Saginaw Heritage set the tone early, leading 19-8 at the end of the first quarter and extending their lead to 44-24 by halftime. The Wildcats struggled to secure rebounds and maintain possession, with several passes intercepted by Saginaw Heritage.

“They apply pressure, and we struggle with dealing with pressure right now,” head coach Evan Neff explained. “I thought there were moments where we looked alright, but that’s a good team, and we just didn’t come in with the right focus.”

Turnovers proved to be a major issue throughout the game, as the Wildcats’ passes often missed their intended targets. Neff highlighted this as an ongoing area of improvement.

“The first five to 10 minutes of our practice every single day, we spend passing the ball, fundamental stuff,” he said. “It’s something that was kind of lacking when I got here, and it’s something we’re still working on. I think we’re going in the right direction, but it is a struggle of ours.”

News Photo by Leslianne Johns Eddie Prue scores the first points of the game for the Wildcats with a three-pointer on Tuesday night against Saginaw Heritage in Alpena.

Saginaw Heritage also capitalized on their opportunities from beyond the arc, making numerous three-pointers, while Alpena struggled to convert their own attempts.

By the end of the third quarter, the Wildcats trailed 66-30. Duthler fouled out in the fourth quarter, further testing the team’s depth.

Although foul trouble hasn’t been a recurring issue this season, Neff emphasized the importance of a “next man up” mentality.

“If one guy goes down, it’s the next guy up,” he said. “That’s all we can think and all we can hope for. I trust the guys that are coming in there. They’ve got to trust in their own abilities.”

Looking ahead, Neff is focusing on fostering more consistency and effort from his players.

News Photo by Leslianne Johns Eddie Prue attempts to shoot the ball in a game against Saginaw Heritage on Tuesday in Alpena. The Wildcats lost 89-35.

“More fight, more competitiveness, and more attention to detail,” he said when asked about the team’s goals moving forward. “Not just listening to our game plan, but executing our game plan. I’m just looking for five guys that will go out there and fight for us. We’ve had it in a couple of games this year, but it just hasn’t been consistent for us.”

The Wildcats will aim to regroup and address these challenges as they prepare for their next matchup at Pickford on Saturday at 3 p.m.