WHITTEMORE-PRESCOTT - Dec. 15, 2006 - Whittemore-Prescott's effort was there Friday, but Oscoda had the finishing touch.

The Owls bounced back from a five-point halftime deficit and finished out the game with a 20-8 final quarter as they came back to defeat the Cardinals, 51-41. It was the Owls' first NEMC victory of the season.

"Once again, it took us half the game to get warmed up," said Oscoda coach Scott Lueck. "We shot 21 percent for the first half and 30 percent for the game."

That 30 percent included a 78 percent performance in the fourth quarter, when the Owls were 7-of-9 from the floor.

The Cards took a 20-15 lead at the half behind 10 points from Austin Swanson, who hit a pair of second-quarter 3-pointers. W-P held onto a narrow lead heading into the final quarter before the Owls hit their stride.

"We were getting good shots, we just weren't making them," Lueck said. "For the game we missed 25 shots inside 10 feet. We talked at halftime about making one extra pass and attacking the basket."

The Owls stayed in the game at the free throw line, hitting 16-of-20 (80 percent). Lueck said the play of Mike Leveille and Mike Lamrock off the bench was a big factor as well.

"Both were very good defensively," he said. "We needed that tonight."

Swanson led W-P (0-3, 0-2 NEMC) with 16 points, with Jeff Pokorny adding eight. Mark Jakubik pulled down 10 rebounds.

Jason Jimenez led Oscoda (3-1, 1-1) with 16 points, with Adam Dettmer and Barak Henderson adding 12 each.