HOOPS: Lumen Christi vs. Owosso

**sophomore Dan Chilcote**
**Owosso had problems containing Chilcote**

**Joe Blanchett looking to shoot**

**Jay Willis sizes up his opponent**

Owosso- Friday night I headed out to Owosso to check out the Trojans’ game verse Jackson Lumen Christi. Lumen Christi has a balanced attack as five players scored nine or more points but leading the way, just like he has done all season, was sophomore Dan Chilcote. The 6-7 wing forward is off to a solid sophomore season as he fills up the stat sheet on a nightly basis and Friday night wasn't any different in Lumen Christi’s 67-51 win over the Trojans.

Chilcote came alive in the second quarter by following up a long 2-pointer with a drive and dish to Sean Gallant to spark Lumen Christi to a 8-0 run and a 21-13 lead. But then Chilcote picked up his third foul and was forced to spend the rest of the quarter on the bench. While on the bench, Chilcote’s teammates held their own as they managed to take a 29-18 lead into the half.

While I made the trip to evaluate Chilcote’s progress, I left impressed with another player- Owosso’s Joe Blanchett. Blanchett has a pure stroke from deep and did his best to keep his team at bay. The junior guard scored eight points in the final two minutes of the third quarter to trail 49-37. But in the end Lumen Christi had just too much beef down low for Owosso to contend with in 6-7 Chilcote, 6-6 Gallant, and 6-5 Zach Thomas.

BREAKDOWN: Lumen Christi improves to 3-0 in CAAC-Red play and the Titans can also make some noise in March as they play in a pretty soft district and teams will have trouble matching up with their size.

It was evident that Owosso lives and dies by the 3-pointer, and against Lumen the Trojans just couldn’t get shots to fall but you also have to credit Lumen’s defense for that. Owosso can get hot on certain nights just like I'm guessing they did when they beat Grand Ledge earlier in the season.

PLAYER OF GAME: Dan Chilcote, Lumen Christi second quarter foul trouble limited Chilcote’s minutes but it didn’t slow down his production. As a sophomore Chilcote is the key to his team’s success as he contributes in every aspect of the game, his stat line against Owosso read- 18 points, 11 boards, 4 assist, and 3 blocks.

NOTABLE PERFORMANCES

Joe Blanchett, Owosso- very crafty with the ball and he knows how to get open. He never quits moving, he constantly was running off picks trying to free himself up. As good as Blanchett is shooting he’s just as smooth putting the ball on the floor and getting to the basket, finished with 19 points.

Sean Gallant, LC- 6-6 senior who is more productive in the post but isn’t bad handling the ball out on the perimeter. Chipped in with 9 points.

Zach Thomas, LC- he’s listed at 6-5 but looks a lot taller due to his frame, especially the width of his shoulders. Showed off some decent post moves on the block, also chipped in with 9 points.

GIRL'S TEAM RANKINGS: 1-16

Below is the NGS "BIG 50" along with team rankings for every class.

CLASS A
1. Arthur Hill
Rebounded from a season opener loss at Brighton to win six straight. Juanita Cochran, Kiah Douglas, and Corie Buchanan form the state's best defensive trio.
2. East Lansing
Sami Tucker and Klarissa Bell have the Trojans at a perfect 8-0, but needed a fourth quarter rally to beat Class B- Eaton Rapids at home on Tuesday.
3. Brighton
Quite impressive so far with a 6-1 record that includes a win over Arthur Hill with lone loss coming to East Lansing.
4. Detroit Renaissance
A 6-2 record with both looses being by single digits to Country Day and Arthur Hill on the road. Forwards Lorreal Jones and Asia Boyd are two of the state's best!
5. Benton Harbor
Destiny Williams will keep the Tigers competitive and highly ranked with a 6-1 record, however only loss was by nearly 20 points to Detroit Community.
6. Canton
7. Midland High
8. East Kentwood
9. Ann Arbor Huron
10. Grosse Pointe North

CLASS B
1. Country Day
Every night a different D-1 prospect has led the way as the Yellowjackets continue to make statement wins in Michigan and Ohio.
2. Detroit Community
Big win over Benton Harbor has everyone thinking that Community just may have a shot against Country Day. Nya Jordan and Crystal Bradford have been fantastic!
3. Grand Rapids C.C.
Building a nice resume with wins over Powers, Nouvel, and Rockford.
4. Flint Powers
As Grace Herzog continues her strong play the 8-1 Chargers will only get better. Sure bet the Chargers would like another shot against G.R.C.C.
5. Dewitt
Rebounded from a loss to East Lansing with a win over conference rival Eaton Rapids to stand at 6-1.
6. Zeeland East
7. Grand Rapids Christian
8. Haslett
9. Goodrich
10. Eaton Rapids

CLASS C
1. Flint Hamady
Michigan State commit Jasmine Thomas is just one of Hamady's D-1 prospects...could this be the year Hamady finally gets by Nouvel?
2. Nouvel C.C.
An embarrassing losses to Country Day still lingers, but this veteran team is still an elite team in Class C, having Jenny Ryan doesn't hurt either.
3. Houghton
The Gremlins are a perfect 8-0
4. Morley Stanwood
April Emerson and Alexis Huntley have led Stanwood to a 7-0 record.
5. Sandusky
Marissa DeMotte is making her case for Class C player of the year as she has led her team to a 7-1 record.
6. Laingsburg
7. Michigan Center
8. McBain
9. Saginaw Valley Lutheran
10. Flint Beecher

