Tag Archives: U of D Jesuit

Three-Peat. U of D Jesuit Earns CHSL Crown 58-44 Against St. Mary’s

1 Mar

3L9A9085“The more things change, the more they say the same.”

University of Detroit Jesuit replaced four starters from a season ago.  The one man that remained, junior point guard Cassius Winston, simply owns the Catholic League.  In his three years of high school, Winston has won three straight Catholic League regular season and tournament crowns.  Cassius and the word victory are often inalterable when discussing U of D.

“He’s a good player,” Jesuit head coach Pat Donnelly said of Winston.  “He’s a leader out there on the floor, and we hold him accountable, and in turn he holds other people accountable.”

St. Mary’s strategy was to force someone not named Winston beat them for the third time on the year.  And it worked, up to a point.  The Eaglets held Winston to a meager two points in the opening half on just 1-5 from the floor.

Winston knew he needed to impact the game in other aspects if U of D was to win their third consecutive A-B Division Championship.  Six of his team-high ten assists occurred in the first half, Jesuit led 25-17 at intermission.

“That’s fine with me,” Winston said of his distributing role.  “As long as everyone’s happy.”

St. Mary’s would stick around, however.  Keeping the deficit around 7-10 points throughout the third quarter.  The Eaglets decided to use a smaller lineup against a vertically-gifted Cub front-line, and able to cut the lead to seven twice aided by seven uncharacteristic U of D third quarter turnovers.

“They went to a smaller lineup, they we’re beating us off the dribble,” Donnelly added.  “I just thought our match ups defensively with a smaller lineup we’re a little bit more in our favor.”

U of D then opened the floodgates in the fourth.  Slowly but surely, Jesuit built a double-digit, from 7-0 the first two minutes, then a 11-5 spurt three minutes after to comfortably distance themselves from the Eaglets and hold a lead at one point by 24 points.

“We pride ourselves to make those spurts,” said Winston.  “I guess sometimes we save them up sometimes for late.”  “We came out in the first half lackadaisical, and second half they (coaches) got into us a little bit.”

The entire U of D season, Winston has been the leader for the Cubs.  In games against the state’s elite, Cassius has provided twenty and even thirty point performances.  The CHSL title, not so much.  Aside from Winston, three fellow Cubs scored double figures, senior guard Gary Collins, junior forward Matt Schearer, and sophomore forward Greg Eboigboden all contributed 10 points to the victory.  Cassius ended the day with 12 points, 10 assists, and seven rebounds.

The supporting cast the Cubs will need to return to the Breslin Center in late March.

Next on the schedule for U of D is Operation Friendship, a date with the PSL champs, Detroit Western, undefeated and ranked number one in the state Saturday at Calihan Hall.  There is a strong possibility the contest is a preview for a later matchup in the Class A semi-finals.  But for Winston’s, he takes it as just another game.

“It’s going to be another game, we’re going to play our game.”

(Photo Courtesy of Paul Snyder)

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U of D Outlasts East English Village 76-72 in Instant Classic

10 Dec

photo-3After trailing by as many as 19 points in the first half, the Detroit East English Bulldogs never relented.  From a 7-0 run heading into halftime down 12, to a 13-4 spurt to start the second half placing the Bulldogs only down three with five minutes left to go in the third stanza.  The next ten minutes went relatively even, until junior point guard Chris Rollins hit a corner three to knot the game at 64-64 with 4:50 left in the contest.

Unfortunately for East English, the Cubs made just too many plays down the stretch, led by junior Cassius Winston’s game high 33 points.  The aforementioned Rollins fouled out with 2:37 left in the contest with his team down just one possession.  Jesuit went on to shoot well over 80% from the foul line down the stretch in the fourth quarter, with Winston totaling a 16-17 performance at the charity on the night.

“We mean business this year,” were the words of Winston at the conclusion of the day.

This was Cassius’ second straight 30 point plus performance to start the year, the other on Monday’s victory over Chicago Morgan Park.

“I’m just trying to win games, that’s all that’s on my mind,” Winston said.  “Points, assists, what needs it that’s what going to happen.”

