Coaches love athletes that play their heart out, just ask Southfield Christian’s Brock Washington. The 6’2″ sophomore combo guard scored ten of his team’s 15 points in the opening quarter. Then a uniform blunder. Brock, as a result of his play, dripped blood on his jersey in the second quarter. Which might or might have not explained his point total, scoring only one basket in the second quarter alone.
Southfield was able to gradually distance themselves in the second quarter from the Eagles. Behind 6’7″ senior forward Isaiah Green’s 11 points, the Blue Jays outscored Christian 26-12, and led comfortably 42-27 at half.
“We couldn’t give up,” Washington said following the game. “We had to make sure we knew what we had to do mentally.”
Washington flipped his jersey, and ignition switch for the Southfield Christian offense. Junior backcourt mate Marlo Brown scored 12 of his team-high 28 points in the third, and Christian held the Blue Jays to six total third quarter points. Ending the quarter on a 17-2 run the last six minutes to close the deficit to three.
The Southfield dynamic front-court of Khary Fanning and Isaiah Green were neutralized the entire second half. Fanning and Green combined for two points, despite an undersized Southfield Christian lineup. Often times the largest player on the court for Southfield Christian was 6’3,” while Green and Fanning are 6’7″ and 6’6″ respectively.
“We got Green in foul trouble, which was huge because we had a hard time stopping him,” Southfield Christian head coach Josh Baker said.
“With Isaiah, once he put it on the floor we wanted to double him. Try to force him make a jumper…he’s a tough cover.”
“Khary we wanted to keep him in front, he’s so athletic, and then we knew he scored on the second shot a lot.”
Christian held their first lead since the first quarter with four minutes left. Southfield, however, mounted a stand. Sophomore point guard Michael Flowers scored 16 of his Blue Jay high 25 points in the fourth quarter, including three threes, and a layup with 1:12 remaining, the last Southfield lead of the game. His 10th grade counterpart, Brock Washington, calmly knocked in a three on the ensuing Eagle possession, 67-65 with under a minuted to play. Christian would miss crucial free-throws with under 50 seconds remaining, combined with a Mike Flowers steal-and-score with 8.3 left, Southfield trailed 70-68. Brown split his next two free-throws, leaving the opportunity open for Southfield to potentially tie the game. Pushing the ball up the court, Flowers was unable to get a clean look for a shot to send the game into overtime. His three fell harmlessly to the ground. Game over.
Aside from Flowers, Isaiah Green scored 20 points and hauled in 12 rebounds. Khary Fanning added seven points and eight rebounds, while junior Miguel Priest contributed 11 points.
Brown and Washington accounted for 53 of the team’s 71 points, Marlo with 28 and Brock 25.
“It’s great having him (Marlo),” Washington stated. “It’s great having all these people, it’s just great positive energy, we’re always working hard, always pushing each other, it’s great.”
Southfield Christian has now won 13 of their last 14 contests. The three-time defending Class D state champions will compete in the Class C state playoffs for 2015. And despite a good deal of new faces to the program compared from years past, Christian might be finding their groove at the right time. A narrow win over a larger Class A school should boost the young Eagles’ confidence as March grows closer.
“You got to win close ones down the stretch,” Baker said. “To be able to win that one and have the pressure. I think that’s really big for us.”
About that number change for Washington 15 to 11. Number 11 was reserved for sharpshooter Lindsay Hunter a season ago. The impact of that change is debatable, but Washington did finish 5-8 beyond the arch.
“I guess you could say it gave me some power,” Washington said with a smile.
The Prep Ball Report 
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