Moment: Rouge Runs Title Streak to 5

April 16, 2020

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

After setting the Lower Peninsula record the season before, River Rouge completed the streak that remains the standard for boys basketball programs with a fifth-straight MHSAA Finals title in 1965.

The Panthers won Class B for the fifth-consecutive season by downing South Haven 87-65. Rouge led only 54-52 after three quarters, but scored 33 points during the final period to seal the clincher.

The 87 total points also broke a Rouge Class B Final record set the year before (86) and remained the record (tied in 2003 by Grand Rapids South Christian) until Class was replaced by Division for basketball tournament classification in 2019.

Frank Price led with 28 points. Sam Campbell added 16. Rouge finished the season 24-2. (Side note: Price's daughter Franthea led Rouge to its first MHSAA girls basketball title, in 1984.)

Only Crystal Falls (now Forest Park), with six straight championships from 1938-44, has won more consecutive MHSAA titles in boys basketball, and that streak came during a time when separate tournaments were conducted by peninsula. Crystal Falls’ streak skips the 1943 season, when Finals weren’t played because of World War II.

Brandywine Seizes Momentum on Dunk, Rides Surge to 1st Championship Win

By Steve Vedder
Special for MHSAA.com

March 16, 2024

EAST LANSING – It may be a stretch to believe a lone play early in a third quarter could decide a state championship game, but that's the best explanation Niles Brandywine could offer.

A steal and ensuing slam dunk ignited eight dominating minutes that earned the Bobcats their first MHSAA Finals title with Saturday's 56-48 win over Detroit Old Redford in Division 3 at the Breslin Center.

A steal and subsequent dunk by senior guard Jaremiah Palmer during the third period's opening seconds were what players credited with turning around a contest which saw Brandywine actually outscore Old Redford in just that one quarter.

"Jaremiah got the steal and the dunk, and we just kept it going after that," senior guard Byron Linley said. "We saw his intensity, and we wanted to match it."

Jamier Palmer (1) raises the trophy surrounded by teammates. Prior to Palmer's steal and basket, Niles Brandywine had led only 4-1 midway through the first quarter and for less than three minutes of the second quarter, entering halftime down 24-23.

But Palmer's exploits kicked off a 20-5 third-quarter surge which led the Bobcats to as much as a 44-31 lead halfway through the period.

"Our goal was to come here and win and finish (the season) in a good way, and we did," Jaremiah Palmer said.

Senior guard Jamier Palmer said it wasn't the first time the Bobcats have rallied in the second half, and the steal and dunk were at least a key part of the championship win.

"I think so," he said. "We've been down before and fought our way back. Against Benton Harbor we were down like 20 points, and we still made that game ours."

Senior center Brock Dye said at halftime players talked about making a big play.

"We knew we had to change things, that we couldn't be one stop short," he said. "Then we got the dunk, and everything changed quickly. It energized us. We told ourselves, 'OK, we're here to play.'"

Brandywine coach Nate Knapp, whose team has won 51 games over the last two seasons, said while the steal and dunk played a part, he also credited defense. The team gave up an average of just 39 points over seven tournament wins. Old Redford (21-8) shot just 38 percent from the floor while missing 16 of 18 3-point attempts.

"We have five guys on the floor and one heartbeat," Knapp said. "We take things one step at a time. That's what we preach, and that's what the kids buy into."

Old Redford’s Jaylin Muldrow (1) gets to the basket with Jaremiah Palmer defending. Jaremiah Palmer finished with18 points, six rebounds and three steals while Ja'Torian Smith had seven points and 10 rebounds.

Sophomore Jaylin Muldrow had 14 points and Ja'Quan Stennis added 10 for Old Redford. The Ravens started only one senior in forward Justin Adams, while underclassmen scored all 48 points.

Old Redford coach Ray Reeves said the team settled for jump shots instead of getting the ball inside, and also set far too many picks on offense. Brandywine held a 36-27 advantage on the boards, with 13 offensive rebounds.

"They were more aggressive than us, and I think experience came into play," he said. "We've been outrebounding teams, and tonight they killed us. There are no excuses, we just didn't rebound or get to the line. They dominated both.

"From the middle of the first quarter on, they attacked the boards and got the ball down the floor. They did the things that got us here."

Knapp said defense has been a strength all season.

"Defense wins big games; you've got to defend," he said. "We said tonight we've got to do one of our best jobs of stopping their penetration and help box out. We came out and imposed our will in the third quarter.”

Click for the full box score.

PHOTOS (Top) Jaremiah Palmer slam dunks during Niles Brandywine’s Division 3 championship win Saturday at Breslin Center. (Middle) Jamier Palmer (1) raises the trophy surrounded by teammates. (Below) Old Redford’s Jaylin Muldrow (1) gets to the basket with Jaremiah Palmer defending. (Photos by Hockey Weekly Action Photos.)