Beecher Adds Another to Title Collection
March 26, 2016
By Bill Khan
Special for Second Half
EAST LANSING — Monte Morris of Flint Beecher made a pact with freshman teammate Aquavius Burks after winning Michigan's 2013 Mr. Basketball Award.
"At practice before the Quarterfinal game when he got his Mr. Basketball trophy, he told me he's going to pass it down to me," Burks recalls. "I said, 'I accept it.'"
As it turns out, Burks wasn't among the candidates for the top individual award in the Michigan high school ranks, but he has absolutely no complaints with the way his career at Beecher played out.
Of all the great players who have built and maintained the tradition of Beecher basketball, only Burks can say he's played on three MHSAA championship teams. He put the finishing touch on a brilliant career by scoring 15 points and playing all 32 minutes in Beecher's 63-61 victory over Grandville Calvin Christian in the Class C title game Saturday at the Breslin Center.
It was the fourth Class C championship in the last five years for Beecher, which won Class B crowns in 1976, 1985 and 1987 prior to this run. Burks has started on the last three championship teams, scoring nine points as a freshman in 2013 as Beecher beat Laingsburg, 40-39, in the title game.
"All season long, coach Mike (Williams) preached to me about how I can make history," Burks said. "Back-to-back, that's history also, but three state championships has never been done. This was my chance to leave my legacy and be part of our history at Beecher."
And what about that Mr. Basketball conversation three years ago?
"I didn't win it, but he gave me the encouragement to know I'm able to move on and be great just like him," said Burks, who had a 99-7 record at Beecher. "That's what I really wanted to do was impress him."
Burks was immersed in the tradition of Beecher basketball before he ever entered high school. His brother, Antuan, played four years for the Buccaneers, winning the 2012 MHSAA Class C championship. Like a lot of little brothers, Aquavius tended to hang around with his older brother and his friends.
"We knew he would be ready for varsity as a freshman,” Williams said. “What were we going to get out of him? We didn't know."
By the end of Burks' freshman year, he earned enough trust from Williams to be put on the floor with the Class C championship on the line against Laingsburg. It took a steal with 2.4 seconds left to preserve the second of Beecher's four championships in five years.
It was with a feeling of deja vu that Burks prepared for one final push from Calvin Christian on Saturday.
Trailing 63-61 with 15.3 seconds left, the Squires called timeout to plan a game-tying or game-winning possession. They got off three shots, the first a 15-footer by Tony DeWitte from the right wing. Nate Knee got the rebound in the paint and put up a shot that was blocked by Levane Blake.
"At the end, I just knew I had to get the block for us to win," said Blake, who had three for the game. "But I was scared when I blocked it, because I thought the ref was going to call a foul, but I just knew I had to go for it. I didn't foul him, but they were calling fouls the whole game. I went for it — all ball."
For Williams, it was a fitting conclusion to another championship run by the Buccaneers.
"It was similar to our 2013 state championship where we had to get a stop to win, but that's the identity of our program," Williams said. "That's what we hang our hat on is our defense. Offense will fill up the stands. It will make the crowd jump up and down. But defense wins championships."
Beecher held two seven-point leads in the third quarter, the largest lead either team enjoyed, but the Squires fought back to take a 61-60 lead on a three-point play by DeWitte with 1:14 remaining in the game.
Malik Ellison, whose 3-pointer at the buzzer on Thursday put Beecher in the championship game, passed the ball down low to Blake for a basket and a foul with 55.8 seconds to go. Blake missed the free throw, leaving the Buccaneers with a 62-61 lead.
Calvin Christian's Braden Stevens was fouled and sent to the line for a one-and-one with 37.9 seconds left, but missed the shot. Beecher worked the clock down to 15.3 seconds when Blake was fouled. Blake missed the first shot and made the second, setting up the final possession by the Squires (21-5).
They wanted to get the ball into the hands of DeWitte, who had 31 points in the Semifinal and 15 against Beecher.
"We told him to try to create for somebody," Calvin Christian coach Ryan Stevens said. "He got a 15-footer, and he's made that shot a lot before. I'm proud that the rest of the guys didn't watch. They went and got a rebound. Nate Knee actually got a rebound and got a good shot up."