CLASS D
1. New Lothrop
Defending champs have shot out to a 8-1 record with lone loss coming to rival Flint Hamady by 12 points. Ashley Root heads a balance scoring attack.
2. Marine City Cardinal Mooney
The Threut sisters- Sammy, Allie, and Sarah, are perfect at 8-0.
3. Cedarville
Jessica Duncan has picked up where she left off as Cedarville is undefeated at 8-0.
4. Michigan Lutheran Seminary
MLS is 6-1 with a loss to Nouvel is season opener. 6-0 wing Gracie Baumgartner just might be the best player in Class D!
5. Mt. Pleasant Sacred Heart
First year head coach Damon Brown has a rebuilt Sacred Heart team sitting at 8-1.
6. Portland St. Patrick
7. Birmingham Roeper
8. Muskegon Catholic Central
9. Johannesburg- Lewiston
10. Ontonagon

“BIG 50”
1. Country Day
2. Arthur Hill
3. Detroit Community
4. East Lansing
5. Brighton
6. Detroit Renaissance
7. Grand Rapids C.C.
8. Flint Powers
9. Benton Harbor
10. Flint Hamady
11. Canton
12. Midland High

Has surprised the SVL with an 8-0 record that includes wins over Midland Dow and Cadillac. Big game tonight against Arthur Hill.
13. East Kentwood
14. Ann Arbor Huron

Tyler Hardy has Huron at 6-0 while the senior joined the 1,000 point club this week.
15. Grosse Pointe North

Don't look now but guess who's back? Ariel Braker scored 19 in her first game back and expect to see North quickly climb this list.

16. Birmingham Marian
17. Detroit Pershing
18. Zeeland East
19. Flushing
Big win at Midland Dow but the loss to Powers hurts, but Flushing will see Powers two more times in conference play.
20. Midland Dow
One of the elite teams in the state on paper with Becca Mills and Jessica Schroll but Dow didn't look good in losses to Flushing and Midland.
21. Southfield Lathrup
22. Okemos
23. Grosse Point South
24. Flint Northern
Despite a 4-3 record, with losses to Arthur Hill, Marian, and Ann Arbor Huron, the Vikings can play and will compete for the SVL title.
25. Haslett
26. West Bloomfield
27. Grandville
28. Nouvel C.C.
29. Livonia Franklin
30. Grand Rapids Christian
31. New Lothrop
32. Dewitt
33. Temperance Bedford
34. Chippewa Valley
35. Lake Orion
36. Marine City Cardinal Mooney
37. Ypsilanti
38. Howell
39. North Farmington
40. K-Zoo Loy Norrix
41. Detroit Cody
42. Hartland
43. Houghton
44. Walled Lake Central
45. Detroit Mumford
46. Utica Ford
47. Muskegon Mona Shores
48. Monroe
49. Cedarville
50. South Lyon

HOOPS: Northwestern vs. Northern

**sophomore Shaq Smith**
**Walter Trouser scored a career high 28 points**
**sophomore Shaun Coffer**

**Northwestern's Trence Cureton**

FLINT- Monday night Flint Northwestern and Flint Northern got together for a big time rivalry game with two schools that sit less than 5 miles apart from each other. Northern held ground on their home court with a 66-61 win in a hard fought game.

Northern held a 16-12 lead heading into the second quarter and guards Shaquille Smith and Carlos Benton were getting plenty of open looks in the opening quarter, forcing Northwestern to switch defenses to a 2-3 zone. The move worked as Northern went cold trying to shoot over the zone and only scored 5 points in the second quarter.

While Northern was going through their shooting woes Northwestern was off and running. Three buckets from Walter Trouser keyed a Wildcat 10-0 run to give Northwestern a 19-16 lead. Three of Northern's five second quarter points came on a Demetrius Peterson 3-pointer as the halftime horn sounded to cut Northwestern's lead to 22-21.

In the second half 5-5 sophomore Shaun Coffer exploited the Wildcat zone and his ability to break down the zone gave Northern their scoring edge back. Northern regained the lead on a Smith lay up with less than five minutes to play in the fourth quarter. The Vikings then switched defenses to a full court press and two forced turnovers turned into easy baskets for Smith and Benton to take a 56-62 lead with 3:26 to play. Those baskets proved to be the game's difference as Northern held off Northwestern for the remainder of the game.

BREAKDOWN: I won't get into any DeAndre Upchurch conversation but I will say Northwestern is not the same team anymore. Even without the obvious, (Upchurch's scoring) the Wildcats just seem to be unfocused and you can tell as a team that they are hurting on and off the floor without their teammate. But while they are struggling right now, don't expect to just see this team fade away because Coach Bush and staff will make sure this team bounce back.

On the other side, I like what I see out of Northern- they have some fight in them and they have a solid group of young talented players in Smith, Fisher, and Coffer. As this core continues to improve Northern will be tough to beat for the next couple of years.

PLAYER OF GAME: Shaq Smith, Northern- the sophomore 2-guard was quite impressive, although he did manage to pick up three fouls, all on offensive charges. For the most part I like his decision makings and his aggressiveness to attack the basket but at times he just needs to take the foot off the gas.