East English, the state’s pre-season’s 15 ranked team, also has their own stud junior, 6’3″ Kamari Newman, who added 16 of his points in “just a friendly battle” according to Winston.  The Village was led by 6’4″ junior forward Cedric Lattimore, whose 17 points in the second half ignited the EEVP comeback.  Lattimore finished with 28 points and seven rebounds, while Rollins finished with 14 points.

U of D improves to 2-0 on the young season, and will have six days to prepare for defending Class C state champion Detroit Consortium.  The Bulldogs fall to 0-1.  Up next for EEVP will be a date with Detroit Edison on December 13th at the Horatio Williams Tip-Off Classic.

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Michigan From a National Perspective

16 Sep

eric_davis_-_saginaw_athur_hillIt was a hard, long, arduous Summer in Michigan, a state which saw double-digit players from a year ago deciding to continue their high school careers in various corners of the country.  Most notably was junior guard/forward Josh Jackson to Justin-Sierra High School in California, a top three consensus player in the country for not only his age group, but youth basketball as a whole.  So the question is, what’s next for Michigan?  Who will pass on the proverbial torch they say to the future generations in the state?

Michigan is still well respected in various recruiting sites/services.  Starting with the class of 2015, the two players in ESPN’s, Rivals’, and Scout’s top 100 seniors are Saginaw Arthur Hill’s guard Eric Davis, and Muskegon’s 6’11” big man Deyonta Davis.  Deyonta, a defending Class A state champion and Michigan State commit, is ranked the 15th best overall prospect by ESPN, number 29 according to Scout, and 23 in Rivals.  One of the country most coveted recruits, Eric is tabbed for 41 in ESPN, 45 in Scout, and 52 in Rivals.  Both Davis’ figure to be playing at the Breslin Center in late March for a championship, and are both considered the front runners for Michigan’s Mr. Basketball award.

What was one of Michigan’s stronger classes, 2016, was hit particularly hard by the aforementioned transfers over the Summer.  The only player from Michigan ranked services is University of Detroit Jesuit’s 6’1″ guard Cassius Winston.  Winston is number 45 in ESPN,  and number 35 overall prospect in the Rivals Class of 2016 150.  A smooth moving true point guard, Winston currently holds offers from Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, VCU, and Maryland just to name a few.

A96I1148Winston’s AAU teammate, Saginaw Arthur Hill’s 2017 wing Brian Bowen, is the only member of Michigan’s sophomore class ranked nationally.  Most recruiting services only have a top 25 ranking for sophomores, as does ESPN and Scout.com.  In both of their 2017 rankings, Bowen is tabbed for number six and seven in both ESPN and Scout respectively.  Bowen holds offers from Michigan, Michigan State, and Missouri, NC State, Kansas, Boston College, Iowa and Iowa State.

What’s the next move for Michigan?  It’s becoming increasingly difficult for in-state players to compete under the current rules for national recognition with players from across the country.  There is no reason to speculate the rules can or will change soon. But the future is bright in Michigan, the Class of 2018 is off to a strong start with impressive performance at AAU tournaments during Summer time.  However for the time being, let’s just sit back and enjoy the upcoming year of high school hoops.

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U of D Jesuit’s Noah King Talks Ferris State Commitment

12 May

Jesuit v RomulusHow does it feel to commit to Ferris State?

-It feels great to take the next step in my life. I’m very excited for the the upcoming year.

What were some other schools recruiting you and what made you want to attend Ferris State?

– I was recruited by Notre Dame College in Cleveland,OH, Springhill College in Mobile,Al and also by Morehouse College in Atlanta.

What is your relationship with the coaches at Ferris and do you know any of the players already there?

– The coaches at Ferris are very sociable and they are very exact in what they expect from me for my career there, I believe that will help me elevate the level of my game and allow me to grow into my abilities has a ball player. I was familiar with a couple guys there but when I went down to visit I got a chance to meet pretty much the whole squad.

Did you visit the campus already? If so, what did you like about it?

-I have visited the campus and I liked the size of the school: it wasn’t too big and it wasn’t too small which is right in my area of comfort.

What makes you unique as a player? What will Ferris State be getting out of a player like you?

– What makes me unique is that I am a selfless teammate that can make an impact on the game in many different ways. Throughout the season I have had games where I impacted the game with defense and there were games where I impacted the game offensively. I will bring the intangibles, the skills, and the ability to learn and improve to Ferris State.

