Clay Boak ,12, of Fowlerville lines up a successful reverse layup over a Lansing Catholic defender during their game Friday January 22, 2016 in Lansing. KEVIN W. FOWLER PHOTO
Chuck Paehn of Lansing Catholic knocks down a jumper over a Fowlerville defender during their game Friday January 22, 2016 in Lansing. KEVIN W. FOWLER PHOTO
The Lansing Catholic student section celebrates a 3-point shot by a Lansing Catholicnboys basketball player during their game with Fowlerville Friday January 22, 2016 in Lansing. KEVIN W. FOWLER PHOTO
Tony Poljan of Lansing Catholic dunks after staeling the ball from a Fowlerville player in the 4th quarter of their game Friday January 22, 2016 in Lansing. KEVIN W. FOWLER PHOTO
The Lansing Catholic boys basketball team proved earlier this season that it could get the job done without standout forward Tony Poljan.
But the addition of the 6-foot-7 senior, who missed the first two games of the season, has taken the Cougars over the top. Poljan scored a team-high 22 points and added 10 rebounds Friday night as Lansing Catholic picked up its sixth consecutive double-digit victory by defeating Fowlerville, 79-65, at home.
“Tony has adjusted really well,” said first-year Lansing Catholic coach Eric Trojanowicz. “We work a lot of things off Tony, and when that double team comes he gets that thing out and finds our shooters. We have people that are cutting off of him, and that makes a big difference. It opens everything up for him.”
The Cougars (8-0, 5-0), who were eliminated by the Gladiators (5-4, 3-2) during last year’s postseason, struggled early against a feisty Fowlerville squad. The Gladiators opened the game on an 8-0 run, and behind eight first-quarter points from senior Sam MacDowell, who finished with a game-high 23 points, they were able to take a 15-10 lead into the second quarter.
But Lansing Catholic picked up the intensity just before the half and ended the game’s first 16 minutes on an 11-2 run. Four different players, including senior Mitchell Burnett, who scored 14 points in the game, tallied on the score sheet for the Cougars during that run.
Poljan, who recently verbally committed to Central Michigan for football, scored 19 of his points in the second half.