Southfield Christian Nets 3rd Title Try
March 20, 2014
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
EAST LANSING – Lindsay Hunter IV sank his first shot 43 seconds into Thursday’s first Class D Semifinal at the Breslin Center.
And he didn’t stop until top-ranked Southfield Christian had cemented itself in a third straight championship game.
Hunter made 7 of his first 10 shots, missing just one more at the start of the third quarter before leaving the game with 21 points in 14 minutes as his team cruised to a 97-68 victory over Frankfort.
The two-time defending champion Eagles will face Adrian Lenawee Christian in Saturday’s 10 a.m. championship game.
“I just wanted to come out and get a win. I did everything (possible),” Hunter IV said. “It’s been like that all playoffs. I don’t know what’s going on. All of a sudden the swishes flew.”
And not just for Hunter. Southfield Christian (25-1) shot 50 percent from the floor including 41 percent from 3-point range. It took the lead for good 1:08 into the game and led by 14 by the end of the first quarter.
During the first half, when the Eagles' starters played most of the minutes, the team shot 60 percent from the floor and 75 percent from behind the 3-point arc.
Southfield Christian set a Class D Semifinal record for points, scoring two more than Detroit East Catholic did in its 95-65 win over Concord in 1986. Junior guard Bakari Evelyn added 17 points for the Eagles, making 7 of 8 shots from the floor including all three of his 3-point attempts.
Senior forward Damarco White added seven points, six rebounds and four blocked shots in only 12 minutes. He, Evelyn and Hunter also were main contributors in last season’s championship run, and Hunter and Evelyn played major roles in 2012 as well.
“Especially this year, it’s my last year and I’ve got to play as hard as I can every game because it could be my last,” White said. “I don’t want to let our team lose. Just like last year, I want to play for everybody in the locker room, everybody at my school, so I go out there and do the best I can.”
Frankfort seniors Connor Bradley and Brandon Schaub helped the Panthers to their first Semifinal since 1969, earning a legacy in their school's history. Total, they were part of three District and two Regional titles and “had as good a career as anybody in the history of Frankfort,” Panthers coach Reggie Manville said.
Junior center David Loney led Frankfort with 32 points and 13 rebounds. Schaub added 11 points and sophomore guard Kole Hollenbeck had five assists.
Frankfort finished 20-7 after entering the postseason as an honorable mention in the final Associated Press poll.
“Each year we’ve taken a step forward, from the District to the Regional to the final four, and we still have 10 guys coming back,” Manville added. “We want to take the next step, and yet we realize the next step is a big step. But at the same time, I’ve got confidence in my program that we’ll be there next year.”
Click for a full box score and video from the press conference.
PHOTO: (Top) Southfield Christian's Jalen Bouldes drives to the hoop as Frankfort's Ryan Plumstead defends. (Middle) Frankfort's Kole Hollenbeck works to get past Southfield Christian's Kameron Garner.
HIGHLIGHTS: (1) David Loney got Frankfort out to a 5-1 lead in the Class D Semifinal, hitting this 3-pointer for the first points of the game. He finished with a game-high 32. (2) Lindsay Hunter IV takes a long pass on a fast break and scores as part of an 11-point run for Southfield Christian in the first quarter. Hunter led his team with 21 points.
Breslin Bound: Boys Report Week 11
February 24, 2015
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
The following boys basketball high achievers include a few that made history in clinching championships last week.
Some of the other teams that stuck out most fell short of league titles this winter – but could become champions once the postseason begins.
Class A
Detroit Western International (17-0) – The Cowboys needed every last point to secure their first Detroit Public School League championship since 1922, beating Detroit Renaissance 46-45 on Friday after dispatching Detroit Pershing and Detroit Cass Tech in earlier rounds. The Final was only the second time Western didn’t win by double figures this season.
Holly (15-2) – The Bronchos locked up a second straight Flint Metro League title against Clio on Friday and are undefeated in league play including 6-0 against teams with at least 10 wins overall. Holly’s lone losses were both by five points and both in December – to Detroit Country Day and Flint Southwestern.
