanks to big plays from Fisher and White. The three-point barrage set up Fisher for several open paint looks, and Fisher stole a pass to secure a fastbreak score and help the Warriors go back up two possessions. White nailed another deep three on the following possession, proving to be the closer as RCU kept a solid lead from that point forward. 

STAT OF THE GAME

White and Parker end their final season in Warrior uniforms etched into the record books - White sits 10th in career scoring and third in career three-point percentage, while Parker finishes fifth in career free-throw percentage and approaches top-ten in single-season scoring. 

UP NEXT

The Warriors begin WHAC Tournament play on Thursday, Feb. 27, traveling to Grand Rapids to take on the third-seeded Cornerstone Golden Eagles. 

Hussein Murray - RCU Athletic Communications

Featured Image: Hannah Mitkus - Hannah Mitkus Photography