Breslin Bound: Boys Districts in Review
March 11, 2013
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Two weeks remain in the MHSAA boys basketball season. And after last week's District tournaments, some contenders have survived what may end up their scariest game of a championship run – while others remain alive that probably many didn't expect.
Below are four District champs from each class who especially stuck out last week.
Class A
Bloomfield Hills Lahser (17-6) – The Oakland Activities Association Blue co-champ claimed a District title as well with a 55-52 win over Orchard Lake St. Mary’s in last week’s championship game.
Detroit Pershing (23-0) – The Doughboys had beaten Detroit Cass Tech by 19 in the Detroit Public School League tournament final only three weeks before, but had to survive a 78-76 thriller in the rematch for the District title.
Saginaw (21-3) – The reigning Class A champion is still alive after winning perhaps the biggest game in the state Friday. The Trojans, who split with rival Saginaw Arthur Hill during the regular season, won the tie-breaker 86-76 in the District Final.
Ypsilanti (18-4) – Avenged a nine-point loss to Ann Arbor Pioneer from only a month ago by beating Pioneer 66-43 in the opener, and then eliminated Skyline and Huron en route to a sweep of the Phoenix’s Class A neighbors.
Class B
Bay City John Glenn (12-11) – The Bobcats lost twice to Standish-Sterling during the regular season, including by 18 on Feb. 22. But they avenged those losses in the District opener and then edged Essexville-Garber 51-50 in overtime to win the title.
Flint Powers Catholic (12-11) – A 3-8 start to this season wasn't pretty, and although Powers battled back it still entered last week with a sub-.500 record. But two and three-point wins over Flint Northwestern and Millington, respectively, kept the Chargers alive and put them on the plus side.
Saginaw Swan Valley (12-11) – The Vikings were 2-6 over the last eight games heading into the District tournament. But their 56-37 win over then 14-7 Bridgeport in the Final was at least a slight upset.
Sparta (17-5) – The Spartans finished a solid second in the O-K Blue this winter and then survived a 61-59 test against Fremont in last week’s championship game to move on.
Class C
Baldwin (18-4) – Came close twice to beating West Michigan D League champion Manistee Catholic Central, but fell once by three in overtime and in their second meeting by eight. That surely made a 38-35 District Final win over MCC that much better.
Harbor Beach (22-1) – Coming off the football MHSAA championship in the fall, the Pirates just keep cruising with only a loss to Marlette momentarily stopping them this winter. Harbor Beach outlasted Unionville-Sebewaing 61-60 in the District Final.
Montrose (18-5) – The Rams finished only third in the Genesee Area Conference Blue, but beat formerly 17-5 Reese 67-52 in the District championship game.
White Pigeon (14-8) – It’s amazing how much of a difference six weeks can make. White Pigeon lost to Cassopolis by 30 on Jan. 18, but won the rematch by 15 in the District opener and survived Decatur 44-41 in the championship game.
Class D
Bloomfield Hills Roeper (8-14) – Roeper closed the regular season with a 1-8 run, so it was tough to expect a District title. But the Roughriders prevailed by beating then 12-8 Waterford Our Lady 51-44 in the championship game.
Covert (16-6) – The Bulldogs are hardly strangers to Breslin Center, and like the teams that had success in the past this Covert team took its losses against much larger opponents this season. Back in Class D, it won three games by a total of 40 points last week.
Fowler (13-9) – The Eagles finished three wins behind Fulton for fourth place in the Central Michigan Athletic Conference. But after being swept by the Pirates during the regular season, Fowler won the most significant matchup of the three, 65-53 in the District Final.
Hillman (16-5) – The Tigers have improved from 12 to 13 to 16 wins over the last three seasons and won last week’s games by a combined 31 points.
PHOTO: Detroit Pershing players celebrate last week's Class A District Final win over Detroit Cass Tech. (Photo courtesy of the Detroit Public School League.)
South Christian Sails Into Latest Challenge, Earns Saturday Return
By
Dean Holzwarth
Special for MHSAA.com
March 24, 2023
EAST LANSING – The Grand Rapids South Christian boys basketball team faced adversity when it lost standout sophomore Carson Vis to season-ending injuries in last week’s Regional Final.
The Sailors faced a different kind of adversity Friday in a Division 2 Semifinal, as they were tested for the first time since late January.
South Christian responded, and showed a steely resolve that put the team one step closer to a championship following a 40-35 overtime win over Romulus Summit Academy North at Breslin Center.
The Sailors will play Ferndale in Saturday’s Division 2 Final.
“We talk about adversity all the time, and we’re missing our 20 points a game star player, and so we’ve had some throughout the season,” South Christian coach Taylor Johnson said. “It builds character.”
South Christian had won 15 games in a row entering Friday, all by double digits. Summit gave the Sailors their closest game since losing to Grand Rapids Catholic Central on Jan. 24.
“We’ve been on a run here, and even as a coach, I feel like I haven’t done enough because we haven’t been in these situations,” Johnson said. “What a battle, and that’s what it’s all about. Two great teams with a lot of great players, and we found a way.”
Senior Jake DeHaan, who led the Sailors with 14 points, said he embraces playing in these types of games.
“This is what our team talks about, adversity, and we want to play in the biggest moments,” DeHaan said. “As a competitor, that's what you want to do. You want to play on the biggest stage against the best teams, and that's what we like to do.”
In a defensive struggle with points hard to come by, the Sailors maintained the lead throughout.
The Sailors took a 19-13 advantage into the half, but the Dragons rallied and cut the deficit to 23-21 with a minute left in the third quarter.
Summit’s Dominic Krzesowiak drained a 3-pointer from the top of the key to knot the score at 31-31 with 30 seconds remaining in regulation.
In overtime, Nate Brinks buried a 3-pointer for South Christian after Summit took its only lead of the game.
Junior Jake Vermaas, who finished with 12 points, then made 6 of 6 from the free throw line to keep Summit at bay.
“I just kept dribbling with my head up and knocking down free throws when we needed them,” Vermaas said. “Staying focused and locked in, and I think that’s a credit to being on a big stage like this in football and being comfortable.”
The Sailors, who won the Division 4 football championship in November, will search for their first basketball Finals title since 2005.
Summit Academy (25-3), which shot 35 percent (16-46) from the field, was playing in its first Semifinal.
“We expected it to be a defensive game and every possession to be tough,” Summit coach Mark White said. “We expected to be challenged to execute and to challenge them to execute.
“We knew it would come down to who executed the best and took advantage of their opportunities. We came to battle, and I’m very proud of our team and our program that we made it this far.”
James White led Summit with 13 points and seven rebounds. Krzesowiak finished with six points and six rebounds.
PHOTOS (Top) South Christian’s Jake Vermaas (0) makes a move toward the basket during his team’s Division 2 Semifinal win. (Middle) Summit’s Dontez Scott Jr. works to get past the Sailors’ Nate Brinks.