Lansing Everett (15-2) – The Vikings pulled into a tie for first place in the Capital Area Activities Conference Blue and handed Grand Ledge its first loss of the season Friday, 82-78 in overtime. Top player Trevor Manuel fouled out with a minute left in regulation, but his supporting cast filled in nicely in claiming the biggest win in the Lansing area this winter.
Muskegon (16-1) – The reigning Class A champion is a mere basket from perfection this winter, its only loss 58-57 to East Kentwood on Dec. 30. The Big Reds have rocked since, clinching the Ottawa-Kent Conference Black title Friday against Muskegon Reeths-Puffer; a 69-59 win over Romulus last month has been among other highlights.
Class B
Goodrich (16-2) – Only a pair of losses to Genesee Area Conference Red leader Flint Beecher have stood between the Martians and perfection. Last week’s overtime win over Fenton went with impressive December victories from December over Class A Troy Athens, White Lake Lakeland and Grand Rapids Ottawa Hills; Athens and Ottawa Hills lead their leagues.
New Haven (17-0) – The Rockets have soared from fifth in the Macomb Area Conference Gold last season to first with a chance to clinch the title today at Warren Lincoln. New Haven had impressive wins early including a 40-pointer over Richmond, the top team in the Blue Water Area Conference. But Mount Clemens on Friday should be the biggest threat to the winning streak.
Onsted (13-3) – The Wildcats have improved substantially from last season’s 11-9 finish and are tied for second in the Lenawee County Athletic Association behind already-clinched champion Hillsdale. Onsted is a combined 13 points from 16-0, but does see co-second place Dundee again March 6 after losing to Dundee 45-43 on Jan. 6.
Wyoming Godwin Heights (16-1) – The Wolverines have avenged that lone loss, by three to Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian on Jan. 24, to move into a first-place tie in the O-K Silver. Godwin Heights should close out its fifth straight league title before a nice test against Class A Grand Rapids Christian to end the regular season.
Class C
Constantine (14-2) – The Falcons moved to the top of the Kalamazoo Valley Association standings Friday with a 59-51 win over previous leader Kalamazoo Christian, one of two teams that has beaten Constantine this season (third-place Kalamazoo Hackett is the other).
Flint Beecher (15-1) – In addition to beating a strong Goodrich team twice in the GAC Red (see above), Beecher has built an impressive slate with victories as well over River Rouge (11-4), Flint Northwestern (13-2), Flint Southwestern (11-4) and Saginaw (12-6).
McBain (14-2) – The Ramblers still may have to win two of their last three league games to clinch the Highland Conference championship. But McBain beat second-place Manton 61-33 on Friday to move into first place after entering that game tied with the Rangers atop the standings.
Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central (13-2) – The Falcons are going to have a tough time coming back to win the Huron League; they trail Milan by two wins with two league games remaining. But St. Mary should be tough to deal with in Class C this postseason after playing in Class B last winter, when it also fell to eventual B champion Milan in the first game of Districts.
Class D
Mio (14-2) – The Thunderbolts can’t catch Hillman in the North Star League’s Big Dipper division, but they’re firmly in second place with their only losses this season to the first-place Tigers. Mio should get one more regular-season test before the playoffs, in Class C Johannesburg-Lewiston on March 3.
Morenci (14-2) – The Bulldogs claimed a share of the Tri-County Conference championship Saturday night with a 58-52 victory over Clinton, which entered tied for first in the league. Those two were fourth and fifth, respectively, only a season ago.
Peck (15-3) – The Pirates have won seven straight, in the process taking back a share of first place in the North Central Thumb League by winning their rematch with co-leader Kingston on Feb. 17. The other two losses this fall were to Class B Richmond by only four and Class C Marlette.
Republic-Michigamme (15-2) – The Hawks won’t catch Lake Linden-Hubbell in the Copper Country Conference, but can finish an outstanding turnaround after going 7-14 a year ago. The final three opponents have a combined 12 wins this winter. Both of Republic-Michigamme’s losses were to Lake Linden-Hubbell.
PHOTO: Detroit Western International got stops when they counted in defeating Detroit Renaissance in the Detroit Public School League championship game. (Photo courtesy of Detroit Public School League).