Archive | March, 2015

Six Great Games for District-Final Friday

13 Mar

Hardware will be passed out.  See what the best district-finals of the night are across the state.

Class A

Lansing Everett (20-2) vs. Grand Ledge (20-2) @ Okemos

Outlook: The third edition for these two CAAC Blue Division rivals, both winning on each other’s home court.  This one, however, is on a neutral site, and could serve as the best game of the night in Michigan.

Grand Rapids Ottawa Hills (19-3) vs. East Kentwood (21-0) @ Byron Center

Outlook: Did anyone think these two teams would have their respective records at the beginning season?  If so please raise your hand.  Unfortunately, one of these team’s season must come to conclusion.  This one will not disappoint.

Walled Lake Western (22-0) vs. Walled Lake Central (17-5) @ Walled Lake Central

Outlook: A fourth meeting  between the Warriors and Vikings.  Western won twice, once at Central, and the other for the KLAA Lakes Conference Championship.  Refs, we did not come to see you.  Please let the players decide this one unlike the previous meeting.  Nice point guard match-up here between Central’s Walter Kelser and Western’s Jerald Booker.

Clarkston (21-0) vs. Rochester Adams (15-7) @ Clarkston

Outlook: Continuing on the theme of conference foes reuniting, Adams and Clarkston play for the third time on the year.  Clarkston won the two prior meetings both by nine points.  However, as evident during the regular-season, the odds of defeating a team twice are extremely low, let alone three times.

Class B

Wayland Union (19-3) vs. Wyoming Godwin Heights (20-1) @ Wyoming Godwin Heights

Outlook: The best Class B district-final of the night.  Wayland lost their three games by a combined seven points.  The Wolverines are in the midst of another stellar season as one of Class B’s elite.

Detroit Henry Ford (15-5) vs. Detroit Community (16-5) @ Livonia Clarenceville

Outlook: The best east side district final of the night is at Clarenceville.  Community pummeled Bradford by 20 points, while the Trojans had to claw their way to a victory against CMA.  Will Community’s length and athleticism be enough to neutralize the speed and perimeter shooting of Henry Ford?

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Henry Ford Tops CMA In Rugged PSL Playoff Meeting

12 Mar

IMG_0228Baskets were few and far in-between for both Detroit CMA and Henry Ford in a district semi-final meeting at Livonia Clarenceville.  However, defense, senior leadership, and free-throws aided Ford in a 52-45 defeat of CMA.

Leading by three with two minutes remaining, Ford senior Josh Davis held the ball at the top of the key.  Multiple Pharoh defenders converged on Davis for an attempt at a jump-ball.  In self-defense, Davis pushed a CMA player.  Davis was awarded a controversial technical foul, and CMA received two free-throws and possession.  CMA connected on one free-throw, but did not score.  Then with 1:15 in the fourth, CMA forward Jaylen Haiston tied the game 44-44 with a lay-up.

Then on the ensuing Trojan possession, Davis was fouled well-over 30 feet from the basket, Ford was in the bonus.  Mr. PSL calmly knocked down two free-throws, in what turned out to be the game winning points.

Davis shot six free-throws in the final seconds of the game, and was perfect.

“That’s all I want,” Davis said. “I want the game in my hands.”

Although Davis averages double-figures scoring wise, it was an abnormal performance for both Josh and Trojans throughout the contest.  Josh scored just six points in the first half, and made just one three-pointer.  Combined with Trojan turnovers, and CMA’s unique flex-offense, the Pharohs were able to dictate tempo and control the game, holding leads by as much as nine during moments of the game.

“We had to learn how to switch,” said Davis on CMA’s offensive attack.  “Because we never switched the whole season, so we had to maintain our man, and limit them to one shot.”

Davis scored 11 of his team-high 17 points in the second-half.  CMA led Ford by one at half, but the Trojans found continuity and rhythm in the second-half.  An 8-1 run the final three minutes of the third capped-off by a Davis three gave the Trojans an eight point advantage entering the fourth.  On a night which Davis didn’t have much individual success, his teammates filled the void.  Alston Hunter contributed a few second-half baskets and rebounds, junior point guard James Towns applied on-ball pressure and created turnovers, and senior shooting guard Jamal Edwards tallied 11 points, and served as the primary Trojan scorer throughout the game.  This is the type of team-effort Davis has been waiting for.

“We had a real hard time staying together in the beginning of the season,” said Davis.  “This is the time of the season we have to learn how come together.”