Although Beecher has dominated Class C in recent years, this was far from a romp through the postseason for the Buccaneers. They trailed in the second half in four games, including a 13-point third-quarter deficit to Southfield Christian in the Regional Finals. They were also down by two points to Flint Hamady in the final minute of the District opener. Then, of course, there was Ellison's epic 3-pointer that rescued the Buccaneers from elimination against Detroit Loyola in the Semifinal.
"It shows the poise and composure and resiliency of our team," Williams said. "These weren't just basketball games. These were life lessons the kids went through as far as getting knocked down and being able to get back up, going through adversity and understanding how to keep their poise and playing to the final buzzer. To come here and finish it off says the world about our kids, and not just our kids. We want to represent the Flint area and what we're going through. We're fighters in the end. We're going to come out with a win. We just want to make sure everybody knows it's not just about us winning; we want to represent our area and do the things young men are supposed to do to be successful."
One of the factors the Buccaneers had to overcome was the surprise 3-point-shooting performance of 6-foot-9 sophomore center Blake Verbeek. Verbeek was 5 for 6 from 3-point range, finishing with 22 points and 11 rebounds. Verbeek had only 11 3-pointers coming into the game.
"It was mostly my teammates giving me the ball when I was hot," Verbeek said. "They just went down tonight."
Beecher's only two losses in a 25-2 season came against the last two Class A champions, 2015 winner Detroit Western International and newly-crowned champion Detroit U-D Jesuit.
"These kids really deserve everything they got," Williams said. "Regardless of class, this is one of the top teams in the state."
There were three ties and five lead changes in the first quarter until the Buccaneers closed the period with a 6-0 run to take a 17-11 lead after eight minutes.
After going scoreless over the final 3:34 of the first quarter, Calvin Christian would charge right back by scoring the first 10 points of the second quarter. The run was punctuated by a 3-pointer from DeWitte with 4:51 left in the second quarter, giving the Squires a 21-17 lead.
The next run belonged to Beecher, which responded with eight straight points to go ahead 25-21 on a basket by Jermaine Shumpert with 1:59 left in the first half. The teams went into halftime tied, 26-26, as Jake Bouma closed the first-half scoring by hitting a 3-pointer with 55 seconds left in the second quarter.
Ellison finished with 21 points for Beecher. Jordan Roland had 12.
The Boys Basketball Finals are presented by Sparrow Health System.
PHOTOS: (Top) Flint Beecher’s Malik Ellison (10) lets out a shout of joy as his teammates celebrate another Class C championship. (Middle) Beecher’s Aquavius Burks (23) works to get into the lane as Calvin Christian’s Nate Knee (30) attempts to slow him.
Breslin Bound: Boys Regional Preview
March 5, 2019
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Just like that, we’re down to 128 boys basketball teams still playing, and only a week away from returning to the Breslin Center to crown this season’s champions.
Regionals begin across the state tonight, and you can keep up with all 32 brackets by clicking “Tracking the Tournament” on MHSAA.com. See below for some of the many District results that made headlines last week, plus a look at three of the most intriguing Regionals in each division.
Breslin Bound is powered by MI Student Aid and based on results and schedules posted for each school at MHSAA.com. To offer corrections or fill in scores we’re missing, email me at [email protected].
Week in Review
The countdown of last week’s five most intriguing results:
1. Grand Rapids Northview 76, Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern 75 (3OT) – After falling by 11 and 14 points to Forest Hills Northern to finish second to FHN in Ottawa-Kent Conference White play, Northview ended the Huskies’ season on a last-second putback in Division 1.
2. Wayne Memorial 55, Canton 50 – This may have been only a slight upset in Division 1; Wayne had shared the Kensington Lakes Activities Association East title. But Canton had won the West and league tournament and hadn’t lost since its season opener.
3. Haslett 36, Williamston 33 – The Vikings had finished runner-up to Williamston in the Capital Area Activities Conference Red with losses of six and then 29 to the Hornets before avenging those in Division 2.
4. Traverse City St Francis 59, Maple City Glen Lake 44 – The Lake Michigan Conference champ Gladiators prevailed in Division 3 over the Northwest Conference title-winning Lakers.
5. Midland 63, Mount Pleasant 52 – Fourth-place Midland handed Saginaw Valley League Red champ Mount Pleasant just its second loss and after falling by nine and three (in overtime) in their regular-season meetings.
