FRUITPORT – Andrew Spyke, like all the seniors on the Fruitport basketball team, has paid his dues and earned his chance to be part of a winner.

Spyke broke into varsity as a sophomore, when the Trojans struggled to a 1-16 record, then he and his teammates worked hard to start a turnaround by posting seven wins last year.

That was progress, but there were still a lot of losses.

The good news is that the Trojans’ patience and perseverance is paying off this season. They are 10-5 and in the midst of their second four-game winning streak of the season.

Fruitport is also very much in the O-K Blue conference championship race with a 6-3 mark. They are tied with Spring Lake for third place, two games behind first-place Hamilton and one behind second-place Coopersville.

The Trojans will host Coopersville in a key matchup on Friday night. It will be “Trojan Strong Night,” when the team will play in honor of Ken Erny, the school’s former athletic director, and raise money for a scholarship that’s been established in his name.

According to Spyke, suffering through the bad times of the past has made the good times even more enjoyable this year.

“It’s an incredible difference,” said Spyke, a 6-foot-5 post player. “This year we’ve really turned it around. It’s so much more fun when we go into every game knowing we can win it, that we can really compete with every team. We’ve really picked it up and put in the work.”

Fruitport Coach Steve Erny said Spyke and fellow seniors Bode Anspach, Collin Jolman and Paschal Jolman deserve a ton of credit for hanging in there over the past few years and pushing the team to success.

“For those guys to take their lumps as sophomores, get a little bit better last year, then hit their high point this year, is a testament to their perseverance and grit,” the coach said.

Spyke has played a big role in the Trojans’ recent hot streak, particularly when games have been on the line.

For the entire season he’s averaging eight points and six rebounds per game. During the four-game win streak he’s averaging 11 points and 8 rebounds per game.

On Jan. 27, he scored eight of his 10 points in the fourth quarter to help Fruitport overcome a late nine-point deficit and beat Hudsonville Unity Christian 51-47.

On Feb. 4 he led the Trojans with 17 points and snagged eight rebounds in a 59-46 victory over Holland Christian.

On Tuesday Spyke had eight points and seven rebounds, but his biggest contribution came in the fourth quarter, when he was 4-for-4 from the free throw line. Those crucial points helped Fruitport hang on for an eventual 61-53 victory over Allendale in overtime.

That last performance was particularly pleasing for Spyke, who admits that free throws have never been his strength.

“My free throws this year have been very bad,” he said. “I think I was probably shooting around 50 percent. We had a game where I was 0-for-6 from the line, and I really heard it from the other team’s student section. The past few games I’ve been making them and that’s a big improvement.”

Coach Erny said Spyke has been having a great run in the final few weeks of his varsity career.

“I would say in the last four games he’s been a huge piece of the puzzle for sure,” the coach said. “It’s been a continual process of growth and development for him. He loves the game and enjoys working at it. He’s the kind of kid you root for because he’s put a lot of time in.”

Overall, Spyke and 6-foot-7 sophomore Ryan Bosch, his partner in the post, have improved their play over the course of the season. The two big guys have given the Trojans a legitimate inside attack to complement their outside shooting, which usually involves three-point sniper Bode Anspach.

“Lately we’ve had a little more balance,” Coach Erny said. “Having a 6-5 guy and a 6-7 guy and getting points from the post has really opened up our offense in the second half of the season.

“It’s been a luxury to have both (Spyke and Bosch). It can be tough, because they split time a little bit, but they have developed a genuine friendship. They got in the gym together in the offseason and that really carried into this season. They work well together and they’re both great kids.”

Spyke said a lot of his improvement is because of his increased bulk, which makes him more of a presence inside when he’s battling for position, points and rebounds.

“Coming from last year I put on about 20 pounds, just by lifting and eating the right food,” he said. “I’ve been working my tail off in practice, too.”

Spyke actually played a lot more minutes last year, because he was the Trojans’ only legitimate post threat. This year he alternates with Bosch and spends more time on the bench, but he’s come to realize that’s a good thing.

“Last year I was playing 28 minutes every game, and this year Ryan has come in and has been doing a lot of good things,” he said. “It’s been a change for me, but the big picture is that we want to win. It is a relief to have someone come in and give me a breather, and it’s really hard to get rebounds over us when we’re both in the game.”