Tag Archives: Southfield Christian

Brown and Washington Power Southfield Christian Past Southfield 71-68

25 Feb

IMG_0160Coaches 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.

Tags: ,

Hype Scrimmage Day One Recap

1 Dec

Talent was abundant at Michigan’s largest pre-season scrimmage event.  Here’s a look at the standouts on day one of action.

Allen Academy

Danny Pippen (6’7″ forward)- Pippen had a strong battle against fellow 2016 sought after recruit Austin Davis and Onsted.  Danny was extremely active on the offensive boards, retrieving rebounds even from his own missed shots, and finished around the rim with a soft touch.  He also looked more confident with his three-point jump shot and not hesitant to pull the trigger, and more vocal on the floor for his team.  Pippen has also bulked up more since the AAU circuit to go along with his size twenty shoe, and combined with his inside-outside skill set, should make a nice mismatch problems for defenses.

Jason Williams (6’0″ combo guard) and Drequan Bell (6’2″ combo guard)- The Wildcats also have the backcourt duo of Williams and Bell to go along with stud forward Danny Pippen.  Both got after it on defense with their quick hands and played the passing well picking off lazy passes which resulted in easy fast-break opportunities where the Wildcats thrive.  Bell can shoot the ball from the perimeter, but did most of his damage in the lane and attacking the basket.  He’s also showed he can create for his teammates when defenders leave their assignment.  Both Williams and Bell will share the point guard duties for Allen this season.

Onsted

Austin Davis (6’8″ power forward)- Just by looking at Davis, you can tell he’s a division one player.  A mobile big bodied frame are just a few reasons why he already holds scholarship offers from division one schools.  A back to the basket type player, Austin possesses soft hands and can finish around the basket with either hand.  He’s a type of forward an opponent is always going to have to boxout on either end of the floor.  A true blue-collar no nonsense type of player.

Ypsilanti Arbor Prep

Kyle Hayes (6’7″ power forward)- Kyle already holds a division one scholarship offer from Eastern Michigan.  He has the potential to become a promising wing/forward prospect with length, and athleticism.  He can rebound the ball in his area well, pass the ball, defend the rim, run the floor, and took defenders off the bounce from the wing and was rewarded with several trips to the free-throw line, playing with an added edge to his game.

Detroit Osborn

Christian Littlejohn (6’7″ power forward)- The Knights have three players on their roster with heights over 6’7.”  Littlejohn was the leader of the bunch.  As he crashed the boards hard, finished around the basket, displayed quick feet, defended the post, and blocked shots.  Osborn will be an interesting team to track in 2015.

Other standouts on the day:

Josh Davis (6’5″ wing Detroit Henry Ford)

Esa Abduljami (6’3″ guard Dearborn Heights Crestwood)

D.J. Mayo (6’3″ guard Dearborn Heights Robichaud)

Brock Washington (6’2″ guard Southfield Christian)

Marlo Brown (6’3″ guard Southfield Christian)

 

Tags: , , , , , , ,

2015 Guard Bakari Evelyn On The Move to Detroit Consortium

7 Jan

12460406-standardOnce rumored but now confirmed, and first reported by The Prep Ball Report and local talent scout Jeff McKinney, Class of 2015 point guard Bakari Evelyn has transferred from Class D Southfield Christian to Class C Detroit Consortium.  Evelyn, who already has division one offers as of now, will be eligible immediately for Consortium, because he moved, and ready to help the Cougars make a deep post season run.

The reason why Evelyn left Southfield Christian remains unclear.  He already won two state titles, and the Eagles were contenders to win another Class D state title this year, however, a potential reason for the transfer is Consortium’s star forward Josh Jackson.  Bakari played with The Family EYBL AAU team over the Summer, and Jackson has participated with them in the past.  With Josh being the number one player in Michigan and already having numerous high-major offers, the two playing together has the possibility to help raise each other’s recruiting situations, while winning at the same time.

Consortium, currently ranked number two in Class C behind Mt. Clemens, with the addition of Evelyn strengthen the depth at the guard position.  With the possibility of a starting lineup composing of seniors Ronald Booth, Malik Dawson, and Kenny Turner, with sophomore Jackson and junior Evelyn, there is no reason to think not the Cougars can make a run to the Breslin Center in March.  However, in order for Consortium to reach the final and if all chalk holds, Mt. Clemens and the Cougars will play each other in the state quarter finals at West Bloomfield.

