In Memoriam: Fred McLeod (1952-2019)

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

September 10, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Basketball fans all over Ohio and Michigan are mourning the death Monday evening of longtime play-by-play announcer Fred McLeod, who was known most for his broadcasts of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Detroit Pistons over the last 36 years – but also made a few of the most memorable calls in MHSAA Boys Basketball Finals history.

McLeod, who was 67, was a voice of MHSAA Finals broadcasts from 1998 – FOX Sports Detroit’s first year of coverage – through the 2005 boys basketball championship games, his last before leaving FSD for FOX Sports Ohio.

According to a statement posted by the Cavs on their website, McLeod broadcast more than 1,000 games for that team during two stints, and 22 seasons for the Detroit Pistons, in addition to time supplying his voice for the Cleveland Indians, Detroit Lions and Detroit Tigers as well over nearly four decades.

Below are McLeod’s calls from the final seconds of the 2005 Class D Final between Detroit Rogers and Bellaire and 1999 Class D Final between Detroit City and Muskegon Western Michigan Christian, both on FOX Sports Detroit.

Highlight Reel: Boys Basketball Finals

March 26, 2016

By John Johnson
MHSAA Communications Director

The winter sports season concluded Saturday at the Breslin Center with four title games in the 2016 MHSAA Boys Basketball Tournament, presented by Sparrow Health System.

Below are links to video highlights from Saturday’s games. Click on the final score to watch s game in its entirety and purchase DVDs. 

Class A

Detroit U-D Jesuit 69, North Farmington 49

Thomas Takes It - Billy Thomas led North Farmington in the Class A Final against Detroit U-D Jesuit with 23 points – two of them coming on this third quarter steal.

The Cassius Collection - Cassius Winston had 31 points and nine rebounds for Detroit U-D Jesuit in the Class A Final against North Farmington. Here's a montage of plays from the FOX Sports Detroit broadcast.

Class B

Detroit Henry Ford 61, Stevensville Lakeshore 47

Steal & Sprint To The Hoop - Detroit Henry Ford had a big run to finish the first half against Stevensville Lakeshore in the Class B Final. Jeremy Crawley makes the steal here and streaks down the court for two of his 18 points.
 
Cutting Into The Lead - Here's a sequence from the fourth quarter of the Class B Final where Stevensville Lakeshore makes a run.

Class C

Flint Beecher 63, Grandville Calvin Christian 61

Block You Very Much - Midway through the fourth quarter of the Class C Final, Levane Blake of Flint Beecher comes up with a monster block against Grandville Calvin Christian.

Squires Take The Lead - Grandville Calvin Christian took its last lead at 61-60 with 1:14 remaining when Tony DeWitte got an old-fashioned three-point play.

Class D

Powers North Central 59, Waterford Our Lady 48

Jets Defense - Powers North Central makes its living off defense - here's a steal by Dawson Bilski converted into a layup by Bobby Kleiman.

Lakes Rising - Waterford Our Lady mounted a second half rally against Powers North Central. Here's a nice feed from Andrew Kline to Devin Senerius during that run.

The Boys Basketball Finals are presented by Sparrow Health System. 

PHOTO: Flint Beecher's Jordan Roland (3) drives past a pair of Calvin Christian defenders during the Class C Final.