Hoops on Film: 1954 Class A Boys Final

July 2, 2015

By John Johnson
MHSAA communications director

This week's installment of MHSAA.tv's Hoops on Film series features the first championship victory for one of Michigan's most accomplished boys basketball programs. 

This is the second of 10 games being brought back to MHSAA.tv this summer. From the late 1940’s to the mid 1970’s the Michigan High School Athletic Association shot portions of the action at its basketball finals on 16mm film. The films were loaned out, primarily to the participating schools, to help them relive the moments of playing in a championship game.

While many of the old films have wandered astray over time, about 60 games still exist in the MHSAA archives. Anyone in possession of such a film is encouraged to contact John Johnson at the MHSAA Office ([email protected]) to discuss having the film converted to a digital format.

Some of the films only have portions of the second half and the postgame awards; some have most of the action. None of the films have sound. They range in length from 10 minutes to about an hour. A new film will be posted online each Monday through the week of August 17.

The game recap below is courtesy of MHSAA Historian Ron Pesch of Muskegon.

Muskegon Heights 43, Flint Northern 41 (OT) – 1954 Class A Boys Final - After three visits to the MHSAA Semifinals, Muskegon Heights grabbed its first-ever title with a 43-41 overtime win over Flint Northern at Jenison Field House in East Lansing. Tied at 41-41 at the end of regulation, the Vikings opted to hold the ball for nearly three minutes of the extra period, after the Tigers missed two shots following the opening tip-off. But as Vikings guard Bob Failing drove in for the final shot, he was called for a charging foul. Under the rules of the time, Murt Johnson of the Heights stepped to the line, and calmly sank two free throws for the only points of OT. Future University of Michigan star M.C. Burton scored 22 points to pace the Heights.

Previous releases:
1973 Class C Boys Final: Detroit East Catholic 50, Saginaw St. Stephen 49 - Watch

Today in the MHSAA: 5/13/24

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

May 13, 2024

1. TRACK & FIELD Zeeland East’s girls – ranked No. 5 in Lower Peninsula Division 1 – won their seventh straight Ottawa-Kent Conference Green championship meet title, and LPD1 No. 3 Zeeland West won on the boys side – Holland Sentinel Girls | Boys | Athletic.net

2. TRACK & FIELD The LPD1 No. 4 Traverse City West girls extended their Big North Conference championship meet streak to three, while Central’s boys ended West’s three-year title run – Traverse City Record-Eagle | Athletic.net

3. BASEBALL Division 1 top-ranked Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice shut out Orchard Lake St. Mary’s 3-0 in the Catholic High School League Bishop championship game – Oakland Press

4. BOYS LACROSSE Temperance Bedford clinched a share of its first Southeastern Conference Red title in this sport with a 16-6 win over Ann Arbor Huron – Monroe News

5. TRACK & FIELD The Corunna boys and Owosso girls repeated as Flint Metro League Stars meet champions, and the Linden girls and Fenton boys won in the Stripes – Owosso Argus-Press | Athletic.net

6. TRACK & FIELD Sturgis swept Wolverine Conference championship meet wins – Sturgis Journal | Athletic.net

7. TRACK & FIELD The Freeland girls and Saginaw Heritage boys won Korf/Schultz Saginaw County Invitational team titles – Saginaw News | Athletic.net

8. TRACK & FIELD Bay City Western swept Bay County championships, the boys for the 15th-straight season and the girls for the fifth consecutive – Bay City Times | Athletic.net

9. GIRLS LACROSSE Novi defeated Flint Powers Catholic 16-6 as the Wildcats’ Ally Katinas scored her 100th goal this season and 200th of her career – Oakland Press

10. TRACK & FIELD The LPD2 No. 5 Hudsonville Unity Christian girls and No. 2 Hamilton boys won O-K Blue meet titles, while the LPD1 top-ranked East Kentwood girls and No. 2 Rockford boys won in the O-K Red – Holland Sentinel | Athletic.net Blue | Athletic.net Red

Also of note …

TRACK & FIELD Northville swept the Kensington Lakes Activities Association championship meet titles – Livingston Daily Press & Argus | Athletic.net

TRACK & FIELD The Hart girls and North Muskegon boys won West Michigan Conference Rivers championship meets – Ludington Daily News | Athletic.net

TRACK & FIELD The Ludington girls and LPD2 No. 7  Whitehall boys won in the WMC Lakes – Ludington Daily News | Athletic.net