Hoops on Film: 1973 Class C Boys Final
June 22, 2015
By John Johnson
MHSAA communications director
Straight out of the dusty tin canisters where they’ve sat for a long time, some of the classic basketball championship games of years past will be featured for 10 weeks this summer on MHSAA.tv’s Hoops On Film Series.
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 beginning June 22, through the week of August 17.
Click below for the first installment of the Hoops On Film series and to check out the game recap courtesy of MHSAA Historian Ron Pesch of Muskegon.
Detroit East Catholic 50, Saginaw St. Stephen 49 – 1973 Class C Boys Final - With four ticks remaining on the clock, Larry Merchant's 18-foot jumper from left of the key gave underdog Detroit East Catholic a 50-49 win over top-ranked Saginaw St. Stephen in Class C. Merchant, who scored 10 of his 14 points in the first half, gave the Chargers a 48-47 lead with just over a minute to play, but a pair of free throws by Elijah Coates pushed St. Stephen out front 49-48 with 45 seconds left.
Today in the MHSAA: 5/21/25
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
May 21, 2025
1. SOFTBALL Division 2 top-ranked Gaylord swept No. 9 Petoskey to clinch a fifth-straight Big North Conference title – Petoskey News-Review
2. BOYS TENNIS Negaunee clinched its 14th-straight Mid-Peninsula Conference championship – Upper Michigan’s Source
3. TRACK & FIELD Hillsdale Academy swept girls and boys overall championships in the Southern Central Athletic Association; the girls are ranked No. 1 in Lower Peninsula Division 4, and the boys are ranked No. 2 – Hillsdale Daily News
4. BASEBALL Division 4 No. 18 Maple City Glen Lake swept Benzie Central to finish a repeat undefeated run through the Northwest Conference – Traverse City Record-Eagle
5. TRACK & FIELD Brownstown Woodhaven’s teams continued championship streaks, the girls with their fifth-straight title in the Downriver League and the boys in a repeat – Southgate News-Herald
6. BOYS TENNIS Marquette edged Kingsford by three points to clinch the Great Northern Conference Tournament title – Upper Michigan’s Source
7. BASEBALL Division 2 No. 2 Standish-Sterling won the outright Jack Pine Conference championship with a 2-0 victory over Clare – Bay City Times
8. TRACK & FIELD The LPD3 top-ranked Chesaning boys and New Lothrop girls won Mid-Michigan Activities Conference championship meets, with the Hornets’ girls sharing the overall league title with Chesaning’s – WJRT
9. BOYS GOLF Ludington won the final Western Michigan Conference Lakes jamboree to secure the overall league title – CatchMark SportsNet
10. TRACK & FIELD The McBain girls and Manton boys finished championship runs in the Highland Conference – Cadillac News
Also of note …
SOFTBALL/BASEBALL The Division 2 honorable mention Linden and Division 1 No. 5 Grand Blanc softball teams and Goodrich baseball team all clinched league titles – Mid-Michigan Now
TRACK & FIELD Milan’s girls and New Boston Huron’s boys won Huron League championship meets, Milan’s girls sharing the overall league title with Carleton Airport – Monroe News
GIRLS SOCCER Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian won the Ottawa-Kent Conference Silver Tournament title with a shootout victory over Fruitport, but Fruitport won the overall league championship – MuskegonSports.com