Flashback: Cass Tech Comes Back

July 12, 2016

By John Johnson
MHSAA Communications Director

The third week of this summer’s "80s Finals Flashback" series on MHSAA.tv features one of the largest Finals comebacks in girls and boys basketball history.

Great game-winning shots, monumental comebacks and late-game touchdown drives will be featured for nine weeks this summer as part of the Flashbacks series. See the links below for the first two installments, and click to watch this week's on MHSAA.tv. DVDs may be purchased directly from the MHSAA.tv Website – just click the “Get DVD” button below the player.

Week of July 11 – Detroit Cass Tech 52, Saginaw 51 – 1987 Class A Girls Basketball Final – Trailing by 20 with two minutes to play in the third quarter, Detroit Cass Tech rallied to defeat Saginaw, 52-51, in the Class A Final at Grand Valley State University in Allendale. The Technicians held the reigning champion scoreless over the final 4:16, while scoring the final nine points to grab the title. LaTonya Tate finished with 20 points, including the game-winning 3-point field goal with 1:43 remaining. Sheronda Mayo added 14 points, including eight in the fourth quarter. Sentaria Johnson finished with a career-high 20 points for Saginaw.  

Previous Flashbacks

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

Also, the championship games of the 2016 MHSAA Boys & Girls Basketball Tournaments, presented by Sparrow Health, will receive encore airings this week on FOX Sports Detroit.

Here’s the complete schedule, with links to the archived games on MHSAA.tv:

Girls Finals – Tuesday (July 12)

Boys Finals – Thursday (July 14)

NOTE: Some portions of the games may be edited out due to time constraints.

Moment: Wilburn Winner Caps Comeback

April 20, 2020

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

The 1999 Class B championship game clash of Detroit Country Day and Flint Powers Catholic finished with one of the most memorable game-winning shots in Michigan high school girls basketball history – and started a string of three straight MHSAA Finals matchups between the titans.

Kim Wilburn’s driving buzzer beater capped a fourth-quarter comeback for the Yellowjackets, who came back from seven points down in the final period to win 49-47.

Wilburn finished with game highs of 21 points, nine rebounds and eight steals. Just a sophomore at the time, she later starred at Ohio State. Powers was paced with 18 points and eight rebounds by then-junior Kelly Koerber, who later starred at Western Michigan.

Below is the full-length broadcast including the awards ceremony from FOX Sports Detroit.