Godwin Hts Earns Championship Chance
March 27, 2015
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
EAST LANSING – Three District titles, three Regional titles and 75 wins give Wyoming Godwin Heights one of the most impressive three-season resumes of any MHSAA team in any sport.
But that’s not what Delaney Blaylock was thinking about when he embraced teammate Michael Williams at the end of Friday’s 70-64 Semifinal win over reigning Class B champion Milan.
Both played key roles on the teams that fell in the 2013 Semifinals and 2014 Quarterfinals – and both started Friday in a game they wouldn’t have been criticized for losing.
“It was just relief,” Blaylock said. “I had to hug Mike. I couldn’t believe we even won this game.”
The No. 3 Wolverines (25-1), seeking their first championship, will play Detroit Henry Ford in Saturday's 6:30 p.m. Final.
Godwin Heights trailed by three points heading into the fourth quarter and as late at 4:19 to play – but launched a 13-7 run over the final 2:34 to earn its first championship game berth since 1960.
Junior guard Leon Redd, who averaged 9.8 points per game entering this week, scored 12 of his 19 points during the final six minutes. He played only 21 minutes total because of foul trouble, and stayed in the game despite picking up his fourth with 7:13 to play.
“He got out of rhythm the first three quarters and picked up his fourth early in the (fourth) quarter … but we believe in him, and let him stay in the game and let him play it out,” Godwin Heights coach Tyler Whittemore said. “Leon has been big for us all year. It’s his second year on varsity as a junior, and playing under these guys, he understands his moment to shine.”
But it took a few more heroes to take down the top-ranked Big Reds (24-3).
Williams, a solid 6-foot-4, played a major part in keeping Milan’s 6-9 Nick Perkins to 42 percent shooting from the floor. The Wolverines held star senior guard Latin Davis to an identical 8 of 19. Perkins scored six points during the fourth quarter, but Davis had only three on just two shots with Godwin Heights working to deny him favorable looks at the basket.
Williams had 13 points and 13 rebounds and perhaps the most impressive stat of the game – nine rebounds off the offensive glass. Blaylock joined Redd with 19 points and also grabbed 12 rebounds.
“We wanted to keep this like a regular game as much as possible,” Whittemore said. “We understand this is the number one team in the state, and they’ve got two all-state players. But we weren’t scared of them, not anxious to play them. We were just ready.”
Perkins did finish with 21 points and 13 rebounds, and Davis had 17 points, seven rebounds, four assists and four blocked shots. They and Milan's other five seniors may have fallen two wins shy of a repeat, but also finished an impressive legacy.
The Big Reds over the last four seasons have earned four Huron League, three District and two Regional titles in addition to last year’s Class B championship – which was the school’s first since 1948. Perkins will play next season at the University of Buffalo, and Davis has signed with Youngstown State University.
“We knew they were athletic. We just didn’t do a good job on our end playing the right way,” Milan coach Chris Pope said. “But give them credit though; they weren’t scared and they didn’t back down. They played a heck of a game.”
Click for the full box score and video from the postgame press conference.
PHOTOS: (Top) Godwin Heights’ Richard Major works his way past Milan’s Arius Richmond during Friday’s Semifinal. (Middle) Latin Davis (32) looks for space surrounded by Wolverines including Karon Patrick (3).
ATAP Continues Extraordinary Climb By Advancing to 1st Title Game
By
Keith Dunlap
Special for MHSAA.com
March 13, 2025
EAST LANSING – Meteors might only seem like they are limited to the sky, but don’t tell that to the Arts & Technology Academy of Pontiac boys basketball team.
On Thursday, the Lions continued what can be put mildly as a meteoric rise toward the top of the state.
ATAP, which opened in 2001, advanced to its first state championship game with a convincing 76-40 win over Ishpeming Westwood in a Division 3 Semifinal on Thursday.
The Lions went 3-12 two years ago and 8-7 last year, but are 21-1 entering Saturday’s 4:30 p.m. Final.
Playing in a Semifinal for the first time, the Lions showcased to the state why they have climbed so quickly, overmatching Westwood with their speed, skill and athleticism.
For ATAP head coach Orlando Lovejoy, everything was about focusing on his team and its strengths.
“We don’t watch film on nobody,” Lovejoy said. “Why would we even watch film on somebody when we don’t even know how they are going to play us? There’s no need to watch film. The most important thing is to play the way we are going to play and control what we can control, and that’s how we play defense. That’s the main thing we can stop anybody with, our defense.”
ATAP (21-1) certainly displayed its defense, forcing 21 turnovers by Westwood.
Offensively, freshman Lewis Lovejoy led the way with 19 points, while sophomore De’Vontae Grandison had 17 and nine rebounds.
The Lions held a 24-17 rebounding advantage and shot a blistering 70.5 percent from the field (31 of 44), making 29 of 34 shots from 2-point range.
“It feels great because we have put in so much work,” said senior Teyshaun Hicks. “From the summertime to the start of the season, 6 in the morning to late at night. It’s paying off, and you see it now.”
Junior Ethan Marta scored 15 points and senior Tristan Miller added 13 to lead the way for the Patriots (22-6), who made their first Semifinal appearance since 2003.
“We ultimately fell short tonight, but it doesn’t change anything we did all year,” Westwood head coach Luke Gray said. “We set the standard. Graduated seven seniors from last year. These kids embraced it the right way. We had a great summer and I will always cherish the way this team leads by example not only within this program, but in the community with how they treat others.”
The Lions were dominant from the start, scoring the first eight points and forcing the Patriots into two timeouts before the game was even four minutes old.
ATAP had an 18-8 lead after the first quarter before Ishpeming Westwood seemed to settle into the game.
The Patriots cut the lead to 20-14 with 5:05 to play until halftime on a jumper by Miller. But the Lions surged from there, using their pressure defense to create turnovers that led to easy baskets. ATAP finished the second quarter on a 16-1 run to grab a 36-15 lead by halftime.
The Lions ensured there wasn’t a big run by the Patriots during the third quarter, taking a 56-33 lead into the fourth.
PHOTOS (Top) ATAP's De'Vontae Grandison brings the ball upcourt during his team's Semifinal win. (Middle) The Lions' Khalif Stovall (2) works to maintain possession with multiple Westwood players closing in.