Although CMA and Ford are both in the PSL, the two had not yet met on the year.  Ford competes in the prestigious division one, while CMA sits in division two.  Given a near scare in the team’s opening round of the playoffs, Davis believes the Trojans cannot afford the same start against charter school power Detroit Community (16-5) on Friday in the district championship.  The Hurricanes are just two years removed from playing for a Class B state title.

“We’re just going to come out harder next game,” Davis added.  “This is my last year, I want to make history for the school, get us a ring, make everybody happy.”

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Five Great District Semi-Final Games for Wednesday

11 Mar

Class A

Saginaw Arthur Hill (18-3) vs. Saginaw (13-6) 6:00 PM @ St. Johns

Outlook: Could this be the last time these two bitter rivals meet?  Also, Arthur Hill stud Eric Davis has never gone past the districts in the playoffs.  Saginaw has defeated Davis’ Lumberjacks the past three years.

U of D Jesuit (17-3) vs. Detroit Renaissance (13-7) 5:00 PM @ Renaissance

Outlook: Take Renaissance’s record with a grain of salt.  The Phoenix have won nine of their past ten games, while U of D Jesuit has played arguably the best non-conference schedule of any team in the state.  By the way, keep an eye on the point guard battle here.

Class B

Detroit Community vs. Southfield Bradford (15-6) 6:00 PM @ Livonia Clarenceville

Outlook: Community has the roster to succeed in March, though, periodically the Hurricanes underachieve.  Perhaps a first-round draw against the Charter School Conference champion Bulldogs is the spark Community needs to garner post-season momentum.

Detroit Henry Ford (14-5) vs. Detroit CMA (14-5) 7:30 PM @ Livonia Clarenceville

Outlook: Ford is and has been a legitimate Class B contender for sometime, led by senior Josh Davis and junior floor general James Towns.  CMA will wish to continue what already has been a monumental season in school history.  First place in the PSL’s division two, combined with eye-catching victories against Warren De La Salle and Detroit Community in December.

Class C

Warren Michigan Collegiate (15-5) vs. Mt. Clemens (15-5) 5:30 PM @ Madison Heights Madison

Outlook: Not the most hyped or pretty match-up, but for a Class C district semi-final on the state’s east side, this is as best it gets.  If you were to think Mt. Clemens would win double-digit games following a coaching change and multiple players leaving a year ago, you would need your sanity checked.  Their opponent, Collegiate, finished with an above .500 regular-season record  for the first time in four years.

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Romulus’ Jaylin Walker Scores 23 For Eagles to Dispose Of Rival Belleville

9 Mar

IMG_0219Romulus and Belleville, two schools separated by a mere seven miles along the I-94 Corridor.  A third edition for the Battle of Hannan Road occurred at Westland John Glenn in the first round of the Class A district tournament, the Eagles and Tigers split the two earlier meetings on the year.

It was a strange start to the game.  On a simple break-away, Romulus star guard Jaylin Walker went up for a lay-up, but Belleville senior forward Arlington Hambright wrapped Walker and threw him to the ground.  Jaylin slid into the first row of pull-out bleachers.  After roughly two minutes of discussion, Hambright was awarded an ejection just 1:36 into the contest.

This is not the first time Walker and Hambright have had their on-court issues.  Jaylin said following the game Hambright pulled the exact same move the last time Romulus played Belleville, yet, was not given an ejection.

The young Tigers rallied behind the absence of their senior leader.  Belleville led 16-12 at the end of one, then at one point in the second held a lead as large as eight points.   Senior Andre Dixon and freshman Davian Williams both paced Belleville with 11 and seven first-half points respectively.

However, the Eagles decided enough was enough.  For the last 2:47 of the second quarter, Romulus made a 8-2 spurt to trail by just one at halftime.

The ending to the second was only a preview of what was to come in the third.  Romulus allowed a measly seven third quarter points, while the Eagles were able to hold both Williams and Dixon scoreless in the quarter, as well as allow just two points to Tiger junior stud point guard Mike Bruce in the stanza.  Romulus built a nine point advantage entering the fourth.

Put your stars in positions to succeed, and the team will prosper.  Just ask Walker, “I like doing fast-paced.”

The fourth summed up Walker’s statement.  Jaylin scored nine of his team-high 23 points in the final period of action, a three to shift momentum entirely for the Eagles early in the fourth, and then a show-stopping dunk off an assist from Rio Washington to place Romulus up 15 with 4:22 left.

“There’s not too many people,” said Romulus head coach Jarret Smith, “that can climb the elevator like that in order to get the ball.”

Walker missed one shot the whole night on 10-11 from the field.

