Performance: Jesuit's Cassius Winston
March 31, 2016
Cassius Winston
Detroit U-D Jesuit senior - Boys Basketball
Winston said his team's trip last weekend to the Breslin Center was like a final exam for his high school career – and he earned a perfect score. Winston led the Cubs to their first MHSAA basketball championship and the final victories of a 28-0 season to earn the Michigan National Guard Performance of the Week.
The 6-foot-1 guard, who earlier in the week received the state's Mr. Basketball Award as the top senior in Michigan, scored 27 points and dished 12 assists in a Semifinal win over then-undefeated Macomb Dakota to send U-D Jesuit to its first championship game. He had 31 points in the Final, making 14 of 16 shots to go with nine assists in the 69-49 win over North Farmington.
For the season, Winston averaged 21.9 points and 7.5 assists per game and also started on the U-D Jesuit teams that reached the Semifinals his sophomore and junior seasons. He has signed to continue his career at Michigan State University, and as the Detroit Free Press reported earlier this season carries a 3.5 grade-point average while taking a number of honors classes.
Coach Pat Donnelly said: "Nothing Cassius does surprises me. He's been doing this for four years. He was 14 of 16 from the floor, and a lot of that is great shot selection. He's one of the most unselfish players I've ever coached, if not the (most unselfish). The reason he shoots such a high percentage is he's talented, and he also takes great shots; he doesn't force things. If he does get double-teamed or there's help, he finds the open man."
Performance Point: "(Saturday) was definitely one of those days where I knew I had to have my best performance. It was going to be my last high school game, last chance at winning a state championship. I was just kinda zoned in, focused and ready to go. ... We've been working for this moment right here."
Hot hand: "I just do what I can. I was scoring the basketball. My teammates, they kept going to me. They kept ball-screening for me every time. If I was open, I was getting the ball because I was making shots. So they provided for me."
Openings and opportunities: "Last year we didn't have as many dudes that could score the basketball, so everyone would just be waiting in the paint for me. This year, we had Scotty (Nelson) have 13, 14 points - he's been hot from the 3-pointers. We've got Ike (Eke) and Greg (Eboigbodin) down there who would be making plays. The defense couldn't just focus on me. There's a lot out there that they have to focus on. So it was kinda easier for me to get to the basket."
Perfect finish: "Everything that you want in a basketball team, we had. Matt Schearer, I don't think he shot a shot (Saturday), maybe one if that, but he doesn't mind. He's going to play defense, he's going to rebound, he's going to do whatever you need to do. We got Ike and Greg averaging 10 points, 10 rebounds. We've got dudes that come off the bench. Everything that you would like in your basketball team, we had this year, and that's how we became successful."
Green and White: "It's just a good feeling knowing I'm going to step into that huge family that's going to support me. I know there's probably a lot of Spartan fans out there who are coming out to support me and watch me do what I do. I just want to say thank you to the Spartan family."
– Geoff Kimmerly, Second Half editor
Every week during the 2015-16 school year, Second Half and the Michigan National Guard will recognize a “Performance of the Week" from among the MHSAA's 750 member high schools.
The Michigan Army National Guard provides trained and ready forces in support of the National Military Strategy, and responds as needed to state, local, and regional emergencies to ensure peace, order, and public safety. The Guard adds value to our communities through continuous interaction. National Guard soldiers are part of the local community. Guardsmen typically train one weekend per month and two weeks in the summer. This training maintains readiness when needed, be it either to defend our nation's freedom, or protecting lives and property of Michigan citizens during a local natural disaster.
Previous 2015-16 honorees
March 23: Kierra Fletcher, Warren Cousino girls basketball - Read
March 16: Jacob Montague, Grosse Pointe South swimming & diving - Read
March 9: Kyle Tuttle, St. Charles boys bowling - Read
March 2: Brittney Schnicke, Caledonia girls bowling - Read
Feb. 24: Kamari Newman, Detroit East English boys basketball - Read
Feb. 17: Jason Whitens, Powers North Central boys basketball - Read
Feb. 10: Rachel Hogan, Grand Ledge gymnastics - Read
Feb. 3: Nehemiah Mork, Midland Dow swimming & diving - Read
Jan. 27: Mardrekia Cook, Muskegon girls basketball - Read
Jan. 20: Sage Castillo, Hartland wrestling - Read
Jan. 13: Rob Zofchak, Dexter swimming & diving - Read
Jan. 6: Tyler Deming, Caro wrestling – Read
Dec. 15: Jordan Weber, East Jordan boys basketball – Read
Dec. 8: Kaitlyn Geers, Kent City girls basketball – Read
PHOTOS: (Top) Detroit U-D Jesuit's Cassius Winston (5) looks for an open lane during Saturday's Class A Final against North Farmington. (Middle) Winston (left) and teammate Matt Schearer join the rest of the Cubs in beginning the title celebration.
Breslin Bound: Boys Report Week 11
February 20, 2017
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
This boys basketball season still has some surprises in store.
