Flint
- "The bigger
they are, the harder
they fall."
The big thud you
heard last night was
overwhelming Class B
favorite Country Day
being ousted by
Powers for the 2nd
straight season in
the Quarterfinals.
You can't quite call
it David vs. Goliath
since the Chargers
aren't too shabby of
a team themselves.
Powers held the lead
throughout most of
the game but were
confronted by one
major last stand by
Country Day in the
game's waning
moments. The
last stand was
countered by a
performance that
will talked about
for a long time to
come. Patrick
Lucas-Perry (PLP)
went to the line 14
times over the final
3 and a half minutes
of the game and sank
12 of them but the
staggering stat, was
that he sank the
first 11 in a row,
all of them with the
game in the balance
and many of them
when Powers only
held a lead of 2.
It's debatable to
say that if their
was one minor chink
in PLP's armor last
year, it was free
throw shooting, not
this year and
definitely not
tonight. His
performance at the
line was the
highlight for his
team's win but just
a chapter in a novel
worth of efforts
that led to the
Chargers' return
trip to the Breslin.
PLP had 29 to lead
Power but the
collective star
power of Shane
Moreland (17
points), Patrick
O'Brien (15),
DeMarco Sanders (14)
and Rodney Anderson
(10) all had such
big parts in the
thrill-ride win.
Most know of
Moreland and O'Brien
but Sanders has been
one of the most
improved players
this year and Rodney
Anderson, in his
first year
with the team opened
some eyes.
Sanders hit jumper
after jumper while
Anderson used his
vertical to keep the
Yellowjacket 'Bigs'
in check.
Anderson didn't play
in the regular
season game, which
Country Day won
71-63 back on
January 27th.
That left Powers
with a 6'3" center
to guard the 6'11",
6'10" and 6'8" front
line of Country Day.
Both teams were at
full strength for
this game, the one
that mattered most.
From the get go you
could just tell
Powers had the
energy and fed off
of the Charger
friendly crowd.
Powers started the
game on a 7-0 run
with buckets from
Patrick O'Brien and
a steal and score
from Patrick
Lucas-Perry.
O'Brien started the
game with a jumpshot
make and capped the
run by hitting one
from downtown.
Country Day scored
their first basket
at the 5:39 mark on
a drive and score
from McCallum.
Shane Moreland
scored on an
offensive putback
which was answered
by a Chris Fowler
lay-in and with half
the opening quarter
gone by it was
Powers with the 5
point edge, 9-4.
Lucas-Perry added
another basket, then
DCD went on a
mini-run to cut the
lead to 11-9 after a
three ball from
Devon Pyykkonen and
a McCallum thunder
slam. With
2:51 to go Moreland
picked up his 2nd
foul. Country
Day had foul trouble
throughout the first
but are a much
deeper team, with
just one of the main
components of the
Chargers out, it
could have spelled
big trouble.
The teams then
started to go blow
for blow. PLP
and McCallum traded
3s, then PLP struck
again, with
DaShonte Riley
answering with 53
seconds to go.
Rodney Anderson went
1-2 from the line
and McCallum scored
the quarter's final
basket. Powers
held for the last
shot, missed and
then Country Day had
one last shot back
the other way but
McCallum missed the
lay-up attempt and
after 1, it was
17-16 Powers.
Country Day grabbed
their first lead of
the game to open the
2nd quarter on a
three ball from
McCallum. It
was at that point,
Country Day could of
kicked it into gear
and Powers could
have started to
crumble but they
didn't as the
Chargers maintained
their confidence and
took each
Yellowjacket blow in
stride and usually
countered with a
blow of their own.
But that was not
however, until
Country Day pushed
the lead to 3 after
another McCallum
basket and DCD led
22-19. Powers
ripped off 6
straight on an
O'Brien make, 2
Anderson free-throws
and a nice Moreland
lay-up between the
'trees'. DCD
answered with 4
point and regained
the lead at the
halfway point of the
2nd quarter on a
Donovan Kirk jumper.
With 3:12 to go
Anderson hit two
free throws to get
the lead back at
27-26 and more
importantly on the
dunk attempt,
Anderson was fouled
by Kirk who picked
up his 3rd foul to
add to the foul woes
for DCD.
Powers pushed the
lead to 5 on a coast
to coast lay-in from
Moreland and a PLP
lay-up that was the
result of a great
inbounds, underneath
the hoop pass from
Moreland. Just
like that however,
Amir Williams and
McCallum answered
with 4 points to cut
the lead to 31-30.
