Stars Collide Again in 1988 Flashback
August 11, 2016
By John Johnson
MHSAA Communications Director
A fourth-quarter comeback during the 1988 Class B Boys Basketball Final highlights this week’s 80s Finals Flashback series on MHSAA.tv.
The seventh game in our weekly summer series is the future Michigan State star-laden clash between Grand Rapids South Christian and Redford Bishop Borgess.
Here’s a look at this week’s game:
Week of August 8 – Grand Rapids South Christian 69, Redford Bishop Borgess 66 – 1988 Class B Boys Basketball Final - A battle of future Michigan State University players was a feature of the Class B showdown. Matt Steigenga of Grand Rapids South Christian and Parish Hickman, the 6-foot-7, 205-pound forward from Redford Bishop Borgess, were the focal points of the game. Leading 53-45 after three quarters, Borgess appeared to be in the driver's seat. However, Steigenga began a Sailors comeback with a thundering dunk off an offensive rebound to open the fourth quarter of play. South Christian scored eight of the next 10 points, tying the contest at 55 with 5:29 remaining. Despite picking up his fourth personal foul before the end of the first half, Steigenga grabbed six offensive rebounds in the final frame, while Mark Wierenga scored eight of his 21 points as the Sailors moved past Borgess, 69-66. The Spartans had one last chance when sophomore Shawn Respert hit a 3-pointer with 10 seconds remaining to pull Borgess within three. The future MSU star launched a 35-footer at the buzzer that could have tied the game, but the shot bounced off the rim. Steigenga and Hickman each finished with 21 points. (Watch that Steigenga fourth-quarter dunk by Clicking Here)
A new game will be posted online each Monday through the week of August 22. DVDs may be purchased directly from the MHSAA.tv Website – just click the “Get DVD” button below the player.
Previous Flashbacks
August 1: Dearborn Divine Child 50, Okemos 45 (OT) – 1986 Class B Girls Basketball Final - Watch
July 25: Muskegon 16, Detroit Martin Luther King 13 – 1988 Class A Football Final - Watch
July 19: Northport 80, Beal City 78 – 1988 Class D Boys Basketball Final - Watch
July 12: Detroit Cass Tech 52, Saginaw 51 – 1987 Class A Girls Basketball Final - Watch
July 5: Traverse City 24, Detroit Catholic Central 14 – 1988 Class A Football Final - Watch
June 28: Saginaw Buena Vista 33, Flint Beecher 32 – 1986 Class B Boys Basketball Final - Watch
'Running' Raiders Pull Away with Scoring Bursts, Stifling Defense
By
Steve Vedder
Special for MHSAA.com
March 15, 2024
EAST LANSING – All it took for North Farmington to roll into the MHSAA Finals was staying calm.
Well, maybe it was also a puzzling defense and a handful of mini-runs on offense that contributed to Friday's 58-39 downing of Zeeland West in a Division 1 Semifinal at the Breslin Center.
Whatever it was, the win earned North Farmington (24-2) another crack at Oakland County rival Orchard Lake St. Mary's (26-1) in Saturday's 12:15 p.m. final. St. Mary's has ousted North Farmington from the last two MHSAA Tournaments.
While the Raiders did much right, it's easy to start with an offense which produced points in runs.
"We talk about runs all the time," said North Farmington coach Todd Negoshian, whose teams have won more than 200 games during his 13 seasons. "We want them to end other teams' runs and extend ours. We preach that it's a game of runs, which is important for us."
North Farmington scored the game's first seven points, and then when Zeeland West closed to within 13-11 early in the second quarter, the Raiders scored 12 of the next 18 points. They all but clinched the win with a 23-14 advantage in the third quarter.
At least some of those runs can be attributed to the team's demeanor, Negoshian said.
"At the start of the second quarter we calmed down and played within ourselves," he said. "We did a better job of calming down. It was very important in the second quarter that we kept our momentum going and stayed on the right track."
The other side of the coin was defense. North Farmington held Zeeland West (20-8) to just 30.8 percent (12 of 39) shooting from the floor, and only five 3-pointers in 21 attempts.
"Forty points is our benchmark," Raiders senior guard Landon Williams said. "Coach preaches that every day. Giving up 10 points a quarter is what we do. (Defense) is something we keep in perspective. We know that's what it takes to win games."
"We feel like we wear people out," Negoshian said of the defense. "Wearing people out is a big part of our success. It's a big key defensively."
Senior guard Tyler Spratt led North Farmington with 19 points and six rebounds. Williams had 14 points, five assists and three steals.
"We preach that basketball is a game of runs," Spratt said. "It's something we try to do every game – limit the other team's runs."
Zeeland West coach David Klyn said his team never did solve the Raiders' defense.
"They play a style of defense that is very difficult to go against – and they amped it up a level," he said. "They're hard to beat. You can credit that to chaos. It's the most difficult defense I've ever seen. When you get down against them, it's hard to come back."
"It's one of the most difficult defenses I've faced," said Dux Mr. Basketball Award finalist Merritt Alderink, who was held to nine points, four below his average. "It's hard to get anything going because they're all over the place."
Negoshian and his players are plenty familiar with their next opponent.
"They're four miles down the road, and the players know each other well," he said. "Trey (St. Mary’s star McKenney) is the best player in the state, and we know it's running the gauntlet to play them."
PHOTOS (Top) North Farmington’s Landon Williams (10) gets a shot up over the outstretched arm of Zeeland West’s Trenten Bolhouse. (Middle) The Raiders’ Rob Smith (1) finds an opening in the post. (Photos by Hockey Weekly Action Photos.)