Regionals at a Glance
These could be among our most competitive brackets. Host sites are in bold:
DIVISION 1
Holland West Ottawa
Hudsonville (21-2) vs. Grand Rapids Northview (18-4), Muskegon (20-3) vs. East Kentwood (14-9)
Northview took down unbeaten Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern in last week’s District Final, as noted above, and will look to avenge another regular-season defeat after falling to Hudsonville by 10 on Dec. 27. The Eagles went on to clinch the O-K Red title and have won 15 straight, including two over East Kentwood during that run. The Falcons did bounce back from four straight losses to end the regular season by winning their first District title since 2011. And now they get a rematch with Muskegon, which won their Dec. 27 meeting 55-53 and more recently is riding a 16-game unbeaten streak.
Holt
Coldwater (17-5) vs. Okemos (20-2), Mattawan (21-0) vs. DeWitt (19-3)
Mattawan is seeking to add its first Regional championship to an already-historic run that included a win over Kalamazoo Central to open last week’s District. DeWitt lived a little less comfortably last week with two overtime wins to stay in the running, but the Panthers have losses to only Okemos (twice) and another District champ Howell this winter. The Chiefs won the CAAC Blue ahead of DeWitt and have lost to only a pair of District champs as well – Haslett and Detroit Catholic Central. But are they catching Coldwater on a warm streak? The Cardinals have won five straight for the third time this season and would love to avenge last season’s Regional Semifinal loss to Okemos.
Ypsilanti Lincoln
Detroit Catholic Central (16-6) vs. Wayne Memorial (18-5), Ann Arbor Skyline (15-7) vs. Ypsilanti Lincoln (18-4)
Lincoln is a major draw hosting this Regional, but the Southeastern Conference White champion must be careful starting with a Skyline team that has won eight of its last nine games and didn’t lose its first last season until the Regional Final. Wayne Memorial beat Skyline by five points in a Dec. 4 meeting and went on to share a league title and then stun Canton, as noted above. DCC enjoyed a similar win handing Okemos its first loss, at Okemos, on Jan. 11, and has bounced back after losing three straight heading into the postseason.
DIVISION 2
Fremont
Coopersville (12-10) vs. Grand Rapids South Christian (20-3), Muskegon Orchard View (15-7) vs. Grand Rapids Catholic Central (20-2)
It would be easy to jump ahead and expect a Thursday matchup of O-K Gold champion South Christian against Blue title-winner GRCC. But Coopersville surely would love another chance against GRCC after finishing tied for third in the Blue, and Orchard View is surging after winning its first District title in 24 years. If South Christian and GRCC do meet, however, there is some recent history – the Sailors won their Jan. 19 meeting 54-42.
Milan
Ida (12-10) vs. Dearborn Divine Child (18-4), Chelsea (16-6) vs. River Rouge (19-2)
This is the next step for a River Rouge team that has been touted highly since making the Class B Semifinals a year ago. The Panthers have lost only to 2018 Class B champion Benton Harbor and Detroit Martin Luther King. But Chelsea has won six of its last seven and shown it can play with the elite with wins over multiple league champions. Ida bounced back from three losses over its final four games to win its District – avenging one of those late defeats against Huron League co-champ Carleton Airport in the process. Divine Child offers intrigue as well; the Falcons won a Regional title last year for the first time since 2011, and could seek some revenge as they went on to fall to River Rouge in the Quarterfinal.
Wayland
Benton Harbor (21-1) vs. Otsego (23-0), Hudsonville Unity Christian (21-2) vs. Three Rivers (11-11)
The reigning Class B champion Tigers have been an absolute force, falling only to 2018 Class C champion Detroit Edison while seemingly taking on another state power every weekend. Up steps Otsego, a combined 42-2 over the last two seasons and coming off a league title and its first District championship since 2015. Three Rivers has a great story winning its District after finishing last in Otsego’s Wolverine Conference South. But Unity Christian will provide a formidable challenge after winning the O-K Green and 17 straight games dating back to a two-point loss to South Christian on Dec. 21. Unity also fell to Benton Harbor in last season’s Regional Semifinal.