Talk a little bit about your season at U of D Jesuit. What was it like making it to the Breslin Center for the first time in your school’s history?

-Making it to the Breslin Center is a dream that doesn’t get realized by a lot of kids like myself. It was truly a blessing and an inspring season to both my team and the U of D community.

What will you look to add to the Ferris program?

-Ferris recruited for my ability to shoot the ball , but I will continue to work and add other dimensions to my game.

Who would you like to thank the most for getting you to where you are today?

-I want to thank everybody who has had an positive influence on my career as a student-athlete. To be short, God, my family, my teammates, my coaches, my friends, and the alumni who give back the school in such profound ways. If it were for them and my parents, I may not have been able to attend such great high school.

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U of D Jesuit’s Spencer Sanders Talk John Carroll Commitment

31 Mar

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John Carroll went to University of Detroit Jesuit to pick up 2014 point guard commit Spencer Sanders.  Primarily a lockdown defender for the Cubs this season, Sanders will look to bring a defensive intensity to the Blue Streaks, and a pass first mentality at the college level.

 

 

How does it feel to commit to John Carroll?

Spencer: “It feels good. At first I was indecisive on whether or not I would want to attend there, but I researched the university daily and came away with some great information which later helped me in my decision.”

What were some other schools recruiting you and what made you want to attend Carroll?

Spencer: “I wasn’t a highly recruited player, I did not even know if I would make it to the next level, but Adrian and Pine Manor College are the other colleges that contacted me in my Senior Year.  I had looks through my junior year but lost contact with the coaches.”

What is your relationship with the coaches at Carroll and do you know any of the players already there?

Spencer: “I have a very good relationship with the coaches. They came down and talked to me during school, and came to five of my games. It just showed their interest in me and it helped me in making my decision.

Did you visit the campus already? If so, what did you like about it?

Spencer: “Yes I visited and I liked the environment, it reminded me a lot of the school I attend now. I am going back down to visit soon with teammates Nick Mutebi and Julian Morgan hoping to gain their commitments as well.”

What makes you unique as a player? What will Carroll be getting out of a player like you?

Spencer: “I actually take pride in defense.  I feel like locking down opponents makes the difference in games because everyone can put up points. I am also a pass first guard which also makes me different.”

Talk a little bit about your season at U of D. What was it like making it to the Breslin for the first time in school history?

Spencer: “Amazing senior season. No one actually expected us to make it this far, but we had a very hardworking team.  The Postseason playoff run was exciting and something I’d never forget.  The most memorable game in the playoff run was when we defeated Romulus to make it to the Final Four.  So many positive emotions from the squad really showed how hard we worked.  Unfortunately, we did not complete our goals of winning a State Title, but we did make history.”

What will you look to add to the John Carroll program?

Spencer: “I look to bring intensity to JCU, offensively and defensively.  I look to help change the culture up there.”

Who would you like to thank the most for getting you to where you are today?

Spencer: “Well first and for most I thank God for giving me the opportunity to continue to play. I thank my parents, team, coaching staff at UDJ, and my trainer Devon Knight. I also thank my Grandmother.  She wanted me to go there but was unable to tell me because she recently passed away.  Fortunately she told my uncle and my mother and that helped me make my final decision!”

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Breslin Bound

19 Mar

Calihan-HallCalihan Hall on the campus of University of Detroit Mercy was the site where two Metro Detroit schools punched their tickets to play one another on Friday at the Breslin Center.  University of Detroit Jesuit defeated Romulus 54-53, while Bloomfield Hills Hills bettered the Marauders of Warren Mott 74-68.