NOTABLE PERFORMANCES

Donald Fisher, Northern- had 3 blocks in a two minute span of the first quarter while finishing with 6 blocks to go with 6 points and 5 rebounds. The older and more physical Chris Campbell tried to go right at the 6-7 freshman but Fisher held his ground.

Shaun Coffer, Northern- Coffer has matured quiet a bit on the court and he uses his size to his advantage, forcing teams to contend with his speed. Coffer was solid in running the offense and moving the ball around when his teammates were struggling against the zone.

Walter Trouser, NW- had 11 of his game high 28 points in the second quarter when Northwestern took over the lead. Trouser will have to carry most of the scoring load for the rest of the season and he could have had 40 points in this game but plenty of shots just rolled in and out on the 6-2 senior.

HOOPS: Muskegon Heights vs. Sexton

**Drew Valentine goes up for 2 of his 18 points**
**Denzel Valentine splits the top of a zone**

**Sean Davis led the Hieghts with 18 points**

**Lemarcus Beckem catches an ally**

Lansing- Saturday afternoon Muskegon Heights traveled south to take on the Big Reds of Sexton High School and while Sexton controlled most of the game it was their inability to handle a frantic Muskegon press in the final minute that allowed the visiting Tigers to steal a 73-67 win.

Drew Valentine got going early and his offensive tip back gave Sexton an 8-3 lead but then both defenses flexed their muscles and points were hard to come by as Sexton led 13-7 at the end of the first quarter.

Four straight points from Denzel Valentine extended the Big Red lead to 17-9 early in the second. Muskegon answered with a run and a lay up from, junior, Jamil Thornton tied the game at 21-21. A 3-pointer from sophomore Tyrin Wade capped a Sexton 8-0 run but then Muskegon finished the quarter with their own 8-0 run to make the score 30-29 in Sexton's favor at the half.

Sexton controlled the momentum and the scoreboard for a majority of the second half but the Big Reds just couldn't distance theirselves from a scrappy Tiger team. Sexton controlled a 61-52 lead, with 5: 23 left in the fourth, on a Nate Duhon 3-pointer but a 13-3 run and a 3-pointer from Muskegon's Moses Buckley cut the Sexton lead down to a single point with 1:30 to play. A Tiger's foul shot tied the game with 56 seconds left and a steal from Ricarri Stimage turned into a Buckley lay up to give Muskegon their first lead of the game at 68-66 with 50 seconds left. Muskegon was able to knock down five foul shots in the final 20 seconds to seal the win.

BREAKDOWN: Sexton had control of this game for four quarters but it was the turnovers late in the game that killed them. The Heights is a scrappy team and Coach Keith Guy always has his teams well prepared year in and year out, so you just knew Muskegon was going to hang around. Muskegon pressed periodically the whole game and Sexton handled it well, but I'm just not sure why they had trouble late in the game as Muskegon forced 4 steals in the final two minutes. But Sexton will be just fine down the road because they are still gelling as a team since this was just Drew Valentine's third game back from injury. Once Valentine gets fully comfortable the Big Reds will be tough to beat.

PLAYER OF GAME: Sean Davis, Heights- a lanky wing that can spot up and shoot but is most dangerous when he slices his way to the basket. The 6-2 senior finished with a team high 18 points.

NOTABLE PERFORMANCES

Jullian Plummer, Heights- a nice player who relies on his physical traits. The 6-6 forward had a quiet day as he battled foul trouble trying to guard Drew Valentine. On another note Plummer was listed as a freshman last year but is now a junior and it was confirmed by his coach.

Ricarri Stimage, Heights- logged 7 points but came up with 2 big steals in the game's final minute to give his team the lead.

Drew Valentine, Sexton- in his third game back Drew still doesn't look 100% but he was easily the best player on the court. Drew just has a feel for the game and always seems to make the right play. Led his team with 18 points and 11 rebounds.

Denzel Valentine, Sexton- the young freshman made some real nice plays and was solid taking care of the ball against the press. He was five of six at the free throw line as he finished with 12 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 steals.

Nate Duhon, Sexton- added 17 points for Sexton.

GIRLS HOOPS: Saginaw vs. Arthur Hill

Kiah Douglas prepares to bring the ball up court**
**Corie Buchanan prepares to attack the paint**
**Diamond Tolliver pushes the ball in the first quarter**

**Juanita Cochran blocks a shot**

Saginaw- Rivalry week continued in Saginaw this week as Saginaw High's and Arthur Hill's girls team took center stage Thursday night at Arthur Hill, and while the girl's game might not have the same pizzazz as the boys, you couldn't tell that to the ladies who took the court or the packed crowd who filled the gym.

Things didn't get off as planned for the Lady Jacks when point guard Corie Buchanan picked up her second foul just a minute and a half into the contest. With Buchanan on the bench, Saginaw's point guard Diamond Tolliver took advantage and her "and 1" play gave the Trojans an 8-3 lead.

Arthur Hill's Juanita Cochran and Kiah Douglas stepped up and carried the load with Cochran doing her thing in the paint and Douglas sliding over to the point. An assist from Douglas to Nana Hall tied the game at 11-11 and a second assist from Douglas to My'esia Moore gave the Hill their first lead at 13-11 as the first quarter horn sounded.