With just under a
minute to go, Powers
went to the 'hold'
and pass offense.
They got it down to
6.3 seconds before
McCallum fouled PLP.
Lucas-Perry nailed
both free throws and
at the end of the
first half, Powers
was up 33-30.
Country Day went on
the march again,
evening it up at
33-33 after yet
another McCallum
basket. With
6:31 to play O'Brien
hit a three ball
from the right
corner, the ball
rolled around and
actually popped out
before going back
down, giving Powers
the lead back.
PLP then stole the
ball from Riley,
right out of his
hands and then
pushed it ahead for
another O'Brien
make, then after
another stop, Powers
came back down at
got a three from
Sanders. With
exactly 6 minutes to
play in the third,
Powers pushed the
lead up to 42-33.
McCallum and Fowler
answered with back
to back baskets,
then PLP hit for
Powers and it was
44-37. With
4:10 to go on a
Moreland jumper, the
lead was pushed up
to 9, 48-39.
After two Chris
Fowler baskets, the
lead was cut to
50-45 with about 2
minutes to play.
The mini-run was
answered by another
clutch jumper, this
time a three ball
from the corner from
Sanders, pushing the
lead back to 53-45
with 1:28 to play in
the quarter.
The Yellowjackets
answered with a shot
from downtown of
their own from Lee
Bailey. Day
scored again to trim
the lead to 3, then
with 5 seconds to
go, Moreland scored
on a reverse layup
and then stole the
ball after that but
they called Shane
for his third foul
with .8 seconds to
go in the quarter,
which would end
55-50 in favor of
Powers.
Sanders started hot
in the 4th, going
for 5 straight
points with a Jacket
basket in between to
push Powers' lead
back up to 8.
Then came your
showstopper.
Moreland got the
ball in the lane
moved towards the
hoop and then threw
it off of the glass
to a trailing
Anderson who threw
down a two-handed
monster slam,
pushing the lead to
10 and sending the
Powers' faithful
into a screaming
frenzy.
Country Day came
back once again,
cutting the lead
back to 6 and had
the ball to cut it
further but McCallum
was whistled for a
foul on the charge.
With 4:46 Powers
went back up by 9 on
an Anderson three
point play.
With just over 4
minutes to play,
Powers pushed the
lead to 11 and even
worse for DCD,
McCallum picked up
his fourth.
But with 3:42 to go,
Moreland joined
McCallum in 4 foul
land. With 3
and a half minutes
remaining in the
game and Powers up
68-60, the PLP
free-throw show
began. With
2:24 to go, it was
starting to get dire
for Country Day
after O'Brien hit a
jumper to push the
lead to 74-63.
Moreland went 1-2
from the stripe to
give Powers a 10
point lead and then
finally with 1:53 to
go Jordan Dumars got
a three to fall and
it couldn't have
come at a better
time. The lead
was back down to 7
at 75-68. Then
Chris Fowler took a
charge from PLP.
On offense, Fowler
also finished with a
drive and score,
cutting the lead to
5. After two
PLP free throws and
the game ticking
away, Dumars nailed
another three to cut
it to 4. With
65 seconds to go in
the game DCD got the
ball back and Riley
cashed in down low,
with the lead just 2
points now.
PLP hit two more,
then Kirk answered
with a bucket,
79-77. PLP, 2
more 81-77.
Then McCallum
answered, 81-79.
With immense
pressure on the
inbounds, Powers got
it in to PLP in
front of McCallum
who then
intentionally fouled
Lucas-Perry with
26.1 seconds to go
and a 5th and final
foul for McCallum.
PLP hit two more
under pressure and
Powers got the ball
back because of the
intentional.
PLP was fouled yet
again and hit no. 11
in a row in the
fourth before
finally missing the
2nd shot, 84-79.
Then Chris found
Bennie Fowler under
the hoop on the
other side for the
basket, 84-81 with
12.8 seconds to go.
The next play almost
changed the entire
face of the
tournament.
With nobody open and
a violation about to
be called on the
inbounds, Moreland
heaved the touchdown
pass to Sanders
which was knocked
away at the last
second by Bailey but
out of bounds.
PLP was fouled yet
again, hit the
first, which was
huge, to push it to
a 2 possession game
but missed the 2nd.
Country Day had one
last shot but the
three from the top
of the key went
short and O'Brien
with the rebound in
hand and the clock
scrolling to all
zeroes, raised his
arms in victory.