“I was just really feeling it,” Walker said.  “My teammates got me into the groove.”

Dixon led the Tigers with 12, and Williams scored 10.  Aside from Walker, D’Angelo Hansbro contributed 12 points, four steals and assists following a sluggish first quarter shooting performance, Rashaan Pope scored six of his 11 points in the fourth quarter along with six rebounds, and senior center Rio Washington tallied six points and nine rebounds off the bench.

Romulus improves to 15-5 on the season, while Belleville concludes the year with a modest 12-9 record.  The Eagles return to Glenn for district semi-final action against Downriver League champion Taylor Kennedy Wednesday night (15-4).

 

 

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Class A District Playoff Preview

8 Mar

In the Class A top ten entering the playoffs, there are four undefeated teams, and three squads only have one loss.  Muskegon captured Class A last year.  However, the Big Reds will have plenty of competition on the west side before a potential return to the Breslin Center.

Contenders: Western (19-0), Muskegon (19-1), Clarkston (20-0), East Kentwood (20-0), Kalamazoo Central (19-1), Macomb Dakota (18-2), U of D Jesuit (17-3), Saginaw Arthur Hill (17-3)

Sleepers: Lansing Everett (18-2), Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central (17-3), Walled Lake Western (19-1), Ann Arbor Huron (18-2), Romulus (14-5), East English Village (14-4), North Farmington (17-3).

Best District:

Walled Lake Central

Teams: White Lake Lakeland, Orchard Lake St. Mary’s, Walled Lake Western, Walled Lake Central, Walled Lake Northern, West Bloomfield.

Outlook: Walled Lake Western hopes to continue what has been a magical season.  For the first time since 2000, the Warriors captured a conference championship, and first KLAA North, Lakes, and Association titles in school history.

Western’s half of the bracket is not as strenuous compared to rival Central’s.  If Central (15-5) defeats Northern Monday, the Vikings meet West Bloomfield (18-2) for the right in all likelihood to meet Western Friday night.    West Bloomfield has been a ranked since the pre-season, and feature one of the best dual-sport athletes in the state in Trishton Jackson.  Central will counter with junior guard Walter Kelser, who is quietly one of the best 2016 guards in Michigan.

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Class B District Playoff Preview

8 Mar

Milan won Class B a year ago, and the Big Reds have plans of recapturing the crown in 2015.

Contenders: Milan (18-2), New Haven (20-0), Wyoming Godwin Heights (19-1), Detroit Henry Ford (14-5)

Sleepers: Wayland (17-3), River Rouge (15-5), Consortium (13-5), Flint Northwestern (15-3), Benton Harbor (14-6), Goodrich (18-2).

Best West Michigan District:

Wyoming Godwin Heights

Teams: Kentwood Grand River, Wayland Union, Grand Rapids South Christian, Grand Rapids Aviation Academy, Wyoming Kellogsville, Wayland.

Outlook: Wayland is just seven points away from an undefeated season, and two of those losses were at the hand’s of Class A ranked Grand Rapids Ottawa Hills.  The Wildcats’ stiffest competition will be against host Godwin Heights, the two could possibly meet Friday night for the district championship.  First year head coach Tyler Whittemore has continued to maintain the Wolverines as a perennial Class B contender.  Last year’s team won 25 games, and lost one.  The lone loss occurred to Benton Harbor in the quarterfinals.

Best East Michigan District:

Livonia Clarenceville

Teams: Detroit Community, Redford Union, Southfield Bradford, Livonia Clarenceville, Detroit CMA, Detroit Henry Ford.

Outlook: Four teams within this district have the opportunity to capture hardware.  Ford will be favored, challenged by a rigid PSL schedule and behind the stellar shooting of Josh Davis and point guard play of James Towns.

Detroit Community has the roster to succeed in March, length, athleticism, speed, versatility, but self-inflicted wounds limit the Hurricane’s from reaching their potential at times.

Bradford won the Charter School Conference with a 14-5.

While Detroit CMA had the best season in school history, just one loss in the PSL’s division two, and impressive victories against Warren De La Salle and Detroit Community in December.  CMA deploys a unique motion offense, with the purpose to lessen game possessions.  The Pharaohs will be a tough out against teams’ that like to push tempo.

 

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Class C District Playoff Preview

8 Mar

Similar to Class D, Class C will see a new champion as Detroit Consortium decided to move up a class to B.

