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

11-Player Finals to Return to Bally Sports Detroit, with Audio-Only on MHSAA Network

By Jon Ross
MHSAA Director of Broadcast Properties

November 23, 2021

The Michigan High School Athletic Association 11-Player Football Finals will return this weekend to Bally Sports Detroit’s primary and PLUS channels, with streaming audio available at MHSAANetwork.com. 

Following is a game-by-game TV schedule, including BSD channel and broadcasters: 

FRIDAY (Nov. 26)

► Division 8 – 10 a.m. – Beal City (12-1) vs. Hudson (13-0) – BSD primary – Evan Stockton, analyst Rob Rubick, reporter Brooke Fletcher

► Division 2 – 1 p.m. – Traverse City Central (12-1) vs. Warren De La Salle Collegiate (12-0) – BSD PLUS – Stockton, Rubick and Fletcher

► Division 6 – 4:30 p.m. – Warren Michigan Collegiate (11-2) vs. Lansing Catholic (12-1) – BSD PLUS – Dan Dickerson, analyst Justin Cessante, reporter Dannie Rogers

► Division 4 – 7:30 p.m. – Hudsonville Unity Christian (13-0) vs. Chelsea (13-0) – BSD primary – Matt Shepard, analyst John Wangler, Rogers

SATURDAY (Nov. 27)

► Division 7 – 10 a.m. – Lawton (13-0) vs. Pewamo-Westphalia (13-0) – BSD primary – Matt Shepard, analyst Rob Rubick, reporter Brooke Fletcher

► Division 1 – 1 p.m. – Belleville (12-1) vs. Rochester Adams (13-0) – BSD primary – Shepard, Rubick and Fletcher

► Division 5 – 4:30 p.m. – Marine City (13-0) vs. Grand Rapids Catholic Central (13-0) – BSD PLUS – Dan Dickerson, analyst Justin Cessante, reporter Dannie Rogers

► Division 3 – 7:30 p.m. – DeWitt (12-1) vs. Detroit Martin Luther King (12-1) – BSD PLUS – Dickerson, Cessante and Rogers

All games will be available live on the Bally Sports app and streamed on the Bally Sports Detroit website. Viewing programming on the Bally Sports app may require authentication.

All eight championship games also will be available for listening from the MHSAA Network at MHSAANetwork.com. Joe Jason and Al Pscholka will provide play-by-play and analysis from the first two games both days, with Eric Vandefifer and Adam Schihl teaming up for the final two games both days.

Additionally, Bally Sports Detroit also will reair the Nov. 20 8-Player Football Finals on Thursday (Nov. 25) on the BSD primary channel. Adrian Lenawee Christian’s Division 1 win over Suttons Bay will reair at 7 p.m., followed by Powers North Central’s Division 2 win over Colon.