Midway through the second quarter Buchanan checked back into the game and went right to work, a pull-up jumper followed by two assist from Buchanan and Arthur Hill had theirselves a 25-15 lead with 3:30 on the clock. With just seconds until halftime, Tolliver lost her edge and was called for a technical foul giving Douglas a pair of free throws as Arthur Hill led 31-20 at halftime.

A three point play from Cochran gave the Hill a 39-25 lead with 3:48 to play in the third but then Saginaw fought back with a 8-2 run to cut the lead to 41-33. Two steals from Buchanan turned into open court lay-ups for herself and Douglas to give the Lady Jacks a 49-34 lead heading into the final quarter but Saginaw was never able to threaten again as Arthur Hill took a 67-58 victory.

BREAKDOWN: neither team played their best basketball but Saginaw was able to get up 10 points in the second quarter and that proved to be the difference. Arthur Hill really looked lost early on when Buchanan got into foul trouble. Saginaw got plenty of open looks and even took better shots near the basket but their undersized forwards just couldn't get shots to fall, but credit Cochran for that, as she controlled the paint.

PLAYER OF GAME: Juanita Cochran, Hill- the 6-2 center picked up a pair of fouls early but she did a great job the rest of the way by staying on the ground, keeping her hands high in the air, and forcing Saginaw to shoot over her. The results were a poor shooting percentage by Saginaw and a 18 point, 11 rebound, and 3 block night for Juanita.

NOTABLE PERFORMANCES

Corie Buchanan, Hill- never really got her shot going but she made up for it by attacking the paint and tossing some pretty fancy passes to her teammates for easy shots. Finished with 11 points, 5 steals, and 7 assist.

Kiah Douglas, Hill- did a nice job at the point while Corie was in foul trouble. She was able to push the ball and get into the lanes, added 13 points in the winning cause.

Diamond Tolliver, High- finished with 14 points and her play and ability to push the ball was the reason Saginaw took an early lead but then she faded away in the second half.

Amber Jackson, High- the five foot senior is small but she is tough as heck and gets very physical defensively. She wasn't around early in the season but she makes Saginaw a better team.

HOOPS: Saginaw vs. Arthur Hill

**Jimmy Davis throws up a runner in the paint**
**Pookie slashes into the lane**

**Greg Hayes throws up a floater**

**Mike Schaaf throws down a 1st quarter dunk**

**Tommie McCune makes a move towards the basket**

**Freshman Jordan Hare**

**Mike Green aggressively attempts a lay-up**

Saginaw- Saginaw High traveled west to Arthur Hill for "round 1" of the schools annual three game series rivalry, and after watching the two teams duke it out for four quarters it's no wonder that the last three Class A State Champions have played in this game. For four quarters both teams exchanged punch for punch, but time ran out on the Lumberjacks before they could counter back and deliver one last punch to send the game into overtime, allowing the High to give the Hill their first lost of the season with a 83-81 decision.

It was a see-saw battle from the opening tip as the sold out crowd fueled both teams with an enormous amount of energy. Dunks from Chris Webb and Mike Schaaf helped Arthur Hill take an early 8-2 lead and a 22-19 lead going into the second quarter.

Arthur Hill's lead built to 29-19 in the second quarter as Maurice "Pookie" Jones took it right at the Trojan's press and constantly found Schaaf open under the basket for easy buckets. But then Saginaw's Jimmy Davis got hot and knocked down two 3-pointers and a break away two handed slam from Greg Hayes cut the lead to 31-28. The High took their first lead of the game, 32-31, on Tommie McCune's 18 foot jumper and built a five point lead on baskets from Demetrius Simmons and Mike Green, while Pookie's 3-pointer at the buzzer cut the Trojan lead to 39-38 at the half.

The third quarter turned into a 3-point contest as the two teams combined for 10 straight 3-pointers. In a 15 second span of the third quarter Davis, Pookie, and Hayes all connected on long 3-pointers as the two teams went back and forth. In the midst of the hectic play Saginaw built a double digit lead but another 3-pointer from Pookie cut Saginaw's lead to 62-56 heading into the final quarter.

Five straight points from Pookie cut the Trojan lead to 68-66 but then McCune stopped the Lumberjack rally with a monsterous slam right over Schaaf. But Pookie just wouldn't let his team go away and the 5-7 guard knocked down another 3-pointer that was followed up by a bucket from Webb that tied the game at 72-72 with 3:41 to play.

Arthur Hill took a 81-76 lead with a Webb 3-pointer and Pookie's kiss off the glass with 1:26 to play. A Davis 3-pointer for Saginaw made the score 81-79; and then the Lumberjacks turned the ball over twice in the final minute of the game which led to two mid-range jumpers from Green, one to tie the game and the other to take a 83-81 lead with 11 seconds to play.

Arthur Hill pushed the ball up the court but Pookie's fade away 3-pointer just rimmed off however Jalen Bland was there for a tip back that appeared to have sent the game into overtime, until one official ran over and waved the basket off saying the clock had expired.

BREAKDOWN: This game deserved overtime! I don't know if anyone in the gym can honestly say they were looking at the clock when it expired. These two teams fought and laid it on the line for four quarters and the refs shouldn't have decided the game, they should have let the players play it out in OT.

This was one of the better high school games I have seen in a while, I could have watched these teams fight all night long. Each team had a number of players that stood up and made plays. But as good as this game was it really didn't mean a thing except for bragging rights since it was a non-league game. These teams will meet up in conference play in two weeks, and then again in districts.

