Breslin Bound: Boys Report Week 1
December 14, 2015
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
One week can tell only so much about a season just beginning. But plenty of hopeful Michigan high school boys teams hope last week's successes are an indication of more to come.
Each week during the regular season, we’ll glance at four teams from each class that have caught our attention, and this week's list includes a handful off to bounce-back starts. Results and records below are based on schedules posted at MHSAA.com.
Class A
Ann Arbor Pioneer (3-0) – Pioneer improved from six wins two seasons ago to 12 in 2014-15, and is a quarter of the way there again after a week that included a 71-64 overtime win over rival Skyline; Pioneer beat Skyline in the District last year after losing twice to the Eagles during the regular season.
Caledonia (2-0) – The Fighting Scots won close last week, 49-47 over Hastings and 73-67 over Byron Center, a couple of victories worth celebrating as the team works to rebound off a 5-16 finish from a year ago.
Grand Rapids Union (2-0) – After ending 9-13 last winter, Union could be a candidate for significant improvement as well; the Red Hawks opened with a 53-39 win over reigning Class C runner-up Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian and followed with a 54-53 nail-biter over Detroit Loyola.
Lake Orion (2-0) – The improvement has been immediate for the Dragons, who defeated Linden 66-62 and then Romeo 71-52; last season they won three games total and didn’t get their first victory until Feb. 4.
Class B
Coldwater (2-0) – Coming off the best football season in school history, the Cardinals are keeping the good times rolling; a year ago, an overtime loss to Marshall in the season’s second game started a 10-game losing streak and Coldwater finished 5-16, but this time the Cardinals followed another opening-night win over Battle Creek Lakeview with an 80-73 win over the Redhawks.
Chelsea (2-0) – Fresh off its first trip to the MHSAA Football Finals, Chelsea (9-13 a season ago) kicked off the winter with a 55-45 win over Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard and 50-39 win over a Milan team that made it to the Class B Semifinals in March.
Croswell-Lexington (1-0) – Last week’s 39-35 victory over Marine City was only one, but significant after the Pioneers finished 5-16 a year ago and didn’t win their first game until Jan. 9. They’ll look to get to 2-0 tonight against Memphis.
Lansing Catholic (2-0) – The Cougars quickly switched gears after a Semifinal football run to open with wins over nonleague rival Okemos (50-44) and Capital Area Activities Conference White rival Williamston (72-69 in overtime), the team it tied for the league title last season.
Class C
Addison (2-0) – The Panthers finished a 12-12 season strong last winter with a District title, and started this one similarly by defeating Hudson (44-42) and Quincy (40-37) after losing to Quincy by 40 points the last time they met.
Detroit Allen Academy (1-0) – Detroit Allen played only once last week, but made a statement with a 107-79 win over Class A Southfield; the Wildcats were 11-11 a year ago.
Flint Beecher (3-0) – What a way to start a new season: Beat a local rival in Flint Southwestern (77-49) and raise last season’s championship banner on opening night, then down Montrose 65-41 and Class A Detroit East English 72-69.
Johannesburg-Lewiston (2-0) – A year has made a difference for these Cardinals as well, as they beat Boyne Falls on opening night after losing by 25 to the same opponent in December 2014 on the way to finishing a solid 16-7.
Class D
Chassell (2-0) – After starting last season 0-3, the Panthers are off to a quick start to improving on last season’s 7-14 finish. They downed Watersmeet 84-53 and Baraga 64-61 after losing to them by 35 and 23 points, respectively, a year ago.
Hillman (2-0) – The Tigers are hoping to build on last season’s Quarterfinal run, which ended with a loss to eventual champion Powers North Central; they started this time with a 60-43 win over Cedarville, which lost only once last season and beat Hillman by 15 on opening night 2014.
Portland St. Patrick (2-0) – The Shamrocks are seeking their first winning season since 2011-12 and are off to the right start with victories over Morrice (39-34) and Bellevue (52-50). Brandon Schreurer made six 3-pointers against the Broncos.
