Tag Archives: King

Derrick Coleman Day 1 Action

9 Dec

The second annual Derrick Coleman showcase held at Detroit Mumford saw four games of Chicago Public Schools square off against four Detroit area teams.  Last year, Chicago went three and one on the day.  This year however, the script was flipped, Michigan went 3-1.  Here’s a look at the action from the victorious Detroit teams.

King Edges Out Harlan 55-54

Coach George Ward found himself in a tough one against Chicago Harlan in his Detroit King debut.  Tied 52-52 with under thirty to go, Rakeem Beal made 1/2 free-throws to give King a one point lead.  However, on the second, senior Armani Lee came away with one of his team high 10 rebounds to send teammate Jesse Scarber to the line for two more free-throws to put MLK up three.  On Harlan’s ensuing procession, senior Michael Johnson was fouled and granted three shots.  Johnson, the team’s leading scorer with 15 points made the first two, but missed the third.

Senior Armani Lee led King with 31 points and 11 rebounds, including ten in opening quarter of action.

Western Rolls Through Marshall Behind Neely and Tinsley

Detroit Western, the state’s pre-season number three ranked team in the state, had little trouble with Chicago Marshall.  The Cowboys jumped out to a 31-12 half-time advantage, and coasted to the 64-36 victory.

Senior transfers Gerald Blackshear and Josh McFolley were ineligible to play for Western per MHSAA policy.  Regardless, Western was still able to outplay a scrappy Marshall team that went 12-12 a year ago.  Junior point guard Brailen Neely paced Western with 19 points (3 3s), four steals, and 3 assists.  Fellow 11th grade backcourt mate Armani Tinsley chipped in with 14 points and 4 rebounds..  Tinsley was primarily a rotational player in 2013, but the added opportunity to start and play extensive minutes should bode well for the Cowboys depth as the season progresses.

U of D Makes Statement in Upset of Chicago Morgan Park

Morgan Park won last season at the very same Derrick Coleman Classic, 82-69 over Detroit Pershing.  This year, the Mustangs returned with one of the top players in 2015 Marcus LoVett, whose youtube highlights have amassed millions of views.  From the beginning of the contest, the Cubs went straight at LoVett holding him to only nine first half points, after coming into the day fresh off a 32 point performance.

The Cubs led from start to finish, and held a lead at one point in the fourth quarter as large as 18.  U of D also has their own star with as much notoriety as LoVett, junior point guard Cassius Winston.  Winston started  the game strong with 11 points and five rebounds in the opening quarter, nearly 1/3 of his game high 32 points while adding 10 overall rebounds.  Aside from Winston, senior guard Gary Collins added 10 points to go along with four steals, and was primarily assigned with the task to shadow LoVett throughout the majority of the game.  While junior guard Obe Duru scored 11 points off the bench, sophomores Donatus Eke and Greg Eboigboden made their highly anticipated high school debuts.  The two combined for nine points, and hauled down ten rebounds.

Charlie Moore paced Morgan Park with 26 points, while fellow junior Jamal Burton tallied 10 points.  LoVett finished with 17 points and 4 assists.

 

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Antania Hayes Interview

18 Feb

DePual commit Antania Hayes talks after her King Crusaders won the second city title in as many years.  Hayes played a marvelous all around game, considering the fact that a few hours before the game, she attended the viewing of her brother who had recently passed away.

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PSL Finals Recap

17 Feb

King 45 vs. Cass Tech 38 (Girls)- The Crusaders of Martin Luther King won their second PSL Girls Basketball Championship out lasting Cass Tech in a tough hard-fought game.  The Technecians came out and surprised the entire city by only allowing King two points in the entire first quarter.  But in the third quarter is where King made their move.  Outscoring Cass 17-9 in the quarter.  In the fourth is where things got interesting.  Cass was able to cut into the lead by as much as six points at 34-28.  But were unable to get any closer.  LaQuita Heart had 16 points for King, and senior Antania Hayes had 11 and 14 rebounds.  Lauren Elliot had nine for Cass.

Pershing 80 vs. Cass Tech 61- Pershing needed to come out and make a statement after last year’s disappointing performance in the PSL Championship.  And they did just that.  Oakland commit Kahlil Felder nailed two-three pointers in the first two minutes of the contest setting the tempo for the rest of the game.  The Doughboys lead 37-26 at half thanks to a Martez Walker three-point shot as time expired to send the teams into over time.  In that second half, Pershing senior Lorenzo Collier  came out and set the tempo early scoring eight of his teams first 13 points in the quarter, a deficit Cass was never able to overcome giving Pershing their 3rd city title in five years.