Tags: ,

Lindsey Hunter IV Interview

28 Jun

Lindsey IV is the son of former Pistons point guard Lindsey Hunter, and so far in high school, he has won two Class D titles.  Hunter plays for the ALL-Ohio Red AAU team, a very well respected team in the EYBL.

Tags: ,

2012-2013 MHSAA Basketball Season Recap

31 Mar

It is sad to say that the 2012-2013 MHSAA basketball season has come to a close. What seems to be a long four month journey through the winter ended last weekend at the Breslin Center in East Lansing. The finals brought us two back-to-back champions in Flint Beecher and the young and talented Southfield Christian Eagles. A long and deserved title came to head coach Nate Oats of the Romulus Eagles. And finally Kurt Keener and Country Day won another championship what seems to be the longest trophy case in the State of Michigan for high school basketball titles.

Michigan is hands down one of the most talented states in the country when it comes down to basketball talent. All across the great state there are great players. From Detroit, to the Mid-Michigan area to all the away across the state to Grand Rapids, no talent is lost at all. Winning the Mr. Basketball title this year and becoming the first Genesee County player to bring home the award since Kelvin Tolbert of Flint Northwestern won the award in 2001 was Flint Beecher guard Monte Morris. Morris an Iowa State signee, broke the Michigan State Spartan streak of signing the past four Michigan Mr. Basketball winners.

With the departures of talented seniors of Morris to go along with fellow Mr. Basketball candidates, Michigan commit Derrick Walton, Kentucky bound James Young, Oakland bound Kahlil Felder and Northern Illinois recruit Dontel Highsmith, Michigan high school fans have nothing to fear for next year in regards to talented players. The likes of Pershing’s Justin Tillman, Country Day’s Edmond Sumner, De La Salle’s A.J. Turner will continue to improve and get better over their respective AAU seasons and come back next year eager to lead their teams to the Breslin Center.

Follow us on Twitter: @mdhsathletics

Tags: , , , , ,

2/16/12 Recaps

18 Feb

Consortium 81 vs. Dayton Dunbar 44- Dunbar is a pretty well-respected team in the State of Ohio.  But Consortium treated them like they were their little brother.  Freshman Josh Jackson had seven of his team’s first 13 points in the first quarter giving them a 21-8 lead at the end of one.  Consortium’s Vincent Hunter, a UTEP commit, gave Dunbar big man Damarion Geter fits all day in the post.  Consortium built up its lead up to 43-18 at half, and Dunbar was never able to get the deficit under twenty for the rest of the game.  Things got so bad for Dunbar, that a running clock had to be instilled in the fourth quarter.  Jackson finished up with 27 for Consortium, while Hunter added 24.  A.J. Harris led Dunbar scoring 12 points.

Southfield Christian 47 vs. Allen Park Inter-Ciy Baptist 46- Sophomore Bakari Evelyn saved his best for last scoring 11 of his game high 25 points for Christian in the final quarter.  Here is how the end of the game went.  Christian had the ball with about 15 seconds to play looking to win the game.  They missed the shot but got the rebound with less than a minute left to play.  So they thought.  The officials decided to put two more seconds on the clock and place the ball underneath the basket, making it a better angle for the final play.  What do you do with the game on the line, give the ball to your playmaker.  Evelyn lobbed a pass up to Damarco White and tipped it in for the final game winning score.  White finished up with only 6 because he had been in foul trouble throughout most of the game.  The win for Christian makes up for an earlier game this year where they lost to Baptist at the buzzer.  Evan Kraatz had 21 Inter-City.

Notes

Game 1: If they is one flaw is Josh Jackson’s game people criticize about it is his jump shot.  But that could not be criticized today.  Jackson seemed to pull up wherever he wanted to, making five three-point shots.  Josh reminded me of LeBron James today.  He played about four positions, and did not only score the ball.  He also acted like a facilitator, and a rebounder in the winning effort.  Both traits recruiters look for in a player.

Game 2: Evelyn has the skills beyond his years.  Not only did he play well on the offensive end, but in crunch time in the fourth quarter.  The sophomore stepped upped and played ferocious defense on Kratz of Baptist.  Before that, it seemed as if Kratz was getting anything he wanted with the previous defenders that guarded him.  But not until Bakari checked him.  Forcing Kraatz to have to give the ball to his teammates instead of doing whatever he pleased with the ball.

Tags: , , ,

%d bloggers like this: