News Photo by Leslianne Johns Robert Williams runs the ball up the court to shoot a two-pointer in the first half of Wednesday night’s game. Alpena Community College’s men’s basketball team lost to North Central Michigan College, 57-48.

ALPENA — The Alpena Lumberjacks men’s basketball team faced off against North Central Michigan College in a fast-paced, physical contest that saw the Timberwolves come out on top with a 57-48 victory on Wednesday. The game remained close early on, but a late first-half surge from the Timberwolves proved to be the difference.

Both teams traded baskets in the opening minutes, keeping the score tight. However, as the first half progressed, the Timberwolves found their rhythm, capitalizing on open shots and building a lead. By halftime, North Central led 27-16, fueled by consistent three-point shooting and aggressive defensive play.

“Our offense wasn’t running right,” said Lumberjacks head coach Bobby Allen. “I didn’t put the guys in the right position to get open shots or even make plays defensively. I put that blame on myself.”

Despite struggling to slow down the Timberwolves’ outside shooting, the Lumberjacks stayed competitive. North Central, a team not typically known for its three-point shooting, found success from beyond the arc, which presented challenges for Alpena’s defense.

“They’re really not a good three-point shooting team,” Allen noted. “They just made some threes today. When you’re wide open, I think anybody can make those shots, and my guys just didn’t get there on defense.”

In the second half, Alpena focused on rebounding, with consistent efforts on the boards keeping them within reach. However, North Central countered by preventing the Lumberjacks from securing second-chance opportunities. The physicality of the game increased as both teams racked up fouls, with Alpena committing 10 in the second half while the Timberwolves had six.

Robert Williams stood out for the Lumberjacks, delivering a strong defensive performance and keeping the team energized.

“Oh, Rob is our energizer bunny,” Allen said. “He gets our guys going. He’s a really good defensive player — moves his feet well, uses his chest on bumps. He’s just a really solid defender.”

With 31.7 seconds left in the game, an Alpena player fouled out, further limiting their ability to mount a comeback. The Lumberjacks fought until the final buzzer but ultimately fell short.

Despite the loss, Allen remained positive about his team’s resilience.

“We didn’t give up,” he said. “That’s the one thing I’ll say — we kept playing until the end of the game. That’s a positive I’ll take away from this.”

The Lumberjacks will look to bounce back in their next game as they aim to fine-tune their offensive execution and tighten up their defense.