Salem basketball uses perimeter consistency, defeats Plymouth

(Note: This story has been changed to correct the location of Salem's game against Howell on Jan. 21.) 

Salem boys basketball head coach Bob Brodie wanted to see his team get out of the 40s. Through seven games, the Rocks had only scored more than 50 points in a game twice, scoring 55 points in a five-point loss to Novi their last time out. 

At first, Salem did not seem to be on the path to giving Brodie what he wanted, failing to find a presence inside and passing frantically, trying to find an open look in the perimeter. 

But Charlie Argust found his stroke. 

The Salem junior forward hit six 3-pointers, including four in the first quarter, boosting a Salem (4-4) offense to its first win against a KLAA West opponent this season, beating Plymouth (4-4), 66-55, at home Friday night. 

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“We’ve been struggling on offense a lot at the beginning of the year,” Argust said. “To hit those 3’s and get us started against our rival, it felt really good.: 

Salem will next take on Howell at home on Tuesday, while Plymouth faces Northville on the road. 

Here are three takeaways from Salem’s win against Plymouth: 

Firing from the perimeter 

Brodie knows that he has good 3-point shooters. He said Salem has shown that lately. 

And when the Rocks are firing consistently, it allows the offense to use each part of its game effectively. 

“Tonight, we got hot again from the perimeter and that forces them to come and that opens up our inside game,” Brodie said. 

The Rocks hit 11 3-point makes on 23 attempts against Plymouth, including seven in the first half. The outcome: scoring the most points the Wildcats have allowed all season. 

Argust, who led the team with 22 points, gave Salem momentum offensively with a connection beyond the arc. 

The Rocks scored 11 of the next 13 points, capping off the run with four free-throw makes by senior forward Zach Peters after a foul and a technical by Plymouth’s Jacob Smith. 

“We are labeled as a shooting team, but I think once Charlie started hitting them, we all started hitting them, we gained momentum,” Salem forward Garrett Smith said. “We all just worked together as a team, I think it makes our chemistry better.” 

Defense steps up in paint

While Salem drained 3s, Plymouth was neutralized where it usually attacks most offensively: the paint. 

After scoring 15 first-quarter points, the Wildcats connected on only two field goals in the second, connecting on five-of-eight attempts from the free-throw line. 

Plymouth forward Matt MacLellan connected on 3-of-7 from the field, recording six rebounds and six turnovers. 

“It’s silly for us, right? SIlly with the people we have and the way we have played all year long,” Plymouth head coach Mike Soukup said about Salem taking away the Wildcats’ ability in the paint. “That’s one of the major decisions I was very disappointed in our group about.” 

But that was Salem’s main defensive approach. 

Smith said the Rocks prepared for the WIldcats’ forward by working on getting through screens, forcing an inside presence and getting in front of driving big men. 

“We knew who their scorers were. We know these guys, it’s no secret,” Brodie said. “We tried to defend their post players as well as we could.” 

In an attempt to come back, the Wildcats began to fire from 3. Senior Ethan Bentley hit 5-of-6 attempts from deep and leading Plymouth with 17 points. 

“Talk Is cheap” 

As Salem warmed up for its fifth KLAA West game of the season, the team wore white warm-up shirts with the saying “Talk is cheap” on the back. 

Through seven games, the Rocks have been inconsistent, scoring as many as 92 points against Livonia Churchill to as little as 36 against South Lyon East and Hartland. 

To Soukup, it was as simple as Salem played like it had something to play for. 

“They outcompeted us on every loose ball, every rebound,” Soukup said. “Just played a smarter ballgame than we did tonight.” 

To Brodie, there are steps to be taken in each game. 

But first, he said, it starts with the offense. 

“We said we have to get out of the 40s. We have to get over 50,” Brodie said. “If we break 50, we’re OK.”

Contact reporter Colin Gay at cgay@hometownlife.com or 248-330-6710. Follow him on Twitter @ColinGay17. Send game results and stats to Liv-Sports@hometownlife.com.