TRAVERSE CITY–The Alpena High boys basketball team played well on Thursday, but couldn’t find an extra gear during a 63-49 loss to Traverse City Central.

Alpena (10-10, 2-8 Big North Conference) trailed 20-16 after one quarter and 29-22 at halftime. The Trojans led 48-34, leaving the Wildcats in a hole too big to climb out of.

“We played hard, but couldn’t make key shots or ket stops to get closer,” Alpena coach John Pintar said. “In the third quarter, we were kind of chasing them.”

Cooper Bright led Alpena with 11 points and Kelley Stark added seven.

The Wildcats are off until Monday when they travel back to Traverse City to face the Trojans again in district play.

“We’re excited to have the opportunity to come back and play them again,” Pintar said.

Alpena’s JV team lost 50-37 and was led by Andrew Fisher with 15 points.

Alpena’s freshman team lost 54-35. Nicholas Geister led Alpena with 14 points.

Posen 88, W-P 25

WHITTEMORE–The Posen boys basketball team cranked up the defensive pressure and got plenty of offense to back it up on the way to an 88-25 win over Whittemore-Prescott on Thursday.

Lucas Stone scored a career-high 32 points and added nine rebounds as all nine Posen players who dressed scored in the win.

Posen (16-4) led 28-8 after one quarter and built a 64-17 lead by halftime.

“Defensive pressure (was the key). We know it’s what we have to live by,” Posen coach Chris Keller said. “We’ve been harping it and harping it and harping it and even this late in the season we’re working on it.”

AJ Brunet added 14 points for Posen, Chase Dubie had 13, Wyatt Romel had nine points and Eyan Hincka added eight.

Posen is off until next Wednesday and will face Vanderbilt in a district semifinal in Onaway.

Hale 69, Atlanta 31

HALE–The Hale boys basketball team ended the regular season on a high note with a 69-31 win over Atlanta on Thursday.

Joe Kimmerer had 26 points, 13 rebounds and five assists for the Eagles (16-4) and Keaton Ludwig added nine points and seven rebounds.

Zach Roux led Atlanta (6-13) with 13 points and Aaron Cuzzort added 12.