PLAYER OF GAME: Jimmy Davis, High- Davis knocked down seven 3-pointers on his way to a 30 point performance. But it wasn't just the scoring that made Davis the player of the game. This game is so intense that most young players aren't ready to play in this kind of atmosphere but Davis was all over the place shouting out instructions to his young teammates and leading the way mentally.

NOTABLE PERFORMANCES

(alphabetical order)

Jalen Bland, Hill- entered the game and went right to work by knocking down three 3-pointers in the first half while finishing with 11 points.

Mike Green, High- as far as scoring goes, Green was quiet for most of the game until he hit the two big buckets in the end. But just like Davis, Green did a great job of leading the way and helping out the young fellas. Finished with 11 points.

Jordan Hare, Hill- the 6-7 freshman had 3 blocks in the first quarter to go with a tip back and a 10 foot jumper. He was quiet in the second half but showed flashes that he can be a real "special" player.

Greg Hayes, High- the football standout is turning into a big time hoops prospect. He's so quick and can slice his way into the paint at will, and his two hand slam showed great athleticism and was just SICK! Hayes was one of the few players that could stick with Pookie in the open court. Finished with 14 points.

Pookie Jones, Hill- Pook carried the scoring load in the second half while continuing to find open shots for his teammates. Pookie connected on four 3-pointers that led to 24 points, 10 assist, and 4 steals. Saginaw tried to trap Pookie every time he touched the ball but it didn't faze the lightning quick guard at all.

Tommie McCune, High- stat line read 6 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 blocks but Tommie played a much bigger role than what his numbers indicate. McCune is the emotional leader of this team and he fed plenty of energy into his team. His dunk over Schaaf nearly brought the roof down.

Mike Schaaf, Hill- came up big time for his team. He was tough in the paint and ran the floor hard which led to plenty of scoring opportunities. He added a 3-pointer on his way to 25 points and 8 rebounds.

Demetrius Simmons, High- finished with 18 points, that were spread out over all four quarters, but it seemed like every basket came at a crucial time for the Trojans.

Chris Webb, Hill- finished with 11 points on three 3-pointers and a dunk. Did a good job of handling the Trojan press.

GIRLS HOOPS: Flushing vs. Midland Dow

**Jordan LaDuke goes up while being fouled**
**6-3 sophomores- Becca Mills and Connor Morrish battle for a rebound**
**freshman Emily Wendling**

**Jessica Schroll pushes the ball after a steal**

Midland- Both teams entered the game with 6-0 records, but it was Flushing who stayed undefeated with a 43-29 win over Midland Dow. Flushing took away every advantage that the Chargers are use to having and forced 27 turnovers in the win.

A basket from freshman Emily Wendling gave Flushing a 9-2 lead and a Jordan LaDuke runner in the lane made the score 16-8 midway through the second quarter. At the 4:19 mark of the second quarter Jessica Schroll picked up her third foul and was forced to sit, but teammate Rebecca Mills picked up the slack and led a Charger run that allowed Dow to trim the lead to 18-15 at the half.

A steal and bucket from Schroll gave Midland their first lead at 21-20 with 5:40 to play in the third; but Flushing ended the quarter with a 7-0 run, 5 straight points from LaDuke, to take a 32-25 lead into the fourth quarter.

Flushing continued to pull away and a 3-pointer from LaDuke gave the Raiders a 10 point lead. Flushing made 7 free throws in the final minute and a half to stay undefeated.

BREAKDOWN: memo to coaches: both teams have basketball players so let the girls ball! Neither team could get into any kind of groove as they both walked the ball up the court just to run a play every time down the court, and I mean every time down the floor. The teams would even pull out of fastbreaks just to run a play as they looked like robots out there.

I was in awe of the size that both teams were able to put on the floor, at one point in the game Dow had four players six feet or taller on the court. It was also the first time that I saw two 6-3 sophomores go at it.

PLAYER OF GAME: Jordan LaDuke, Flushing- LaDuke started off slow but when she got hot it allowed Flushing to pull away. She's not just a spot up shooter anymore as she aggressively attacked the basket and was able to find the free throw line where she connected on 10 free throws that led to a game high 16 points.

NOTABLE PERFORMANCES

Emily Wendling, Flushing- 6-1 freshman forward that added 4 points and 5 rebounds. She has good balance and isn't afraid to get physical in the paint.

Connor Morrish, Flushing- a 6-3 sophomore that was forced to roam the 3-point line for most of the game due to Flushing's offense. She never got the opportunity to catch the ball on the block. She has work to do as she grows into her body but she also looks like she has some more growing to do.

Jessica Schroll, Dow- the Iowa State commit was in foul trouble and that limited her aggressiveness, however she still made some big plays on both ends of the court. A 6-0 she has a nice post game to go with her guard skills. Had 13 points and 4 steals for Dow.

Rebecca Mills, Dow- Mills, a 6-3 sophomore, was the best player on the floor. Very polished game and a number of times she brought the ball up the court after a rebound. She only finished with 8 points and 8 rebounds because Flushing collapsed on her every time she touched the ball in the post.

