Hoops on Film: 1954 Class A Boys Final
July 2, 2015
By John Johnson
MHSAA communications director
This week's installment of MHSAA.tv's Hoops on Film series features the first championship victory for one of Michigan's most accomplished boys basketball programs.
This is the second of 10 games being brought back to MHSAA.tv this summer. From the late 1940’s to the mid 1970’s the Michigan High School Athletic Association shot portions of the action at its basketball finals on 16mm film. The films were loaned out, primarily to the participating schools, to help them relive the moments of playing in a championship game.
While many of the old films have wandered astray over time, about 60 games still exist in the MHSAA archives. Anyone in possession of such a film is encouraged to contact John Johnson at the MHSAA Office ([email protected]) to discuss having the film converted to a digital format.
Some of the films only have portions of the second half and the postgame awards; some have most of the action. None of the films have sound. They range in length from 10 minutes to about an hour. A new film will be posted online each Monday through the week of August 17.
The game recap below is courtesy of MHSAA Historian Ron Pesch of Muskegon.
Muskegon Heights 43, Flint Northern 41 (OT) – 1954 Class A Boys Final - After three visits to the MHSAA Semifinals, Muskegon Heights grabbed its first-ever title with a 43-41 overtime win over Flint Northern at Jenison Field House in East Lansing. Tied at 41-41 at the end of regulation, the Vikings opted to hold the ball for nearly three minutes of the extra period, after the Tigers missed two shots following the opening tip-off. But as Vikings guard Bob Failing drove in for the final shot, he was called for a charging foul. Under the rules of the time, Murt Johnson of the Heights stepped to the line, and calmly sank two free throws for the only points of OT. Future University of Michigan star M.C. Burton scored 22 points to pace the Heights.
Previous releases:
1973 Class C Boys Final: Detroit East Catholic 50, Saginaw St. Stephen 49 - Watch
Today in the MHSAA: 6/5/23
By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
June 5, 2023
2. TRACK & FIELD/GIRLS TENNIS The busiest Saturday of the MHSAA school sports calendar again saw Finals for 14 divisions of track & field and four of Lower Peninsula girls tennis provide this time 19 team champions, with a tie in Upper Peninsula Division 3 girls track. We covered all 18 events – MHSAA.com
2. BASEBALL Unranked Lake Orion enjoyed the most major upset of the weekend, downing top-ranked Orchard Lake St. Mary’s 3-2 in a Division 1 District Final – Cold Weather Bats
3. GIRLS SOCCER No. 3 Rochester Hills Stoney Creek delivered top-ranked Rochester High its lone loss, 3-1, in a Division 1 District Final – Oakland Press
4. BASEBALL Unranked Midland Dow also did its part to shake up Division 1 with a 2-1 upset of No. 2 Bay City Western in a District Final – Midland Daily News
5. SOFTBALL Division 2 top-ranked Gaylord won a matchup of favorites, 13-1 over No. 2 Escanaba before finishing the District title run with a 10-0 win over Cheboygan – Petoskey News-Review
6. GIRLS LACROSSE Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern/Eastern repeated as a Division 1 Regional champ with a 14-11 win over Rockford – FOX 17
7. BASEBALL No. 12 Birmingham Seaholm edged No. 4 Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice 4-3 in a Division 1 District Final – Oakland Press
8. BASEBALL Unranked Grandville also repeated as a District champ with a 5-3 upset of No. 9 Jenison in Division 1 – Grand Rapids Press
9. SOFTBALL/BASEBALL The Lansing Waverly softball team and Mason baseball team celebrated their first District championships – Lansing State Journal
10. SOFTBALL Royal Oak also was a first-time District champion with its 20-9 clinching win over Berkley – Oakland Press