Rogers City (2-0) – The Hurons started 2-0 last season too en route to 8-13. But if the second win of last week is an indication, this will be different as Rogers City broke 80 points for the first time since 2012 with an 87-54 victory over Posen.
PHOTO: Standish-Sterling also opened 2-0 with a win over Ogemaw Heights followed by this victory over Beal City. (Click for more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)
Menominee Extends Downstate Stay to Championship Day with 'Powerful' Performance
By
Keith Dunlap
Special for MHSAA.com
March 24, 2022
EAST LANSING - The chants from the Menominee student section said it all during the final minute of the first Division 3 Boys Basketball Semifinal on Thursday at Michigan State University’s Breslin Center.
“U.P. power! U.P power!”
Indeed, Menominee represented the Upper Peninsula loud and proud, taking a big early lead, withstanding a furious second-half rally, and then pulling away late for a 74-56 win over Ecorse.
Menominee advanced to its first MHSAA Finals championship game since it won the Class B crown in 1967.
“It’s kind of surreal,” said Menominee senior Brady Schultz.
It was a balanced effort for Menominee, led by Schultz, who had a game-high 26 points to go along with seven rebounds.
Senior Cooper Conway had 18 points and nine rebounds, senior Aidan Bellisle had 12 points and 10 assists and senior Brady Badker added 10 points for Menominee (23-3).
The Maroons showcased their ability to handle what a quick Ecorse team threw at them, displaying their length, ball movement and athleticism.
“That’s been something that’s been our trait and our characteristic all season long,” Menominee coach Sam Larson said. “We are fairly long, and we think we are pretty athletic. I know there is probably a difference in athleticism most times when the U.P. teams come down to play Lower Peninsula teams. But we think we match up athletically with most teams in the state in our division.”
Schultz said a game earlier in the season against Milwaukee Bradley Tech helped his team simulate the quickness and defensive pressure Ecorse offered.
“When we handle the pressure well, we get open shots and dump offs,” Schultz said. “Bradley Tech pretty much helped us with that game.”
Ecorse scored the first five points over the opening 1:34 of the game. But Menominee responded with a 12-0 run over the next three minutes and never looked back.
The Maroons held a 19-13 lead going into the second quarter, and with a 7-2 run took a 36-18 lead with 1:56 remaining until halftime.
Menominee ended up taking a 41-23 lead into the locker room at the break, shooting 51.7 percent from the field overall (15 of 29) and making 7 of 14 shots from 3-point range.
The Maroons also forced 12 turnovers during the first half.
Ecorse came out with more urgency in the second half, employing full-court pressure, hitting some shots and getting back in the game.
The Raiders scored almost as many points during the third quarter (22) as they did in the first half, cutting the Menominee lead to 53-45 entering the fourth quarter.
The lead continued to shrink, with Ecorse cutting the Menominee advantage to 57-52 with 6:11 remaining after a deep 3-pointer by junior Kenneth Morrast Jr.
“I thought we got tentative offensively,” Larson said. “We wanted to just pass it around and run the clock, and that’s not where we are at our best. If we get an open shot, we have to go after it.”
However, Menominee held firm for the next few minutes, keeping a 63-56 lead with 2:38 remaining before putting the game away.
Effectively breaking the Ecorse press, getting stops and making free throws, Menominee went on an 11-0 run, punctuated by a Schultz dunk, to take a 74-56 lead with just over 57 seconds remaining.
Ecorse (9-13), which had to forfeit 10 games during the regular season, was playing in its first Semifinal since 1980.
Morrast scored 20 points, and sophomore Dennell Kemp added 15 for the Raiders.
Ecorse coach Gerrod Abram said he was proud of how his team rallied from a big deficit in the first half, but his squad simply ran out of gas.
“We dug a hole for ourselves that we just couldn’t get out of,” Abram said. “But I’m just so very proud of my team and these young men here.”
PHOTOS (Top) Menominee’s Brady Schultz (24) gets his hands on a loose ball during Thursday’s Division 3 Semifinal win over Ecorse. (Middle) The Maroons celebrate advancing to the championship game. (Click for more from Hockey Weekly Action Photos.)