Constantine Looks to Build on Comeback
By
Wes Morgan
Special for MHSAA.com
December 7, 2015
On one of the last summer days in town before leaving for college, Joey Steiner and Cody Ley spotted some youngsters on the east side of Constantine playing basketball in the street on a portable hoop. They stopped and played 2-on-4 with the boys.
The group of eighth-graders talked about how they were going to keep a reignited Falcons basketball program burning hot. That legacy Steiner and Ley, two outgoing seniors who helped fuel the Falcons to an unimaginable turnaround in 2014-15, and their classmates left behind means more than being named Associated Press Class C all-state honorable mentions.
“They told us that they were going to keep it going and they were going to go further than we did,” said Ley, a post player who developed a dangerous inside-outside game over the last two seasons and earned a scholarship at Lake Michigan Community College. “We were like, ‘You guys better, and we’ll be there to work with and support you guys, too.’ That’s one of my biggest things I’m proud of.”
Constantine had just one win in 2013-14, but head coach Chuck Frisbie knew he had a group of dedicated players that was going to surprise folks in 2014-15.
The Falcons did just that, finishing with a 21-3 record after a loss to New Buffalo in the MHSAA Regional Semifinals.
Constantine looks this winter to replace Ley’s 16 points and 12 rebounds per game, as well as the 14 points and four assists per contest by Steiner, who now plays at Goshen College.
Frisbie, last year’s Associated Press Class C Coach of the Year, knows this year’s team will look quite a bit different as it transitions from the now-defunct Kalamazoo Valley Association to the Southwestern Athletic Conference. Different isn’t bad, however.
The Falcons return seniors Anthony Bontrager, Tyler Shank, Noah Beegle, Travis Brown, Brian Doering and Devin Knight. Juniors Evan Herschbach, Anthony Evilsizor, Charles Hamilton, Bryce Corte and Ryan Miller join the varsity fold, and 6-foot-4, springy freshman Seth Wright is expected to make an immediate impact.
Of those players, 10 are 6-foot-1 or taller — a pretty big lineup compared to recent Constantine squads.
“I think we can protect the basket,” Frisbie said. “I think we’re young. (Defense) is my biggest concern this year. Travis, Tyler and Brian can really play defense. I think we can put a crew out there that can play defense, although I don’t know if it is necessarily our best offensive group. We’re going to try to find that right mix.”
Frisbie isn’t putting too much pressure on rookie Wright, but the freshman has tremendous size for a guard and the skills to match.
“Seth is one of those kids that could be a special kid,” Frisbie said. “Honestly, if he’s open, we’re going to let him shoot. He’s the kind of kid that can go to the basket and dunk pretty easily, too. He has to learn how to play defense. More than anything, he has to be able to get wider, rebound and play good defense. If he can do those things, he’s going to be hard to get off the floor.”
Wes Morgan has reported for the Kalamazoo Gazette, ESPN and ESPNChicago.com, 247Sports and Blue & Gold Illustrated over the last 12 years and is the publisher of JoeInsider.com. He can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Berrien, Cass, St. Joseph and Branch counties.
PHOTOS: (Top) Anthony Bontrager (11) looks to get to the baseline during a game last season. (Middle) Constantine secures a rebound in a game against Kalamazoo Christian. (Photos courtesy of JoeInsider.com.)
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.