The latest proof? Check out last week’s results from the Detroit area, especially the top two listed below to kick off this week’s Breslin Bound boys report powered by MI Student Aid.
We're two weeks from the start of District tournaments, so stay tuned as a number of teams attempt to clinch league titles this week and give us our last glimpses of what we might be able to expect once the playoffs begin.
Week in Review
The countdown of last week’s five most intriguing results:
1. Detroit Cass Tech 59, Detroit Martin Luther King 47 – The Technicians are 16-3, so this can’t be considered a complete shocker, but beating perennial power King gave Cass Tech its first Detroit PSL tournament championship reportedly in at least 20 years.
2. Southfield Arts & Technology 64, Clarkston 60 – The first-year Warriors got off to a rough start but are 7-3 over their last 10 games and earned a season highlight handing Clarkston its only loss.
3. Belleville 69, Romulus 66 – Belleville avenged its one-point loss to Romulus on Jan. 20 to earn a shared Western Wayne Athletic Conference Blue title with the Eagles.
4. Southfield Christian 73, Cornerstone Health & Technology 55 – Southfield Christian has rounded in Class D championship shape, showing it again against a potential Class C contender in Cornerstone.
5. East Lansing 66, Holt 61 – The Trojans remain one of only three undefeated teams in Class A despite losing a key scorer to injury and beating the Rams twice by only a combined nine points on the way to clinching a share of the Capital Area Activities Conference Blue title.
Watch List
With an eye toward March, here are two teams in each class making sparks:
CLASS A
Parma Western (14-3) – The Panthers have improved from 8-13 two seasons ago and 12-9 last winter to lead the Interstate 8 Athletic Conference with two league games to play. What’s more, Parma Western also is a one-point loss and another defeat in overtime from 16-1.
Portage Central (14-2) – After improving by 10 wins from 2014-15 to last winter, Portage Central can close out an outright championship in the Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference West after sharing it with two others last season. The Mustangs earned a share this time by beating Portage Northern on Friday.
CLASS B
Hudsonville Unity Christian (14-3) – A 2-3 start was tough, but the Crusaders are unbeaten since the calendar turned to 2017. They clinched the Ottawa-Kent Conference Green title after finishing second and 16-9 overall a year ago.
Wyoming Godwin Heights (17-0) – Few teams in any sport have been as consistent as Godwin Heights this decade. The Wolverines are closing in on a sixth straight season of at least 20 wins and definitely look good to make a deep tournament run after reaching the Regional Semifinals last winter. They can clinch the O-K Silver title Tuesday against Wyoming Lee.
CLASS C
Morley Stanwood (14-2) – A 44-43 win over Kent City avenged an earlier loss and gave the Mohawks a share of the Central State Activities Association Silver title. Morley Stanwood finished second in the league to Kent City last season, but only 9-11 overall.
Riverview Gabriel Richard (15-1) – A two-point loss to Marine City Cardinal Mooney two weeks ago has been the only slip-up as Gabriel Richard won its division of the Detroit Catholic League and its first-round game in the C-D Tournament. The league title was the Pioneers’ fifth straight; next, they’ll try to improve on last season’s Regional Final appearance.
CLASS D
Owendale-Gagetown (14-2) – A 49-45 win over Burton Faith on Thursday gave Owendale-Gagetown a share of the Inner State Athletic Conference title. The Bulldogs started this season 1-2 but have rebounded nicely after making the move from the Michigan Summit League.
Sterling Heights Parkway Christian (11-4) – The Eagles have climbed from second last season to first in the Michigan Independent Athletic Conference Red with three league games left. They bounced back from back-to-back losses to beat second-place Rochester Hills Lutheran Northwest 74-72 on Friday.
Can't-Miss Contests
Be on the lookout for results of these games coming up:
Tuesday – Ottawa Lake Whiteford (15-2) at Sand Creek (15-0) – Sand Creek’s 17-point win last month was Whiteford’s only Tri-Country Conference loss; a win this time would clinch Sand Creek the league title.
Tuesday – Walled Lake Northern (13-4) at Walled Lake Western (13-4) – These neighbors split during the regular season as Western won the Kensington Lakes Activities Association North title; they meet this time in the Lakes playoffs.
Tuesday – Powers North Central (16-0) at Munising (15-2) – The Jets have pushed their MHSAA record and the longest active winning streak in the nation to 71 straight, but Munising could provide one of the toughest challenges so far.
Tuesday – Mount Pleasant (9-6) at Saginaw (14-3) – It got some headlines when the Oilers handed Saginaw its lone Saginaw Valley League North loss Jan. 20; the Trojans no doubt have circled this rematch.
Friday – Rochester Hills Stoney Creek (14-3) at Oxford (14-2) – Depending on how the rest of this week unfolds, Stoney Creek could clinch the Oakland Activities Association Blue title, or Oxford could move into a first-place tie.
PHOTO: Wyoming Godwin Heights, here against Belding, is three wins from a perfect regular-season finish and remains one of two undefeated teams in Class B. (Click for more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.