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: 10/20/23
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
October 20, 2023
1. BOYS SOCCER No. 6 Grosse Ile clinched its 15th-straight District title with a 3-1 win over No. 10 Milan in Division 3 – Southgate News-Herald
2. VOLLEYBALL Division 2 No. 3 Marysville came back from a two-set deficit to clinch the Macomb Area Conference Red title with a five-set win over Macomb L’Anse Creuse North – Macomb Daily
3. BOYS SOCCER No. 10 Rochester Adams got past No. 11 Utica Eisenhower 2-0 in a Division 1 District Final – Oakland Press
4. BOYS SOCCER Top-ranked Holland Christian defeated No. 10 Holland High 3-0 to claim a Division 2 District title – FOX 17
5. CROSS COUNTRY Ann Arbor Pioneer – whose girls are ranked No. 2 in Lower Peninsula Division 1 and whose boys are No. 3 – clinched the Southeastern Conference Red titles, while the Chelsea girls and LPD2 top-ranked Pinckney boys claimed championships in the SEC White – Ann Arbor News
6. BOYS SOCCER No. 4 Kalamazoo Hackett Catholic Prep defeated No. 11 Kalamazoo Christian 2-1 in a Division 4 District Final – WWMT
7. VOLLEYBALL Reed City earned a share of the Central State Activities Association title with a four-set win over White Cloud – Big Rapids Pioneer
8. VOLLEYBALL Division 3 honorable mention Morley Stanwood earned the other share in the CSAA with a four-set win over Central Montcalm – Big Rapids Pioneer
9. CROSS COUNTRY The Brownstown Woodhaven girls and Allen Park boys won Downriver League championship races – Southgate News-Herald
10. CROSS COUNTRY The LPD1 No. 4 Holland West Ottawa girls and No. 2 Grand Haven boys won Ottawa-Kent Conference Red championship meets – Holland Sentinel