HOOPS: B.V. vs. Reed City

**Dedo Jackson splits a double team**
**Will Surles gets off a one handed floater**
**Reed City's Dylan Ridderman knocks a ball loose**

**Dedo sets up the offense**

Saginaw- "Always show your opponent respect"... I think that was the lesson Buena Vista learned yesterday as the Knights hosted Reed City. Buena Vista started the game nonchalant and even though Devante "Dedo" Jackson's 3-pointer gave the Knights a 12-5 lead and four more consecutive points from Jackson made the score 20-11 early in the second quarter BUT Reed City wasn't gonna go away.

The visiting Coyotes continued to scrap and fight for every loose ball, a tip back from Zack Grams cut the Knight lead to 26-23 with less than two minutes until halftime. Sophomore guard George Goodman then gave BV a much needed spark as he scored 10 straight points to end the half and send BV to the locker room with a 36-26 halftime lead.

Reed City started the third quarter with a 6-0 run and a 3-pointer from Grams gave the Coyotes their first lead of the game at 43-41 with 11 seconds left in the third quarter.

The game stayed knotted up for the entire fourth quarter and a "and 1" play from Reed City's Caleb Goodman again tied the game at 53-53 with 1:16 left in the fourth. A steal and open court lay in from Jackson gave BV a two point lead with 30 seconds to play but Grams was then fouled by Jackson and made both free throws to send the game into overtime, the foul was Jackson's fifth.

BV was forced to play overtime without both their best players- Jackson and Anthony Mills, both fouled out, but Goodman and Dequavion Hogg both stepped up and scored 6 points in OT to secure a 70-66 win.

BREAKDOWN: BV came in overconfident and almost let this game slip away. Give Reed City all the credit for never giving up and forcing overtime. BV improves to 3-1 but if they want to keep the winning up they'll need more consistency out of players besides Jackson. Jackson could have finished with 20 assist if his teammates learn to finish plays.

PLAYER OF GAME: Dedo Jackson, BV- Jackson made a heads up play late in the game by sliding over and fouling Grams, forcing him to make both shots in a 1-and-1 situation rather than just giving up an easy basket. Jackson made smart plays like that the entire game as he is turning into a true floor general. Jackson registered 15 points, 6 assist, and 4 steals.

NOTABLE PERFORMANCES

George Goodman, BV- at times he's too offensive minded and as a sophomore he still needs to learn how to play the game the "correct" way. He can score though as he had a game high 21 points.

Derrick Washington, BV- seems to have found a home after spending his freshman year at Nouvel and Arthur Hill. The sophomore is tough and is focused in on playing hard on both ends and added 12 points including a big lay up in overtime.

Zack Grams, RC- a solid high school player at 6-3 with good fundamentals, did everything for his Coyotes. Played big in the paint and even stepped out and guarded the smaller BV guards.

HOOPS: Arthur Hill vs. DeLaSalle

**Pookie lays in two off the glass**
**Northwestern commit Alex Marcotullio**
**sophomore Jalen Bland**

**Omari Humes boxes out Kevin McCarthy**

Warren- 19 to 2, that was the lead the DeLaSalle had after one quarter of play was in the books. The first quarter saw DeLaSalle run their half court offense and get open look, primarily Alex Marcotullio who was able to score eight points in the opening quarter.

Then it was Maurice "Pookie" Jones who handled the final three quarters as well as he handles the basketball. Pookie and his Lumberjack teammates picked up the pressure and forced 12 turnovers in the second quarter that allowed Arthur Hill to outscore the Pilots 26-12 and five straight points from Pookie to end the quarter cut the Lumberjack deficit to 31-28 at the half.

A Pookie steal, with 4:40 to play in the third, led to a Dell Simon basket which gave Arthur Hill their first lead of the game at 39-38. Kevin McCarthy responded with four straight points for DeLaSalle but the Lumberjacks went on a 7-2 run to end the third quarter and take a 50-44 lead into the fourth.

A 3-pointer from Marcotullio followed by a baseline jumper from Ben Hayes tied the game at 59-59 with 1:35 to play but Pookie's lay up gave the Jacks a 61-59 lead and a steal and dunk from Chris Webb gave the Jacks breathing room as Arthur Hill finished off DeLaSalle from the free throw line for a 69-62 win.

BREAKDOWN: It's tough to have a 19-2 lead after one quarter and loose the game but you knew the Jacks were going to pick up the pressure and Arthur Hill got good shots but just couldn't buy a bucket in the opening quarter. The game was a battle for the final three quarters however it was Arthur Hill who dictated the pace of the game which eventually wore down the Pilots.

PLAYER OF GAME: Maurice Jones, Hill- Pookie just flat out dominated this game. He pushed the ball and the pilots just couldn't run with him. Pookie is becoming a consistent 3-point shooter as he knocked down 4 of 5 on his way to 23 points and 10 assist.

NOTABLE PERFORMANCES

Jalen Bland, Hill- scored all 11 of his points in the second quarter and that was critical in helping the Jacks get back into the game.

Omari Humes, Hill- Humes played his first game in two weeks and still isn't quite 100% but he was healthy enough to throw his body around in the paint. He needs to regain his feel shooting the ball but he was still a defensive force and pulled down 6 boards.

Mike Schaaf, Hill- out played McCarthy for most of the game by just getting better position and playing more physical.

Alex Marcotullio, DLS- finished with 15 points on mostly open looks but failed to capitalize when he had a hand in his face. Also looked foolish at times defensively when he was caught guarding the much quicker Pookie and tried swiping at the ball.

Kevin McCarthy, DLS- got some shots to fall near the basket but didn't stand out like a future D-1 player should.

