Beecher Survives on Last-Second Shot
March 24, 2016
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
EAST LANSING – There wasn’t much for Flint Beecher coach Mike Williams to enjoy as he watched Detroit Loyola shred his team’s 15-point lead over the final 14 minutes of Thursday's Class C Semifinal.
But there was one thing he could applaud; his players stayed up when another team, a much less accomplished or experienced team, might have lost its edge.
Junior Malik Ellison believed the reigning MHSAA champ would still end up advancing to Saturday. And he backed it up with the season on the line.
With the Bucs trailing by two points and five seconds to play, Ellison took a handoff from a teammate of an inbounds pass, and with no way to get to the basket, drilled a 3-pointer from five feet behind the arc to give Beecher a 60-59 win as the final second ticked off the clock.
“In practice we run that play all the time,” said Ellison, who also started on last season’s championship team. “(Coach) gives us a situation, like we’re down two and we’ve got to get a bucket. At first on my pump fake, I was like, should I pass? Then I saw (the defender) jump, got a little angle with my arm, and knew it was going in. I felt it.
“Every day I go in the gym, either the Y or I stay after practice, and it’s shots like that just for times like this. I just pulled it through today.”
Beecher (24-2), ranked No. 2 heading into the postseason, will take on Grandville Calvin Christian in Saturday’s Final at 4:30 p.m.
But the Bucs’ attempt to win a fourth Class C title in five seasons looked to be done when Loyola added the final two points of a 24-8 run on sophomore Pierre Mitchell’s two free throws with 47 seconds remaining.
They made the score 59-55 in the Bulldogs’ favor, and junior Jordan Roland’s bucket with 26 seconds left drew Beecher to only within two. Loyola then missed a pair of free throws with 12 seconds to play, but on the ensuing possession managed to deflect Beecher’s first pass after reaching midcourt out of bounds – setting up the dramatic final five seconds.
After receiving the handoff from senior Aquavius Burks on the wing to the left of the basket, Ellison took one dribble left before jutting back right – he had to a shoot a 3-pointer, as Mitchell gave him no opening to the basket and time was nearly gone. Tilted a bit to the right, Ellison floated a shot that dropped as the clock expired.
“What can I say? Wow. What an incredible ending,” Williams said. “I thought we got a little complacent once we got the lead, and that’s the first time we’ve turned the ball over as many times (18) as we did all year.
“But one thing about this team and what it’s shown all season, is resiliency, poise and composure in the face of elimination. … I wasn’t proud that we gave up the lead, but after we gave up the lead it was all positive in the huddle. (And) Malik said, ‘We’ve got this.’”
Beecher had trailed Flint Hamady by five points with 40 seconds to play in the District opener before winning 68-62. The Bucs then trailed Southfield Christian by 13 points with nine minutes to play in the Regional Final before coming back for a 78-65 victory.
So trailing late wasn’t new, and neither was the atmosphere at Breslin Center, Beecher’s late-season home most of this decade.
“It helps with the coaching staff, and it helps with the players,” Williams said. “I remember coming here back in 2003, and one of the first things I noticed is the ball bounced a little different on this floor. The atmosphere is a little different than playing in a gym. When you come down here for the first time … you noticed in the first half that Loyola had a hard time adjusting to shooting the basketball. They were shooting the basketball a whole lot better once they got adjusted to the depth perception.”
In fact, Loyola did shoot 29 percent from the floor during the first half and 42 percent during the second, while Beecher was more consistent and finished at 48 percent for the game.
Bulldogs senior Ernest Adams and sophomore Keith Johnson especially found their shots over the comeback run, Adams making all three of his 3-pointers and scoring 11 of his team-high 15 points during the stretch and Johnson making both of his 3-pointers over the final 4:10.
“The bigger thing is what has happened all year for us; these guys played for each other,” Loyola coach John Buscemi said. “Once a few (shots) went, everyone got energized – the guys in the game, the guys on the bench. We love each other, we’re a family, and we just feed off of that. And I think we did tonight."
Adams also had 10 rebounds for Loyola (21-6) and Johnson finished with 10 points. Senior Romari Ennis had 12 points.
Burks had a game-high 22 points for Beecher making 6 of 7 shots from the floor and all seven of his free throws. Ellison had 11 points and senior Jamari Thomas-Newell had 12 points.
The Boys Basketball Finals are presented by Sparrow Health System.
PHOTO: Beecher players embrace Malik Ellison after his game-winning shot Thursday. (Middle) Loyola’s Pierre Mitchell works to get a shot up while surrounded by Beecher defenders.
Johnston Finds Home with Onsted Hoops
March 13, 2020
By Doug Donnelly
Special for Second Half
ONSTED – When Mary Kay LaFerney moved from California to Michigan, she had no idea the impact a group of freshmen and sophomore boys were going to have on her son.
And she certainly didn’t know it would be because of basketball.
But that’s what happened this past season for LaFerney and her son, Zachary Johnston, at Onsted High School in Lenawee County. Johnston, 15, who has Down syndrome, wanted to be part of the junior varsity basketball team. The JV head coach Travis Wobrock was on board with the idea.
