The tough early season schedule for the Chelsea boys’ basketball team is paying off as the Bulldogs won their sixth straight game with a rout of Pinckney Friday night.

After starting the season at 4-5 with one of the toughest schedules in the state, the Bulldogs have reeled off six straight to improve to 10-5 overall and 5-0 in the SEC White.

The Bulldogs can take control of the SEC White when they host Adrian Tuesday night. Chelsea defeated the Maples in a wild one last week 97-87 to move on top of the SEC White by themselves.

Chelsea traveled to Pinckney Friday night and controlled the game from the start with an 82-46 win over the Pirates.

Jake Stephens got the Bulldogs going quickly with 12 first quarter points, while Joey Cabana scored eight to give Chelsea a 20-11 lead after one.

Pinckney would try to hold around, but Cabana added seven more points in the second and Drew Blanton hit for five to give the Bulldogs a 37-23 lead at the half.

It was the Cabana and Blanton show in the third with both hitting three triples each as the Bulldogs blew the game open with a 28-point third quarter and a 65-39 lead after three.

With the big lead, the Bulldog bench got plenty of action in the fourth as Chelsea cruised to the win.

Cabana finished with seven triples, just one short of the school record set by Stephens last season and led all scorers with 30 points.

Blanton and Stephens added 18 points each for the Bulldog.

Gavin Busch came off the bench and scored six points, while Hayden Long and Sam Borcherding scored three each, and Will McCalla two.

Chelsea used a big 21 points explosion in the fourth quarter to pull away from Tecumseh for a 61-48 win Tuesday night.

The Bulldogs built a 16-12 lead after one behind nine Stephens points in the quarter, but the Indians rebounded to take a 24-22 lead at the break.

A two-on-one fast break basket by McCalla put the Bulldogs up 33-30 in the third and Chelsea clung to a 40-39 lead after three to set up the big finish.

The game was tied at 40 when the Bulldogs got hot and went on a 15-7 run, including a pair of triples by Blanton for a 55-47 lead with two minutes left.

Hayden Long would get a breakaway dunk for the exclamation point as the Bulldogs held on for the win.

Chelsea had four players in double figures with Blanton leading the way with 18.

Stephens finished with 17, Cabana 11, and Long 10. Regan Plank chipped in with three points and McCalla two.

Photos by Mike Willamson