Sterling Johnson, DLS- made some nice passes in the first quarter and looked confident running the offense but once the Hill picked up their pressure Johnson was no where to be found.

HOOPS: Beecher vs. Flint Northwestern

**Chris Campbell was a monster against Beecher**
**Janero Walker pulls up for two of his 17 points**
**Travon Mitchell skies for a third quarter dunk**

**Taron Boose gets fouled while shooting**

FLINT- Flint Northwestern and Beecher met up for the feature game in the second day of the Flint Coca-Cola Holiday Classic Tuesday at Flint Central. Despite playing without leading scorer DeAndre Upchurch, Northwestern used a 17-0 run to start the second half to pull away for a 66-48 win.

Northwestern's Chris Campbell controlled the paint and kept the momentum in the Wildcats hands for a majority of the first half. However Beecher's Janero Walker kept his Bucs close as Beecher only trailed 32-29 at the half.

Even though the Bucs were fighting to just stay close in the first half, I was not expecting Northwestern to start the second half they way they did, while Campbell was dropping bunnies in the paint, guards Chatavius Turner and Travon Mitchell were getting baskets in transition. Walkers basket with 2:30 to go in the third stopped the run but the damage had already been done as Northwestern held a 49-31 lead.

But Beecher never threw the towel in and a 3-pointer from Walker cut the lead to 9 points midway through the fourth quarter but that would be as close as Beecher would get.

BREAKDOWN: Northwestern showed up big despite not having Upchurch, Eric Lundy (broken nose) or Walter Trouser for most of the game as Trouser was fighting a back injury. The Wildcats were also without head coach Dave Bush who was out of town due to a family matter but assistant coach Lamont Tolbert stepped up in his place and did a fine job.

Beecher is young and will still be a team to reckon with come March despite a 2-4 record to start the season. What you got to remember is Beecher is a class C team and they play a majority of class A teams all season. Coach Mike Williams has only 1 senior on the team and a handful of talented freshman and sophomore who are still in their learning stage.

PLAYER OF GAME: Chris Campbell, N.W.- finished with 18 points, 15 rebounds, and 3 blocks as Beecher had no answer for the physical power forward. Campbell was a beast on the glass and I actually thought he finished with more than 15 boards.

NOTABLE PERFORMANCES

Chatavius Turner, NW- is usually the third guard option for the Wildcats but he stepped up big for his team as he racked up 16 points and was even better running the point and not turning the ball over.

Jalen Magee, NW- the sophomore was moved up from the JV team and has always had a reputation as a pure scorer and he showed it in a five minute stretch in the 2nd quarter when he scored 9 points- two 3-pointers and a "and 1" play.

Janero Walker, Bucs- the Buc captain is a true floor general but he is also carrying the scoring load for his team, which is something new for the pass first point guard. Walker finished with 17 points and 6 assist.

Taron Boose, Bucs- Boose did some nice things despite struggling to get shots to fall on this night. He does know how to get to the free throw line and that helped him get to 12 points to go with 8 rebounds.

Javonte Hawkins, Bucs- the 6-4 freshman guard can play. He has a nice stroke from deep and isn't afraid to let it fly. If he continues to work and develop he will be a good one from the class of 2012.

GIRLS HOOPS: Arthur Hill vs. Flint Northern

**Corie Buchanan looks to drop an assist** ** Kiah Douglas finds an easy bucket**
**Chaniese Turner chases down a lose ball**

**Juanita Cochran pulls up for two**

Flint- the S.V.L. title picture became a little clearer last night as Arthur Hill was able to rally back and take a 55-44 decision over Flint Northern in a league game at the Coca-Cola Holiday Classic hosted by Flint Central. Both Northern and the Hill entered the season as my favorites to win the conference crown along with Midland Dow.

Arthur Hill used two fastbreak lay-ups from Kiah Douglas to spark a 6-0 run and take a early 11-4 lead. Northern got consecutive baskets from Chaniese Turner and Latosha Beasley to cut the lead to 11-10 heading into the second quarter. In the second quarter Turner found her groove and swung the momentum back into Northern's favor. Turners' 3-pointer gave the Lady Vikings a 22-21 halftime lead.

The third quarter belonged to Turner and her Viking teammates as Northern took a 37-27 lead with 2:38 to go in the third quarter. But slowly Arthur Hill fought their way back into the contest.

But while Turner owned the third quarter it was Arthur Hill's Corie Buchanan who took over the fourth quarter. The junior's steal and lay in tied the game at 42-42 and senior center, Juanita Cochran, connected on a pair of free throws to give the Lumberjacks a 44-42 lead, their first of the second half. Buchanan continued to do her thing as she made 3 baskets on a Arthur Hill 10-0 run take a 54-42 lead to put Northern away.

BREAKDOWN: this game came down to coach's adjustments in the second half. Coming out of halftime Northern switched to a 1-3-1 zone and Saginaw just couldn't get any high percentage shots off, allowing Northern to take a 10 point lead. In the fourth quarter the Hill switched to an aggressive 2-3 trap and Northern just couldn't handle the pressure, careless turnovers allowed Buchanan and Douglas to get out in transition to go on the big run in the end.