Bloomfield Hills 74 Warren Mott 68

In the first game of the day, Bloomfield Hills, in their first year of existence after Lahser and Andover High Schools merged over the Summer, proved to be a team when one man goes down, another steps up.  In the absence of Kahlil Gracey for still undiscovered reasons, senior Yante Maten led Bloomfield Hills with a game high 31 points and 17 rebounds.  The Blackhawks built their largest lead over Mott in the second quarter, a 32-22 advantage with 2:40 before halftime.  Mott was able to respond with a 10-0 run by themselves to knot the game at 32-32 heading into the locker room. After a back in forth third quarter which saw Bloomfield Hills never trail, the Blackhawks held a 4 points advantage at the end of the third.  Senior Kenny Goins was the go to man all game long for Mott, his and-one put back for Mott with 5:55 left gave the Marauders a 58-55 lead.  However, the lead would be short lived as on the next possession for Bloomfield Hills, junior Cameron Dalton nailed an and-one three pointer to give the Blackhawks the lead they would never relinquish the rest of the game.  Combined with questionable shot selection and turnovers on the offensive end of the floor for Mott, Bloomfield Hills was able to put the game away at the free-throw line and earn a trip to the Breslin Center.

Cameron Dalton chipped in with 15 points for Bloomfield Hills, while senior point guard Armand Cartwright had 15 points as well for the Blackhawks.  For the Marauders, Kenny Goins finished his high school career out strong with a 25 point performance to go along with 15 rebounds.  Fellow senior Vondale Kelley had 15 points, and junior guard Derek Murphy added 14 points for the Marauders.

University of Detroit Jesuit 54 Romulus 53

The Cubs of University of Detroit Jesuit finished their regular season with a win over the defending Class A state champion Eagles on February 25th with a 67-57 victory, and proved the state quarterfinal game would be no different.  Leading by one with 17.5 seconds left, Romulus rebounded an U of D miss and called timeout looking for one last chance to save their season.  The first shot on their last possession resulted in a contested three pointer by junior Jaylin Walker in the right corner, Romulus was able to get a a second rebound with roughly two seconds left, but Kris Clyburn’s fade away two missed the rim, earning the Cubs the first trip to the Breslin Center in the school’s history.

U of D has now won their last three playoff games by a combined four points, vs. Southeastern 47-45, a 52-51 decision vs. Cass Tech, and another one point contest vs. Romulus.

Sophomore Cassius Winston scored 11 points, hauled in 10 rebounds, and dished out five assists for the Cubs.  Noah King added 11 points and four rebounds for the Cubs, while junior Gary Collins added 10 points off the bench for U of D.

Romulus was led by Tyron Hamby with 15 points, fellow senior Deonte Bell chipped in with 10 points, and junior Jaylin Walker scored 13 points and 14 rebounds.

U of D will now play Bloomfield Hills on Friday at Michigan State’s Breslin Center.

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U of D Jesuit’s 2014 Nick Mutebi’s Profile

28 Oct

IMG_5352• Height, Weight, and position?

6’3’’,  195 lbs, Power Forward/Small Forward

• High School, Summer team and Graduation Year?

U of D Jesuit, Michigan Blue Angels AAU, Class of 2014

• Players you try to model your game after?

Anderson Varejao, Victor Oladipo, Shane Battier, Luol Deng

• Most memorable game in your career so far?

By far winning ending the drought by winning the first Catholic League Basketball title in 21 years for U of D Jesuit.  Nothing beats that feeling of bringing home a well-deserved title against your rival.

• Colleges that you would like to attend?

No target schools for me really. I just want to find a place that is the right fit for me, helps me improve my game, and most importantly gives me an excellent education and puts me closer to achieving my goals.

• Colleges that have shown interest in you so far?

Albion, Lake Forest College, Washington University in St. Louis, and Case Western Reserve University

• What makes you unique from other players at your position?

My size by far.  I’m pretty undersized for my position, but what I lack in size, I make up for in skill, effort, and energy.  I pride myself in making the hustle plays that not many make, and I’m a defense first type of guy.  Also, I am an excellent rebounder.

• Strengths and areas you are improving in?

Strengths: Rebounding, off the ball defense, energy, and hustle

Areas of Improvement: ball handling, and jump shot range

• How did the offseason go?

A lot better than I planned. Got stronger, faster, and improved on all areas of my game.

• Goals for the upcoming season?

Beat Cleveland St. Ignatius and Toledo St. John’s, back-to-back Central Division Regular season champs, back-to-back A-B Catholic League Champs, repeat district champs, make it past regionals, and finally a trip to the Breslin Center for state playoffs.

• What role do you see your self-having this year for your team?

Team capitan, top 5 in scoring, and top 3 in rebounding.