The thriller brought
Charger fans rushing
onto the court in
celebration.
It was one for the
ages and
unfortunately for
Country Day a
painful Deja Vu.
Many said it could
be done once let
alone twice.
When it came down to
it, Powers just
wanted it more, they
had to. Powers
gets into a 6-8 man
rotation at the most
and really most stay
out of foul trouble
and keep their
endurance up all
game. Country
Day goes about 12
deep but sometimes
almost faces the
same issues as the
'04 Lakers, where
you can only have 5
guys on the court at
once and there's
only 1 ball.
It just so happens,
that last night, The
Charger 5 were
better than the
Jacket 5.
McCallum led all
scorers with 30 in
the losing effort.
Donovan Kirk had 10
and Chris Fowler 9.
Patrick Lucas-Perry
led Powers with 29
while Moreland had
17, O'Brien 15,
Sanders 14 and
Anderson 10, a total
team effort with
total execution.
Execution that they
will need to keep up
because come Friday
night, Country Day
will be a fond
memory but won't
mean as much if they
aren't celebrating
after 4 quarters
against Inkster.
Dukes
33
Final
1
2
3
4
OT
F
(19-6)
All
Saints
17
28
23
4
0
72
(5-17)
Deckerville
7
8
12
5
0
32
Kingston
High
School
Cardinals
20
Cougars Breeze Into Quarters
With 40 Point Win Over Eagles
Kingston
- Even with 100
victories, not many
could have ever been
sweeter than this.
Coach Mike Showalter
got victory one
hundred with a route
and more importantly
a Region
Championship and 1
step away from the
final four.
Deckerville had
clawed their way to
the Regional Final,
despite only having
a handful of wins,
something that
speaks to the
Madness of March and
how motivation and
execution at the
right time can take
you places in the
tournament.
Deckerville's
valiant ride came to
an end against one
of the State's
hottest teams.
All Saints used a
9-0 run to start the
game and a 10 point
lead after 1 quarter
to get the engine
going. The 2nd
quarter put it into
overdrive. The
Cougars started the
2nd quarter on a
20-2 run and found
themselves getting
close to a 30 point
lead. After
the first half, they
were up 30 exactly.
The Cougars were
getting it done from
all angles as well.
Drew Janer had 2
three balls in the
first quarter to
take charge in the
perimeter game while
DeMario Walker
dominated inside in
the 2nd, with 11
points in the
quarter, 7 of them
coming from the
line. The
dominance was not
only on the
offensive side of
the ball. All
Saints used that
same presence and
energy on the
defensive side of
the ball to force
numerous turnovers
and defend the paint
with authority.
At the rate things
were going, it would
have taken a 2nd
half miracle for the
Eagles to climb back
in it. If the
Cougars could keep
up similar pressure
and continue to hit
shots, they were
well on their way to
the Region Title.
To start the 2nd
half, the Cougars
had a 30 point lead
but two full
quarters still
remained, so the
starting unit for
All Saints remained.
They exacted a best
case scenario by
extending the lead,
shortening the game
and most important
of all, getting up
to a 40 point lead
to put into motion,
the running clock.
After a Justin
Villano jumper with
34 seconds to go in
the third, the lead
ballooned to 41
points and out came
the running clock,
which would run for
all but a little bit
of the final moments
in the contest.
After three quarters
of play, the Cougar
lead remained at 41.
Both teams only
combined for 9
points in the fourth
quarter which was
due to many factors,
including the
running clock and
substitutions on
both sides which led
to more of a
defensive game in
the final quarter.
When the final horn
sounded, the Cougars
secured the 72-32
win and with it a
Region Championship.
This is the third
Region Title in the
past 6 years for All
Saints, with the
last coming in '06.
Parkway Christian
now lies ahead,
which will not be an
easy task.
While this type of
win may have not
prepared the Cougars
the best for
Parkway, other wins
on the road to the
Quarters have.
All Saints was led
by Adam Pijaszek
with 18 points,
Cameron Coburn had
the baker's dozen
with 13, while
DeMario Walker had
11 and both Drew
Janer and BJ Weaver
had 9.
Deckerville got 9
from Jon McHenry.