“He came to every practice and every game,” Wobrock said.
Johnston didn’t mind filling water bottles, grabbing towels or throwing out basketballs. He would also often take part in layup lines at the start of practice and shoot baskets when he could. It didn’t take long before Johnston made a request.
“He said he wanted a jersey,” Wobrock said.
The Onsted junior varsity team members had bigger ideas for Johnston. They wanted him to play in a game.
“Every week, one of the kids on the team would come to me and ask when Zach was going to get his chance,” Wobrock said. “They wanted this to happen so bad.”
As the season drew closer to the finish, Wobrock put the plan in motion. He contacted Clinton junior varsity basketball coach Greg Dutton and told him about Zachary. Dutton was instantly in favor of helping Johnston get into the action.
“When I played at Napoleon, we had a team manager, Alex DeNato, who had Down syndrome,” Dutton said. “He never had the opportunity to get a basket in one of our games, but he would lead us in pre-game speeches and occasionally led us out of the locker room for pre-game warmups.”
The Onsted players decided to wrap Zachary’s jersey up and present it to him a couple of days before the game vs. Clinton.
“He got into the car, and he was smiling,” LaFerney said. “He was carrying a bag. I asked him what was in the bag. He said, ‘Take a peek.’ He was so excited to have a jersey.”
Wobrock videotaped the moment Johnston opened his jersey and posted it on social media. Thousands of people viewed it and read about plans for Johnston to play in the game. As the JV game went on, the stands began to fill up. Some held signs for Zachary. Fans were chanting his name.
“It was the biggest crowd we’ve ever had for a JV game,” said Wobrock.
The players on the floor kept looking over at the bench to see if Johnston was ready. Finally, late in the game, Wobrock walked with Johnston to the scorer’s table. Johnston showed the scorekeeper his jersey – number 15 – checked into the game, and ran onto the court.
“When the crowd erupted, it gave me chills,” Wobrock said. “I’ve never seen anything like that. All the kids stood up. Everyone stood up. We weren’t even focused on basketball that night. We were focused on Zach.”
As players from both teams circled around Johnston, he got his chance. Finally, on a pass from Clinton’s Derek Tomalak, Johnston took aim at the basket and sank the jump shot.
The crowd erupted. Several people were in tears.
“I can’t remember being that emotional before the varsity game even started,” Onsted varsity basketball coach Brad Maska said. “I’m proud of my JV coaches for how they handled that night.”
Dutton said he was more than happy to help the Onsted basketball team make the moment happen. He was also glad his children got to watch from the stands.
“It was a special thing to be a part of and witness,” he said. “I am happy Travis asked our team to be involved. It helps bring into the limelight that basketball is just a game and that there are greater things in life than wins and losses. It's about building young men to be caring, thoughtful individuals when they are done playing.”
Wobrock, who is the graduation coach at Onsted High School, said his eight-player squad learned a lot of valuable lessons this season with Johnston as their manager. The players - Daniel Harrah, Jordan Santimore, Brody Giroux, Zack Gillean, Bradlee Vanbrunt, Harrison Moore, Matt Marsh and Brandon Corder – were just as emotional as everyone else in the Onsted gym.
“They’ve been amazing through this whole thing,” Wobrock said. “I’m very proud of them.
“It’s amazing how they have taken him under their wing. They give him fist-bumps in the hall and hugs. They eat lunch with him. I think that’s kind of how it started. They saw him eating alone at lunch and the whole table invited him to their table. The relationship has just taken off. He’s one of the guys.”
LaFerney is a California native and lived in the San Diego area until two years ago when her family moved to Michigan, where her husband was originally from and has family. They bought a home in the Onsted Community Schools district. It’s been a perfect fit for her son, who is a freshman at the school.
Being part of the school, part of the team, has been extremely important to Zachary, she said. “He’s a smart kid. He’s very aware of his situation and surroundings. He knows how people are treating him.
“This is about way more than just basketball,” she added. “It’s about inclusion. Coach Wobrock was amazing about making sure Zachary was included in every way possible. The players on that team really care for Zachary.”
Wobrock recognized the impact basketball has had on Johnston – and the other players on the Wildcats team.
“Just because someone is different,” Wobrock said, “it doesn’t mean they don’t have the same goals, the same dreams, as everyone else.”
Doug Donnelly has served as a sports and news reporter and city editor over 25 years, writing for the Daily Chief-Union in Upper Sandusky, Ohio from 1992-1995, the Monroe Evening News from 1995-2012 and the Adrian Daily Telegram since 2013. He's also written a book on high school basketball in Monroe County and compiles record books for various schools in southeast Michigan. E-mail him at [email protected] with story ideas for Jackson, Washtenaw, Hillsdale, Lenawee and Monroe counties.
PHOTOS: (Top) Onsted junior varsity teammates celebrate with Zachary Johnston after his basket against Clinton. (Middle) Johnston squares up and takes aim. (Below) Johnston shares a celebratory moment with coach Travis Wobrock. (Photos courtesy of Eric Tjolsen.)