Notes

Game 2: For Pershing, Collier and Justin Tillman finished up with 17 points.  While Martez Walker had 20 for the Doughboys.  This is Pershing’s first city title for coach Wydell Henry, who replaced A.W. Canada at the beginning of the season.  For Cass, it was D’Andre Johnson leading them in scoring with 13 points.  The senior seemed to have no support from his teammates, resulting in him trying to take the game over and pressing a little bit.  Kahlil Felder did not score many points, but you can tell that he is a big time player.  When the pressure is up on Pershing, that is where Felder steps his game up.  This is the one game, I have seen Pershing put together for foursolid quarters,  And not wait until the second half to make their run.

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Southfield 22 King 19

28 Oct

In a game where two teams meet in the opening week of the season, no one expects one team to beat another team twice in one season.  But that was not the case for this pre-district contest between Southfield and King.  This game was nail biter and no team in this game deserved to lose.  The first quarter breezed by with both teams unable to put points on the board, but in the opening minutes of the 2nd quarter, Southfield qb Tre Walton scored on a td qb sneak to put the Blue Jays up 7-0.  Later in the 2nd, Gerald Gates of Southfield scampered up the middle for a 30 yard td to put the Jays up 14-0.  But the Crusaders would score on a Mycial Allen td to go into the lockers with a deficit of only seven.  King would come out hot in the 2nd half.  Avonte Maddox cut the Blue Jay lead to only one on a td run.  Later in the 3rd, Northern Illinois recruit Mycial Allen hauled in a 77 yard td pass from Devaun Williams to give King the lead.  That would be all the scoring for King the rest of the way.  The Crusader defense did not allow a touchdown for the most of the 2nd half.  But Southfield scored when they had to, on their last possession, Gerald Gates scored and Jeff Madison got the two to put Southfield on top by 3.  King would drive all the way inside the Blue Jay 10, but a 4th down desperation pass from Devaun Williams would fall incomplete giving Southfield the win.  King’s remarkable season finishes at 6-4, but not without a Detroit Public School League City Championship.  The Blue Jays now move onto the district Championship to face Oak Park, winners of the OAA White Division.  Who defeated Southfield 24-18 in week four of the season.

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Game of the Week 10/26/12

26 Oct

My game of the week selection usually takes place on Thursday, but for this week it will happen on a Friday.  The game of the week for the first round of the MHSAA State Playoffs will feature a rematch of the Prep Kickoff Classic, with Martin Luther King leaving the City of Detroit to battle the Blue Jays of Southfield High School.  If you remember the game back in August, the Crusaders had control for most of the game, but stalled in the fourth quarter due to their seven turnovers.  The defense looked very good for MLK, only allowing a total of 21 points to a team that ended up beating perennial power Farmington Hill Harrison.  Southfield’s offense is quite interesting from what we have seen from them in the years past.  Their quarterback Tre Walton, a converted wide-receiver, lines up in the pistol with a running back in a three-point stance directly behind him.  They will send a receiver in motion trying to create a triple option and try to take advantage of Walton’s running ability.  If the Crusaders find a way to figure the offense out, they will most likely have no problems winning the game.  But I am not convinced that after last weeks city championship performance, where they gave up 48 points to East English, they will be able to contain this potent Blue Jays Offense.  Who needs to stop the ball when you score 51 points?  That is what the Crusaders did last week.  Devaun Williams was flawless connecting with Mycial Allen for two touchdowns.  King also got production on special teams with Avonte returning a kickoff for 81 yards.  This game will be a shootout.  The Blue Jays will give the Crusaders a battle, but King will march on to the district final.

Southfield: 35 King: 42

Enjoy the first round everyone!

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2012 MHSAA Playoff Teams from the PSL

23 Oct

Congratulations to all of the 2012 MHSAA State Playoff participants from the PSL.  A good majority of the teams selected from the DPS could very well end up playing at Ford Field for the State Championships.  Here are the six teams that qualified, their first round opponents and the start time for each game.

Cass Tech @ Grosse Pointe South (Friday 7:00 p.m.)

Cody @ Oak Park (Friday 6:00 p.m.)

King @ Southfield (Friday 4:30  p.m.)

Marysville @ East English Village (Friday 7:00 p.m.)

Central @ St. Clair (Saturday 7:00 p.m.)

Douglass @ Grosse Pointe University Ligget (Saturday 3:00 p.m.)

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Interview with Raymond Mitchell

22 Oct

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The 2012 PSL City Championship Game

