IN Brief : Team Breaks 51-Game Loss Streak

SPARTA, Mich. — The Sparta High School boys’ basketball team broke a two-year, 51-game losing streak by defeating the same visiting team that had provided their last victory, and by the same seven-point margin.

The 65-58 win Tuesday was the Spartans’ first since Dec. 16, 1986, when they beat Newaygo High 66-59.

“This is a big relief,” Sparta coach Paul Owens said. “The streak had a lot of pressure in and of itself.”

Newaygo coach Mike Pumford said he had had a premonition that the Spartans would beat the Lions.

“The cards were stacked against us when we came in,” Pumford said. “They’ve been pointing to this game. It was parents’ night. They had the little kids play basketball at halftime.”

“It was in the air. We wanted to call and say we were snowed in,” he said.