OTTAWA LAKE – Whiteford beat Blissfield 56-41 Friday and will play for the Advance New Year’s Basketball Bash championship on Saturday afternoon.

Whiteford led early 12-6 but the Royals fought back to forge a 14-14 tie in the second quarter. Six points by Cole Griffith and a triple by Theo Joerin helped Whiteford get back to a 29-20 lead by halftime.

Griffith took over in the third quarter, scoring eight points as the Bobcats surged ahead 46-29. A triple by Joerin put the Bobcats in front 51-31 with 4:32 left in the game, its biggest lead of the night.

Griffith finished with 18 points and Nate Andrews 10 for the Bobcats. Luke Henegar and Joerin scored 8 points eadch and Caden Schroyer added 7 points for the 5-0 Bobcats.

Jefferson beat Ann Arbor Greenhills 63-42 in the first game of the night.

Greenhills will take on Blissfield at 3 p.m. Saturday in the consolation game.

Whiteford will play Jefferson at approximately 4:30 p.m. in the tournament finals.

The weekly Blissfield Advance is the event sponsor.