Buzzer Beater Sends Laingsburg to Final
March 21, 2013
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
EAST LANSING – Had the final second of Thursday’s Class C Semifinal ended differently, Shaun McKinney surely would’ve felt worse about three lay-ins he missed during the game’s first 31 minutes.
Good thing he got one more chance to score the most meaningful points in Laingsburg basketball history.
With two tenths of a second remaining, the Wolfpack senior banked a layup from the left side of the glass to cement himself in Michigan hoops history – and send his team to its first MHSAA championship game.
McKinney’s make gave Laingsburg a 45-43 victory in front of what had to be most of the residents of his small town located just 15 miles northeast of the Breslin Center, and set his neighbors up for a return visit Saturday when the Wolfpack faces reigning champion Flint Beecher at 4:30 p.m..
“I was just saving them,” McKinney said of his early misses. “I knew it was going to come down to the last one. I had to make sure I saved one.”
The shot was described after as “legendary” and one “to remember” by those who played a part. And McKinney’s focus in that brief moment was laudable.
But he also was the end recipient of two more heads-up plays by senior teammates Jake Zielinski and Zach Walker.
With the score tied 50-50 and 52 seconds left, Zielinski made a bit of an overly-aggressive decision. He tried to take on three defenders in the Negaunee lane and had his shot blocked by Miners senior Andrew Katona.
But Zielinski would get another chance.
During a Negaunee timeout with 30 seconds left, Wolfpack coach Greg Mitchell reminded his players they had a foul to give and told them to keep the pressure high. And if one grabbed a rebound or made a steal, the rest should “just go” to the basket, he said. “I would’ve sent seven guys if I could have.”
Negaunee did get off a final shot with nine seconds to play. But the rebound fell right to Zielinski below the basket, and after a few dribbles he fired a near-fullcourt football pass down the right side of the floor to a streaking Walker.
“Just don’t overthrow it. Just give them a chance to make a play,” Zielinski recalled of his thought as he threw.
Walker couldn’t corral the pass in the air – but did grab it off the first bounce. As he began sailing out of bounds, Walker fired the ball back to McKinney, who scored the last and most important of his 16 points. (Click to watch the game's final minute.)
“Obviously, you think as a coach that you’re in a position that you want to be in, 39 seconds and you have the ball in a tie game. But it just didn’t work out for us,” Negaunee coach Michael O’Donnell said. “As a coach, it’s tough. There’s not much you can say in the locker room. After a fun, exciting, successful season, there’s not a whole lot you can say.”
Aside from the final second, the teams battled to nearly a statistical draw.
Both shot between 35-37 percent from the floor and finished with one rebound and one turnover of each other's totals.
Laingsburg (24-2) led most of the game, but didn’t open up its largest advantage of six until sophomore Ryan Wade hit a 3-pointer with 2:32 remaining. Negaunee senior Tanner Uren scored five points and junior guard Tyler Jandron also drained a 3-pointer to pull the score back even heading into the final minute.
“Coming out, it definitely was a bigger stage than we thought it was going to be,” Uren said. “But by halftime, all of those jitters were gone, and after we came out (for the third quarter), we finally played our game. We said, we’re going to get back in it.”
Zielinski led the Wolfpack with 18 points and eight rebounds, and McKinney had four steals. Uren had 16 points and nine rebounds to lead Negaunee, and Jandron added 12 points and four assists.
The Miners, ranked No. 3 entering the tournament, finished 24-2.
PHOTOS: (Top) Laingsburg's Shaun McKinney scores two of his 16 points in Thursday's Semifinal. (Middle) Laingsburg's Zach Walker (12) looks for a teammate as Negaunee's Tyler Jandron defends. (Photos by Hockey Weekly Action Photos.)
Breslin Bound: 2023-24 Boys Report Week 9
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
January 29, 2024
It’s final four time for all 729 of Michigan’s boys basketball teams.
This one doesn’t have all the glitz and glam of March’s, of course. But only four weeks remain this regular season, and every team is involved as league titles are being decided, seeding scenarios are shifting, and even the hundreds not involved in either can build toward a fresh start when District play begins.
“Breslin Bound” is powered by MI Student Aid and based on results and schedules posted for each school at MHSAA.com.
Week in Review
The countdown of last week’s five most intriguing results:
1. Detroit Cass Tech 50, Detroit Martin Luther King 45 (OT) The Technicians (12-1) set themselves up to clinch a share of the Detroit Public School League Blue title two days later against Pershing, but like last season could see King (12-4) again in the PSL Tournament.
2. Warren Lincoln 62, East Lansing 54 The Abes (12-2) may have cemented themselves as midseason favorites in Division 2 by handing the Division 1 Trojans (13-1) their only loss, at Detroit Cass Tech’s Downtown Showdown.
3. Grand Rapids Northview 57, North Farmington 51 Northview (11-1) continued its Division 1 climb at the 2K24 Showcase at Aquinas College by handing North Farmington (13-1) its only defeat.
4. East Lansing 66, Okemos 54 While Saturday’s loss no doubt was disappointing, the Trojans (13-1) were coming off a massive win locally as Okemos (12-2) might be next up in the conversation for the Lansing area’s best.
5. Jackson Lumen Christi 62, Riverview Gabriel Richard 49 The Titans (12-1) took over first place alone in the Catholic High School League AA by handing Richard (12-2) its only league loss.
Watch List
With an eye toward March, here are two teams in each division making sparks:
DIVISION 1
Ann Arbor Huron (10-2) Few teams statewide had a better week than Huron, which vaulted to the top of the Southeastern Conference Red standings by a half-game by handing the first league losses to Ypsilanti Lincoln (58-45) and Saline (65-52). The River Rats then downed Hamtramck 68-47 at Belleville’s Fast Break Invitational, adding to a growing resume as they look to build on last season’s Quarterfinal run.