Contenders: Flint Beecher (18-1), Jackson Lumen (18-2), Hillsdale (20-0), Beaverton (20-0), Shelby (19-1, Horton (18-2)

Sleepers: Detroit Loyola (15-5), Monroe St. Mary (17-3), Southfield Christian (17-3), Allen Academy (11-9), Detroit Edison (13-4), Muskegon Heights (11-5)

Best Districts:

Madison Heights Madison

Teams: Jalen Rose, Warren Michigan Collegiate, Mt. Clemens, Bishop Foley, Ferndale University, Madison Heights Madison.

Outlook: Five of the six teams won double-digit games, and four of those won at least 12 games.  The obvious favorite is host Madison, a respectable 15-5 record and challenges against Class B number one New Haven.  Mt. Clemens has found a way to remain competitive despite a entirely new team and coach from a year ago.  University has seven seniors eager to win their first district championship after losing the past three years in the final game, while Michigan Collegiate will look to prove their 14-5 record is no fluke.

Detroit Edison 

Teams: Detroit Edison, Detroit Loyola, Allen Academy, Highland Park, Detroit Plymouth, University Yes, Grosse Pointe University Liggett.

Outlook: Host Edison throughout the season has shown flashes of becoming an elite Class C team.  Second year head coach Boe Neely relies heavily on freshman and sophomores at the back and front-courts.  The Pioneers draw Loyola on opening night.  Aside from the past three games against far inferior competition, the Bulldogs concluded Catholic League 1-3.  Loyola has the pieces to make a deep run, perhaps playing in a hostile road-opener will add a greater sense of urgency for Loyola.

The winner faces Allen Academy Wednesday for all intensive purposes the district championship.  Allen entered the year as a strong favorite to capture Class C.  However, injuries and youth have plagued Craig Covington’s team the entire campaign.  Allen will be fully healthful for the post-season, and won four of their last five regular season games.

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Class D District Playoff Preview

8 Mar

There will be a new Class D champion for the first time in three years, as Southfield Christian will now compete in Class C.

Favorites: Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes (20-0), Powers North Central (20-0), Cedarville (20-0)

Sleepers: Munising, Boyne Falls, Allen Park Inter-City Baptist, Adrian Lenawee Christian, Hillman, Baldwin

Final Regular Season Team Rankings

8 Mar

The final set of team rankings for the regular season.  For this, a whole team’s body of work was taken into consideration, not just the following two weeks since the last rankings were released.  Enjoy the playoffs!

Statewide

1. Detroit Western (19-0)

2. Muskegon (19-1)

3. Clarkston (20-0)

4. East Kentwood (20-0)

5. Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central (20-0)

6. Kalamazoo Central (19-1)

7. New Haven (20-0)

8. Lansing Everett (18-2)

9. Milan (18-2)

10. Macomb Dakota (18-2)

11. Walled Lake Western (19-1)

12. Wyoming Godwin Heights (19-1)

13. Ann Arbor Huron (18-2)

14. University of Detroit Jesuit (17-3)

15. Saginaw Arthur Hill (17-3)

16. Flint Beecher (18-1)

17. West Bloomfield (18-2)

18. Grand Ledge (18-2)

19. Holly (18-2)

20. North Farmington (17-3)

21. Romulus (14-5)

22. Grand Rapids Ottawa Hills (17-3)

23. East English Village (14-4)

24. Goodrich (18-2)

25. Wayland (17-3)

Class A

1. Detroit Western (19-0)

2. Muskegon (19-1)

3. Clarkston (20-0)

4. East Kentwood (20-0)

5. Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central (20-0)