21 Oct

The 2012 Detroit Public School League City Championship lived up to all the hype it had it received, for the offenses that is.  Both teams put on offensive clinics with King scoring 51 and the Bulldogs putting up 48.  Defenses were in short supply as both teams seemed to move the ball at will against their opponents.  The Village got off to a quick 20-0 start with touchdowns coming from Desmond King, Khalid Hill, and defensive-lineman Antoine Benford on a fumble recovery.  But that would be the largest lead the Bulldogs would have as the Crusaders put up 32 points unanswered between the 2nd and 3rd quarters.  At one point in the 3rd quarter, King had built a 39-20 lead.  The Bulldogs cut into the deficit early in the 2nd half with Nathaniel Bowlware scampering up the middle for a td to put East English only down 11.  But on the very next kickoff, King speedster Avonte Maddox returned the kickoff for a 81 yard electrifying td return.  Senior Desmond King would not have his final regular season game in the PSL become a blowout as he scored the next two touchdowns for the Bulldogs to put them down only five points with less than three minutes remaining.  The Bulldogs were able to get the ball back with under a minute remaining trailing by 5 and needing a touchdown for the win.  But a Anton Curtis’ pass was intercepted by King Senior Sa’von Thomas to put the game on ice for the Crusaders.  It has been a truly remarkable run for the Crusaders, who started the season 0-3 and won their next six games, including a 44-13 blowout of top-ranked Cass Tech.  It was a victory well-deserved for King who had faced adversity all season, and have responded with great character and perseverance.

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City Championship Game

18 Oct

Here it is, the biggest game in the PSL this season will be decided at the home field of the Detroit Lion, Ford Field.  Two teams coming off impressive wins last week at the City Semi-finals will decide the outcome of the City Championship.  The Crusaders of Martin Luther King, coming of a 41-13 beat-down over their rivals the Technicians of Cass Tech last week.  Quarterback Devaun Williams was involved in 6 touchdowns last week.  He was absolutely spectacular spreading the ball out to his playmakers.  Wr Mycial Allen had a nice showing on the offensive side of the ball while fellow senior James Alexander put in a nice performance on the defense.  On the other hand, East English escaped with a 37-32 victory over Cody last week.  I would be oblivious not to mention the performance senior Desmond King put in last week, three touchdowns.  Quarterback Anton Curtis was solid in the passing game, there is nothing more positive to say about the Bulldogs’ offense.  Now to game at hand, remember, King lost a 34-26 decision to these same Bulldogs in week two.  And to go back even farther than that, last season, King beat Crockett (where most of the East English Players played last year) only to lose in the City Championship to Crockett.  This game will be decided on the defensive side of the ball.  Both teams have explosive offenses, but defense wins championships.  Right now, I just don’t know if the Bulldogs can stop the offense King has.  The Bulldogs got destroyed last week in the running game, due to the scrambling ability of Cody Quarterback DeMarco Gulley.  Williams of King is not quite the scrambler Gulley is, but he possess the ability to run the ball when he needs to.  In the end, I like the Crusaders in this game.  A defense that held Cass Tech to 13 points, and an offense that I have said all year has playmakers.  King will hoist the City Championship this season, a truly remarkable story if they can accomplish it.

King: 20 East English: 14

Please come and the PSL on friday, this will be probably the only chances for these young men to play on a stage this big, and it would a tragedy if no one is their to support them.  Tickets are $10 and gates open up at 6.  Please be there, this will truly be an event for all to enjoy.

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Playoff Time in the City of Detroit

17 Oct

The Final weekend of high school football season in the state of Michigan is upon us.  Another great DPS Season will conclude with some teams wishing to have a couple of games back, while other will look to make deep state playoff runs.  The list below will tell what teams have qualified for the playoffs and what teams still need a win this weekend to qualify.

Central- At 5-3, the Trailblazers have certainly had a remarkable season.  They look to qualify for the playoffs on Thursday with a win over the visiting Trojans of Henry Ford.

Douglass- The Canes’ were expected to compete this season for the PSL East Division Championship.  But in the two games they needed to win, King and East English, Douglass did not even record a point.  The Hurricanes will not have a game this week and will finish with a 5-3 record.  Enough to make it into the playoffs.

King- King is in an interesting situation right now.  They play for the city championship this Friday, but with a record of 5-3.  King right now should be 6-2, but forfeited a game due to an ineligible player.  With a win King is in, but a loss still might get them in.  King has had to play a tough schedule, including Southfield and Cass Tech.  But no doubt, the Crusaders do not want to watch the MHSAA Selection Show this Sunday with anxiety about the remainder of their season.

East English- The Bulldogs have the best record out of any DPS Team.  If the bulldogs win this week, they will have  gone 8-1 on the season.  If that turns out to be true, the Bulldogs will have a great opportunity of obtaining home-field advantage in the playoffs, but for sure the district tournament.

Cass Tech- Cass Tech currently sits at 6-2 on the season.  The Technicians conclude regular season play against a very sub-par University of Detroit Jesuit.  Cass will most likely win and maybe even have a running clock in this game, which will give them a 7-2 record on the season.  Although this record seems good, it might not be good for home-field.  If Cass were to end up in the same district as Macomb Dakota, Dearborn Fordson or Warren Mott, they might only receive one home game.  That might not be a problem for the defending State Champions, remember last year, they got into the playoffs at 6-3 and only played one home game.

For all in all, it has been a truly great DPS Season.  Although their might not have been as many State Playoffs teams as their were last year, this season has been one of the most competitive in the years I’ve followed the PSL.

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