Grand Rapids Northview (11-1) As noted above, Northview is coming off handing North Farmington its only loss, and they will face a similar challenge in Ann Arbor Huron (above) on Saturday as part of the second round of 2K24 Showcase games. The Wildcats’ only loss came to another Division 1 contender, Detroit King, 54-53 at East Kentwood two weekends ago. All of those matchups are great prep for the MHSAA Tournament, but in the meantime Northview is tied for first with Grand Rapids Christian in the Ottawa-Kent Conference White with their matchups coming up Feb. 9 and 14.
DIVISION 2
Hudsonville Unity Christian (10-4) Unity Christian is 6-0 for the 2024 calendar year, corresponding with a 6-0 start to the O-K Blue schedule that has included handing Coopersville (12-2) its only league defeat, 58-56. The early going saw nice wins over Grand Rapids Covenant Christian and Schoolcraft and also solid losses to Zeeland West, Grandville, Grand Rapids South Christian and Hudsonville High. The Crusaders’ biggest game left surely is the Coopersville rematch, Feb. 16 at home.
Onsted (9-4) The Wildcats trail only Dundee in the Lenawee County Athletic Association, and talk about good losses – Onsted’s defeats were to the Vikings (14-1), Stockbridge (11-4) and Freeland (12-1). Onsted also has notable wins over Michigan Center (11-3), Wayne Memorial (7-4) and Ida (10-4) among others and will host Dundee in the rematch Feb. 10 as the Wildcats look to keep their league title streak alive with at least a shared championship this time.
DIVISION 3
Benzie Central (11-2) After tying for second in the Northwest Conference and finishing 12-12 overall last season, Benzie took major steps last week toward regaining the title and eclipsing last season’s overall win total. A 60-51 victory over reigning champ Glen Lake left the Huskies as the only undefeated team in league play, and they capped the week with a 58-55 overtime win over Division 1 Bay City Western at the Jeff McDonald Memorial Showcase at Cadillac. December losses to Big Rapids (9-4) and Menominee (10-3) gave Benzie early looks at tough competition as well.
Sanford Meridian (10-2) The Mustangs have a two-game lead in a Jack Pine Conference where five of eight teams have eight or more wins, and after finishing runners-up in the league the last three seasons. They’ve earned all 10 of their wins by at least 13 points. The losses came to Division 2 Frankenmuth and Division 1 Macomb L’Anse Creuse North, both before the new calendar year began, and Meridian will test itself against likely its toughest regular season challenge Feb. 13 at Freeland.
DIVISION 4
Bellevue (10-1) The Broncos are a one-point December loss to Delton Kellogg from a perfect first half of the season, and they’ve won 39 straight league games (and eight straight championships) as they sit atop the Southern Central Athletic Association West standings. Bellevue also is halfway to a seventh 20-win season over the last eight, with the lone sub-20 season when it finished 13-4 in COVID-shortened 2020-21. Second-place Battle Creek St. Philip hosts the Broncos on Friday, and next week’s matchup with Hillsdale Academy is on the radar as well.
Wyoming Tri-unity Christian (10-2) Last season’s Division 4 runner-up is revving for another run, having defeated Wyoming Godwin Heights and handed Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart its only loss while falling only to Grand Rapids Covenant Christian (10-5) by two and Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central (11-4) by four points. The Godwin win avenged a 2022-23 loss, and two dates to circle are Friday against Wyoming Lee and Feb. 22 against Potter’s House Christian. Both also defeated Tri-unity last season as Lee went on to win the Alliance League instead.
Can’t-Miss Contests
Be on the lookout for results of these games coming up:
Tuesday – Muskegon Reeths-Puffer (12-1) at Muskegon (10-0) – Reeths-Puffer got within four points of the Big Reds in last season’s Division 1 District Final, and this time they meet tied for first in the O-K Green.
Tuesday – Benton Harbor (16-0) at Kalamazoo Central (8-3) – The Division 2 Tigers’ perfect season will be on the line when they visit the Division 1 Maroon Giants.
Friday – Traverse City West (11-4) at Cadillac (12-1) – The Vikings bounced back from their lone loss by defeating Dearborn Fordson in overtime Saturday, and they can take a sizable step toward wrapping up the Big North Conference title by finishing a season sweep of second-place West.
Saturday – Orchard Lake St. Mary’s (12-1) vs. East Lansing (13-1) at Aquinas College – The second round of this season’s 2K24 Showcase should end up one of the most exciting single days of hoops competition in the state this regular season, with this 6 p.m. tip offering arguably the premier matchup.
Saturday – Muskegon (10-0) vs. Grand Rapids Christian (11-1) at Aquinas College – 2K24 finishes with this 7:30 p.m. meeting of potential Breslin-Bound contenders in Divisions 1 and 2, respectively.
MHSAA.com's weekly “Breslin Bound” previews and reviews are powered by MI Student Aid, a division within the Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP). MI Student Aid encourages students to pursue postsecondary education by providing access to student financial resources and information. MI Student Aid administers the state’s scholarship and grant programs that help make college Accessible, Affordable and Attainable for you. Connect with MI Student Aid at www.michigan.gov/mistudentaid and find more information on Facebook and Twitter @mistudentaid.
PHOTOS (Top) Muskegon’s M’Khi Guy (3) gets to the basket during his team’s 63-45 win over Ferndale on Jan. 6. (Middle) Beal City and LeRoy Pine River face off Jan. 22; the Aggies won 67-39. (Top photo by Tim Reilly; middle photo by High School Sports Scene.)