• What will a coach be getting out of you at the next level?

A kid with great character, and does nothing but gives his energy and heart for the sport he loves.  Plus, one who puts his academics first, works hard, and is just a great team player.

• What will go into your decision about choosing a college?

Location, academic program at the College/University, and whether or not the school has the major I intend on studying in school.

• Most influential person in your life? Why?

By far it is my parents. Both of them grew up in Uganda, a country in Africa, and came over to America for education and to live a better life. The fact that they worked so hard for me and my brothers to live a good life helps motivate me to work as hard as they did, and to achieve all of my dreams.

• Legacy you want to leave at your school?

Part of the class who changed the culture of sports at U of D Jesuit.

• Where do you see yourself in 15 years?

Hopefully finished with medical school, and a doctor of some sorts working in sports medicine.

• Highlight Tape

• Fun/ interesting fact about you?

I referee soccer and I’m a member of the National Honor Society.  Also, people say that I am a really good dodgeball player.

• Awards, Accomplishments, other comments?

Scholar-Athlete Award

• Academic Information

3.7 GPA, ACT – 24

• Contact Information

Email: nickmutebi34@gmail.com

Phone: 313-289-3362

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Interview with Cassius Winston

7 Jul

University of Detroit Jesuit’s Cassius Winston has cemented himself as one of the top point guards in the Class of 2016.  Cassius was a major factor in the Cubs winning the Catholic League Championship for the first time in over 20 years, averaging 18 point and eights assists per game.  And the success has translated nicely for Cassius into the EYBL, one of the most competitive leagues of youth basketball in the country.  As far as recruiting goes, Winston already has offers from Iowa State, Michigan State, UMass, and Colorado.  But also has the likes of Georgetown, Missouri, and Xavier quite interested in his talents.

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Kahlil Felder’s Game Winner

14 Mar

Once again, Pershing survives a upset in the playoffs.  This time being senior Oakland commit Kahlil Felder Jr. saving the day against U of D Jesuit in the regional finals.

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U of D Jesuit Out of the Catholic League?

9 Dec

This whole week, there has been one rumor that has caught my attention, and that is the consideration of U of D Jesuit to move out of the Catholic League Central Division.  The Cubs have long been the laughing-stock of this division in football for the last couple of years, the last time the Cubs beat one of the other four teams in this division was in 2005.  I will discuss two main reason why the Cubs should move out of this division and into one where they can actually compete for league titles, and playoffs.

Many who say that the Cubs should stay in the division say “the change would ruin alumni support.”  Well, alumni don’t like it when you can’t even make the playoffs in over ten years.  Those alumni are the ones writing the checks to support the school, and you think they don’t want to win? In fact, the last time the Cubs beat Rice in the regular season was all the way back in 1972.  A rivalry is where teams actually beat each other and have games that make people remember the outcome, getting beat sometimes by 40 points or more is not gonna stay in people’s minds very long and if they do, it wont be a positive feeling.

Another point of emphasis made by those who are defenders of staying in the league say that “this move is only for football.”  Well yeah, it sort of is but I don’t see any other team at U of D hanging up banners for league or state titles.  Granted the fact that the hockey team is ranked high in the state, they don’t even have a conference, they are independent for hockey so it would not affect them.  The baseball and basketball teams have not been setting the world on fire either.  The baseball team last year made it to the league title, but got blown out by a much superior Brother Rice team.  The basketball team, every year it seems they lose to Pershing in the districts, not to mention a team that has hovered around .500 in league play and have no Catholic League titles to show for it either.

The bottom line is this, U of D has long said that they are an academic school as an excuse for their sub-par performances in sports, that is great but when is enough enough.  Seriously they had two years where they only won one game in football.  It is time for a change at U of D.  This school has not had a taste of winning in a long time compared to other schools in their division.  My prediction is that if they are to leave the Catholic League, the best place for them is the Western Wayne Athletic Conference.  If they were to go to the OAA, they would be with Southfield, Harrison, Farmington, Oak Park, all teams that are solid in football and other sports.  The WWAC would allow them to play teams like Fordson, Dearborn, Edsel Ford, Romulus, schools that would make for some good competition, not only in football, but for all sports.

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