Dukes
33
Final
1
2
3
4
OT
F
(17-6)
Flint
NW
20
17
25
25
0
87
(18-5)
Arthur
Hill
17
11
21
13
0
62
Flint
Central
High
School
Cardinals
20
Wildcats Have Game Of A
Lifetime, Knock Off Class A
Favorite
Flint
- It may take
decades for Flint
Northwestern to
duplicate the type
of effort and game
that they had
tonight but that
won't matter much
now. The 32
minutes of
basketball that the
Wildcats displayed
tonight was
something to behold.
Not many if anyone
gave this team a
chance this season,
let alone tonight's
game against one of
the state's
perennial powers.
After it was all
said and done, there
was no doubt, no if,
ands or buts, this
team was lights out,
that the only way I
can describe the
execution tonight.
It wasn't Walter
Trouser, it wasn't
Travon Mitchell,
Chatavius Turner, it
wasn't Deondre
Parks, it wasn't
Jaylen Magee, etc,
etc. It wasn't
a single one of
them, it was all of
them. It was
their defense and
their offense, they
forced Arthur Hill
in shooting below
35% from the field
and held Maurice
Jones to only 15
points.
While the ending was
convincing, the
beginning followed
the script.
Both teams went
right at each other
with Arthur Hill
holding serve and
pushing ahead with
the three ball from
Chris Webb and Mike
Schaaf. With
under 2 minutes to
play, the Jacks were
up 17-10.
Flint Northwestern
answered with 4 and
then with the game
paused, Arthur Hill
took all of their
starters out for the
last 67 seconds of
the first quarter.
In that span, they
not only lost the
lead but the crowd
and most importantly
momentum and they
never got it back.
Arthur Hill commonly
gives their starters
a quick breather at
the end
of every opening
quarter. The
reserves usually
hold their own until
the 2nd quarter
kicks in, this night
was different.
It was during that
time that the
Wildcats turned the
tables. They
finished the quarter
on a 10- 0 run and
lead by 3 after 1.
They increased the
lead by 6 more and
led by 9 at
halftime. Not
only were they
making the
Lumberjacks sweat,
they were getting
them in foul trouble
as well. Tyler
Dwyer and Omari
Humes, the starting
Arthur Hill forwards
would have to make
extended trips to
the bench from then
on out because of
their foul trouble.
This combined with a
red hot NW team,
made it worse.
In the third, Arthur
Hill started to claw
back but still could
not shed much off of
the lead, it seemed
as if they were
treading water.
Jaylen Bland and
Jones scored back to
back buckets with
1:33 to go in the
quarter.
Arthur Hill got the
ball back again,
Dwyer went to the
rack and appeared to
be fouled on the
hands as he went up
for the layup,
instead of cutting
it down to 7,
Northwestern wasted
no time pushing it
back the other way.
With 47 seconds to
go, Deondre Parks
nailed a wide open
three ball and with
4 seconds to go in
the quarter and a
defender in his
face, Charles Morgan
turned around and
nailed a short
jumper, pushing the
lead to 62-49 after
three.
The fourth quarter
is when Arthur Hill
seemed to tighten
the screws
throughout the year
against good teams
but it just wasn't
to be tonight.
Instead of pressing
the Wildcats to make
mistakes and trim
the lead, the
opposite occurred.
Flint NW went on to
pad the lead even
further, breaking it
wide open past 20
points. As the
Lumberjacks
desperately tried to
claw back, the
quicksand moved
quicker.
Arthur Hill's
shooting woes and
NW's game long
streak put the nail
in the coffin.
What looked to be a
possible
Championship type
run from Arthur Hill
fizzled out before
it really got gong.
They managed to
knock off the High
but 2 games later,
their run is done.
For Flint
Northwestern, they
are just getting
started but they
cannot afford a
letdown. They
used the crowd and
their budding
confidence to power
them to victory.
They will be the
favorites this time
as they take on Mt.
Pleasant this
Wednesday, if they
can get past the
Oilers, it will only
get harder.
Jaylen Magee led all
scorers with 20
points, while
Chatavius Turner
added 18. Travon
Mitchell had 15
boards.
Maurice Jones led
Arthur Hill with 15,
Schaaf had 13 and
Chris Webb 11.
Congrats to Schaaf,
Humes and Webb on
great careers while
representing the
Lumberjacks.
The ending was
bittersweet but the
road ahead gets
brighter.
Schaaf will be
playing D1 baseball
at the next level,
Humes has offers
from D1 schools to
continue his career
on the gridiron and
Webb, who I think
had the greatest
improvement from
this year to last,
will be donning the
Red and White next
year for the Saginaw
Valley State
University
basketball team.
