Moment: Rouge, Betts Win 4th Straight
April 15, 2020
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Willie Betts remains the only athlete in Michigan high school history to play on four MHSAA championship basketball teams, a feat he completed as part of River Rouge's fourth-straight Class B title winner in 1964.
This time, Betts helped the Panthers to an 86-67 win over Lakeview in the Final.
Fred Hudson led the way for the Panthers, scoring 31 points. The victory also was the 100th in MHSAA Tournament play for legendary Rouge coach Lofton Greene. River Rouge finished the 1963-64 season 24-1, losing just once for the third-straight winter.
Moment: Orioles' Winner Unforgettable
March 24, 2020
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Ludington’s Joshua Laman couldn’t have picked a better time to drill his first 3-pointer of the 2016-17 season.
Today’s #MHSAAMoments highlight relives a shot we said the Orioles, and River Rouge, likely would never forget.
On March 24, 2017, Laman made his first 3-pointer that winter to send Ludington – playing in its first Semifinal in this sport since 1971 – to its first MHSAA boys basketball championship game since 1953 with a 51-50 win over the Panthers.
Ludington coach Thad Shank after: “He’s thinking that when I get back in that locker room, he’s going to look Coach Shank in the eye and say, ‘Told you coach I should be shooting these 3s all year long.’ I know that’s what he’s thinking.”
Click to read Second Half's coverage – Stunner Sends Ludington to Saturday – and watch the shot below with coverage from the NFHS Network.