6. Kalamazoo Central (19-1)

7. Lansing Everett (18-2)

8. Macomb Dakota (18-2)

9. Walled Lake Western (19-1)

10. Ann Arbor Huron (18-2)

11. University of Detroit Jesuit (17-3)

12. Saginaw Arthur Hill (17-3)

13. West Bloomfield (18-2)

14. Grand Ledge (18-2)

15. Holly (18-2)

16. North Farmington (17-3)

17. Romulus (14-5)

18. Grand Rapids Ottawa Hills (17-3)

19. East English Village (14-4)

20. Wyoming (18-2)

21. Stevensville-Lakeshore (18-2)

22. Auburn Hills Avondale (17-3)

23. Alpena (17-2)

24. Ypsilanti (15-4)

25. Redford Thurston (17-2)

Class B

1. New Haven (20-0)

2. Milan (18-2)

3. Wyoming Godwin Heights (19-1)

4. Goodrich (18-2)

5. Wayland (17-3)

6. Detroit Henry Ford (14-5)

7. Flint Northwestern (15-3)

8. Battle Creek Harper Creek (18-2)

9. Alma (16-4)

10. River Rouge (15-5)

12. Detroit Consortium (13-5)

11. Otsego (17-3)

13. Williamston (16-4)

14. Frankenmuth (16-4)

15. Dowagiac (15-4)

16. Onsted (16-4)

17. Benton Harbor (14-6)

18. Haslett (15-5)

19. Holland (14-6)

20. Flint Southwestern (13-7)

Class C

1. Flint Beecher (18-1)

2. Hillsdale (20-0)

3. Beaverton (20-0)

4. Jackson Lumen Christi (18-2)

5. Shelby (19-1)

6. Horton (19-1)

7. Southfield Christian (17-3)

8. Saginaw Lutheran Seminary (18-2)

9. Iron Mountain (18-2)

10. Monroe St. Mary (17-3)

11. Lainsburg (18-2)

12. Detroit Loyola (15-5)

13. McBain (18-2)

14. Mt. Clemens (15-5)

15. Madison Heights Madison (15-5)

Class D

1. Cedarville (20-0)

2. Powers North Central (20-0)

3. Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes (20-0)

4. Munising (19-1)

5. Hillman (19-1)

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Western Seizes Operation Friendship 58-49 Against U of D Jesuit

7 Mar

Number one ranked Detroit Western withstood a valiant U of D Jesuit second-half charge to claim the school’s first ever Operation Friendship championship.

Trailing 41-29 with 4:40 remaining in the third quarter, Jesuit junior point guard Cassius Winston decided to do what he does best, make plays.  Winston ignited a 10-2 spurt the next two minutes to close the Cub deficit to as low as four at one point.  Winston scored 10 of team-high 27 points in the third.

“We didn’t do a good job of containing Cassius,” Western head coach Derrick McDowell said.  “We let him roam free, and let him get angles.  You got to stay flat, you can’t shade him.”

Winston’s opponent on the day but Summer AAU teammate, Brailen Neely, matched Winston’s third quarter performance with his own in the fourth.  Neely connected on two threes, and poured eight of Western’s total 13 points in the final period of regulation.  Neely finished with 15 on the afternoon.

Western was able to somewhat nullify Winston in the fourth, only two fellow Cubs scored in the stanza.  Also, no U of D Jesuit player not named Winston scored more than seven points, Cedric Mutebi and Gary Collins each had six.

The Cowboys had greater balance compared to Jesuit.  Senior and U of D Mercy commit Josh McFolley only scored five points in the second-half.  But 16 of his Cowboy-high 21 were in the opening 16 minutes.  Josh has a reputation as a elite three-point shooter, but four-five times on the day beat his man off the dribble and finished at the rim.

“Coaches told me to attack the rim,” said McFolley.  “The last couple games I felt I’ve struggled with my jump shot a little bit.”

The Cowboys have debatably the two best perimeter shooters in their respective classes on the court at the same time.  Coach McDowell likes the opportunities and flexibility to have more than one shooter on the court to challenge defenses.

“When you got McFolley (Josh) going, and then you got Brailen (Neely) going, then you got to pick you poison.”

“You’re finally seeing the flow with Josh (McFolley),” who sat the first semester, “and everybody.  Their both playing off each other.”

For as much guard talent in the game, Western 6’8″ senior center Gerald Blackshear completely dictated the interior.  A future U of D Titan, Gerald scored 14 points and hauled 16 rebounds.  The lone obstacle in Gerald’s path was 6’7″ junior Ike Eke.  Jesuit’s other big Greg Eboigboden suffered an injury with 7:04 left in the first, and left the game immediately, his probability for the playoffs is unknown.  Regardless, Blackshear was able to capitalize against U of D with just one of their 6’7″ sophomores.

“I think I was just playing harder,” Blackshear said following the game.  “They were playing pretty hard, I was just playing harder.  I wanted it more.”

Operation Friendship was re-installed following a one year absence.  Coach McDowell, winner of multiple PSL championships, last appeared in the Operation Friendship as the head man for Detroit Redford during the 2005 campaign.  The event draws teams from two distinct leagues in the Metro-Detroit area, and determines the real city champion.

“I like playing Operation Friendship,” McDowell said, “this was a good game for us.”  “I think it’s good for the Catholic League, I think it’s good for the Public League, it’s good for the city in general.”

Both U of D and Western received first-round district byes in their respective brackets.  U of D (17-3), will play the winner of Mumford/Renaissance Wednesday.  While Western (19-0) takes on the winner of Cass Tech/Pershing Wednesday as well.

 

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