'Top Shooters' Reign at Breslin
March 27, 2014
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
The Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan awarded its top 3-point and free-throw shooters at the championship game halftimes during the Boys and Girls Basketball Finals over the last two weekends.
Four champions were crowned, including a girls free-throw winner who finished runner-up a year ago.
All four championship matches were broadcast on MHSAA.TV and can be watched by clicking the links below.
Girls free throw: Lincoln Alcona senior Karina Cole, last season's runner-up, finished first this time just ahead of St. Clair Shores Lakeview's Leah Charrette. Click to watch.
Girls 3-point: Macomb Dakota's Rio Dudgeon, who will play next season at Oakland University, finished first with Ada Forest Hills Eastern's Kaleese Jeffries coming in second. Click to watch.
Boys free throw: Saugatuck's Michael Winowiecki finished first, followed by Walled Lake Northern's Trent Lansa. Click to watch.
Boys 3-point: Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern's Tommy Dozeman was the champion, with Traverse City Christian's Kris Crosby the runner-up. Click to watch.
PHOTO: (In clockwise order) Top Shooters champions for girls free throw, boys free throw, boys 3-point and girls 3-point contests pose at the Breslin Center.
Moment: 1961 Team Tips Off "Rouge Week'
April 13, 2020
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Nearly 70 years after its first championship, the River Rouge boys basketball program remains the standard at the Finals level of its sport with 20 appearances in MHSAA championship games and 14 titles.
From 1960-69, Rouge appeared in Finals seven times and won six championships – and photos and video from those six title games will make up this “Rouge Week” as part of our MHSAA Moments series.
We tip off with these from the 79-44 Class B title win over Holland Christian in 1961. The championship was the fourth of 12 earned under legendary coach Lofton Greene, following those won in 1954, 1955 and 1959.
The Panthers' 21-8 second-quarter run, keyed by 6-foot-5 freshman Willie Betts, sent them into halftime up 39-21. For the game, four players scored in double figures for River Rouge led by Jon Roman (No. 11 above and below) with 17 points. The Panthers finished 23-2 and also included Ken Wilburn (No. 25 below), who went on to play professionally for four NBA and ABA franchises.
(Photos courtesy of The Associated Press.)