#TBT: Coldwater Names Gym for Eby
February 19, 2015
By John Johnson
MHSAA communications director
Friday night, Coldwater High School will once again honor its 1949 Class B boys basketball champions and their coach, Floyd Eby, as it dedicates its gymnasium during a girls-boys doubleheader against Battle Creek Harper Creek.
It was Eby and his Cardinals squad that introduced what was called “racehorse basketball” to the high school ranks in that championship season, forever changing the way the game was played, and launching one of the most storied coaches and teams – Lofton Greene’s River Rouge Panthers – to its place in basketball lore in Michigan.
Coldwater won that game at Jenison Field House in East Lansing, 49-42, and Greene told Eby, who also directed Williamston to a Class C crown in 1941, that his teams would play that style of basketball from that day forward.
That was the first time Eby and Greene crossed paths on the basketball court, and when that 1949 Coldwater team was honored in 1999 at the MHSAA Boys Basketball Finals, the two got a chance to meet again. Greene was watching his old school in the Finals that day, and Coldwater had just been eliminated in the Semifinals the night before.
You can watch a feature FOX Sports Detroit produced on the 1949 Cardinals below, and to read more about that season, click here.
Breslin Bound: Boys Report Week 6
January 21, 2014
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
This week will mark halftime of another boys basketball season – and the point when teams that surprised early are showing with sustained success that they'll continue to have a say on how the rest of the winter unfolds.
The top team in this week's list of last week's most impressive definitely fits that description.
1. Ypsilanti Lincoln (8-0, Class A) – The Railsplitters equaled last season’s win total with arguably their best of a strong start, 60-53 on Friday over rival Ypsilanti.
2. Jackson Lumen Christi (9-0, Class B) – The Titans have risen from solid to elite the last few seasons and have survived four games this winter decided by six or fewer points.
3. Kalamazoo Central (8-1, Class A) – The Maroons are looking to be back among the Class A contenders with their only loss to improving Lansing Sexton; Kalamazoo Central already has a two-game lead in the Big 16 West.
4. Leroy Pine River (8-0, Class C) – The Bucks did suffer their first loss Monday (in a nonleague game), but still appear on track to repeat as Highland Conference champions.
5. Detroit Cass Tech (7-1, Class A) – The Technicians aren’t always mentioned in conversations on Detroit’s best, but have been so far this season and beat reigning Class C champion Flint Beecher 75-47 on Saturday.
6. Hillsdale (8-1, Class C) – The Hornets haven’t fallen since opening night to powerhouse Pewamo-Westphalia and face co-Lenawee County Athletic Association leader Dundee on Friday.
7. Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart (6-1, Class D) – The Irish haven’t lost since opening night and beat a solid Muskegon Catholic Central team by a point Saturday.
8. Howell (7-2, Class A) – The Highlanders look like one of the best teams from Livingston County riding five straight wins including their most recent, a five-pointer over Belleville.
9. Lansing Sexton (4-5, Class B) – The Big Reds have won four of their last six including impressive nonleague victories over Kalamazoo Central and River Rouge.
10. Buchanan (6-1, Class B) – We saw the Bucks in person Friday as they continued a winning streak that began after falling by just a bucket on opening night.
PHOTO: Detroit Cass Tech, here against Harper Woods Chandler Park earlier this season, has opened 7-1. (Photo courtesy of the Detroit Public School League.)