DIVISION 3
Houghton Lake
Sanford Meridian (21-1) vs. Manton (17-4), Oscoda (23-0) vs. Beal City (13-8)
Manton is coming off the Highland Conference co-championship and seeking its second Regional title in three seasons, while Sanford Meridian won the Jack Pine Conference and is seeking to repeat as Regional champ. Theirs is a titanic matchup, but Oscoda may be the favorite this week after entering the postseason as one of four undefeated teams in Division 3. The Owls are seeking their first Regional title since 2000. Beal City can’t be overlooked – the Aggies beat the other Highland co-champ McBain in the District Final to advance.
Sandusky
Madison Heights Madison (20-3) vs. Capac (15-8), Detroit Edison (15-7) vs. Clinton Township Clintondale (16-6)
Last season’s Class C champion Edison is much better than its record might indicate – the Pioneers have played many larger powers this season with wins over Benton Harbor and Canton among others. Clintondale has won seven of its last nine games and hopes to play spoiler, while its Macomb Area Conference Silver rival – and the league champion – Madison Heights Madison is playing for its first Regional title after edging Detroit Pershing 73-71 in last week’s District Final. The Eagles take on a Capac team that has won eight of its last 10 games.
Watervliet
Cassopolis (21-1) vs. Union City (16-7), Niles Brandywine (20-2) vs. Schoolcraft (19-4)
Southwest 10 Conference champion Cassopolis hasn’t lost since Dec. 20 and is on a mission after suffering its only defeat last season in the Regional Final. But opponent Union City has turned around from a 7-14 finish last season and is riding high with eight wins over its last nine games. Brandywine is another league champion and just seven points from a perfect record after falling by four to Coloma and then one to Parchment in its regular-season finale. But to reach Thursday, it must take down a Schoolcraft team that bounced back from a couple of late losses with a pair of close District wins before claiming the championship with a 38-point victory.
DIVISION 4
Fowler
Bellevue (22-1) vs. Webberville (16-5), Athens (20-3) vs. Pittsford (20-2)
Bellevue and Athens are plenty familiar with each other after finishing first and second in the Southern Central Athletic Association West – Bellevue winning the first meeting and Athens the second, on Feb. 22. But Webberville will try to spoil the rematch after building much of its record against larger opponents, and Pittsford won the SCAA East and beat Athens by 14 on Feb. 8 (and lost to Bellevue by 10 on Jan 12).
Mendon
Wyoming Tri-unity Christian (19-3) vs. Marcellus Howardsville Christian (22-1), Muskegon Heights Academy (12-7) vs. New Buffalo (13-9)
Dylan Jergens is making a run at the MHSAA career scoring record but must get Howardsville Christian past an annual power in Tri-unity Christian – both have a loss to Wyoming Potter’s House Christian, and Tri-unity’s losses all were to Division 3 teams. On the other side, New Buffalo finished second in Howardsville Christian’s league and no doubt would like a third try at the Eagles. But Muskegon Heights Academy might be the most overlooked team in this entire division. While the Tigers’ record might not be stunning, they’ve won 11 of their last 12 games and the Lake Michigan Conference title over all larger opponents.
St. Ignace
Cedarville (17-5) vs. Posen (15-7), Brimley (23-0) vs. Pellston (21-2)
Brimley finished the regular season as the only undefeated team in Division 4 and is seeking to win a Regional title for the first time since 1995. But Pellston, like Brimley a league champ, has been considered the best in Division 4 at times with its defeats to Division 3 teams that sit a combined 30-13. Posen is surging with nine wins over its last 10 games, and Cedarville has won 11 straight since losing to the league rival Bays for the second time Jan. 15.
Second Half’s weekly “Breslin Bound” reports are powered by MI Student Aid, a part of the Student Financial Services Bureau located within the Michigan Department of Treasury. MI Student Aid encourages students to pursue postsecondary education by providing access to student financial resources and information, including various student financial assistance programs to help make college more affordable for Michigan students. MI Student Aid administers the state’s 529 savings programs (MET/MESP) and eight additional aid programs within its Student Scholarships and Grants division. Click for more information and connect with MI Student Aid on Facebook and Twitter @mistudentaid.
PHOTO: Marquette's Marius Grazulis holds up his team’s Division 1 District championship trophy as his classmates rush the court to congratulate the team on its win over Gaylord. (Photo by Cara Kamps.)