PLAYER OF GAME: Juanita Cochran, Hill- dominated Northern inside, Northern was forced to keep two bodies on the 6-2 center and that opened up scoring chances for the rest of the Lumberjacks. Cochran knew this and chose to pass the ball instead of forcing shots. Cochran seems to have a better understanding of the game and her position which led to 13 points, 16 rebounds, 4 blocks, and 3 assist.

NOTABLE PERFORMANCES

Corie Buchanan, Hill- took home the tourney MVP plaque and continues to make her case as one of the state's top juniors. She dominated the fourth quarter after being a ball distributor for the first three quarters, she showed great court vision and was right on target with some nifty no-look passes. Finished with 14 points, 4 steals, and 5 assist.

Kiah Douglas, Hill- led the Jacks with 16 points and 9 steals. Continues to out hustle any opponent she matches up against.

Chaniese Turner, Northern- Turner played a strong game even though she just couldn't get shots to fall. She still led her team with 13 points and was the only Northern player to not register a turnover.

Latosha Beasley, Northern- had her hands full against Cochran but she was smart enough to try and take Cochran off the dribble which led to Cochran getting into foul trouble. Beasley registered a double-double of 11 points and 10 rebounds.

Kierra Bell, Northern- I'm not sure what's going on with Bell right now because she just hasn't played like herself, she hasn't been as aggressive and she seems to just be going through the motions right now. Northern needs Bell to be successful.

GIRLS HOOPS: Benton Harbor vs. Det. Community

**Community's Crystal Bradford**
**Benton Harbor's Destiny Williams**

Harper Woods- It was one of the most pubbed girls games to take place in a long time in Michigan. Benton Harbor features Miss Basketball favorite- Destiny Williams, who is a top 10 player in the country and ESPN even has her ranked #1. On the other side was Detroit Community who is arguably the best "team" in Michigan, along with Country Day.

But even with all the hype, the game got out of control as Community rolled to a 62-44 win. Williams was doing her thing early and kept Benton Harbor close as Community led 14-12 after one quarter.

In the second quarter Community went on a tear and built a 15 point lead. Williams then picked up her fourth foul with 4:30 to go in the quarter but was left in because it was the only way her Tigers could keep pace with the speedy Community team.

In the third quarter Benton Harbor cut the lead to 10 points at 32-22 but then Williams picked up her fifth foul on what looked to be a clean block. From there it was all Community, as the Hurricanes lead 46-28 after three quarters.

BREAKDOWN: Well, Williams is the real deal but from a team aspect they are far from being the #1 team in class A, that's where the AP has them. I understand her team needed her but it was crazy to see her playing with 4 fouls in the second quarter.

As far as Community goes- I just can't wait to see them play Country Day. It is going to be a battle. Nya Jordan and Crystal Bradford are ballers!

PLAYER OF GAME: Nya Jordan, Community: the Michigan commit is undersized for being a forward but she gets the job done. She was able to get Williams in foul trouble and led her team with 19 points and 7 rebounds.

NOTABLE PERFORMANCES

Crystal Bradford, Community- Jordan got the MVP because she was more consistent for all four quarters but Bradford dominated the third quarter and is a special, special player. The sophomore is also ranked top 10 in the country for her class.

Destiny Williams, BH- foul trouble limited her way below her averages, finished with 10 points and 7 boards. But she is the best senior in Michigan and should still win Miss. Basketball.

HOOPS: Saginaw vs. Det. Southeastern

**Willie Gholston slams home 2 points**
**Greg Hayes pulls up for infront of Carlos Carter****

**Both teams fought hard for every loose ball**

Harper Woods- The Saginaw High/ Detroit Southeastern match-up was the late game Saturday night at Harper Woods and I'm stressing the word "late", especially since both teams took the floor with white Jerseys, forcing an even later tip off since Southeastern had to go back home and get their dark jerseys.

But the fans who stuck around were given a show from two very talented teams! In the end the Jungaleers with stood a handful of Trojan rallies to escape with a 65-61 win.

Southeastern took an early 10-0 lead before Mike Green hit two long shots to cut the lead to 10-5. But then sophomore phenom Brandan Kearney hit a pair of 3-pointers from each corner to build the lead back to double digits at 15-5. In the second quarter, five straight points from Green tied the game at 25-25. Southeastern again responded with a 9-0 run to go up 37-26 at halftime, the run featured a two handed slam from Willie Gholston.

In the second half the Trojans picked up the full court pressure, and forced turnovers kept the score close. Another reason Saginaw was able to stay close was the play of Greg Hayes in the second half. The junior speedster torched Southeastern and connected on two "and 1" plays as well as a short jumper to make the score 51-50 early in the fourth quarter.

However midway through the fourth quarter Hayes was knocked out of the game needing 9 stitches and Saginaw's super sophomore Tommie McCune fouled out. Saginaw refused to give up and a basket from DeAnthony Arnette made the score 61-59 with 1:37 to play. Southeastern wasn't going to let this game slip away and a Kearney free throw along with a huge offensive rebound and tip back from Percy Gibson secured the win for the Jungaleers.

BREAKDOWN: this gave was fast pace and very intense, there were bodies diving all over the place. The coaches were playing chess as they both tried to get an advantage, Saginaw tried to play small ball with their full court press while S.E. wanted to use their bigs as an advantage in the half court game. Saginaw's press causes big problems but late in the game S.E. put the ball in Kearney's hands and he took care of it.

PLAYER OF GAME: Brandan Kearney, S.E.- teammate Kimani Boyton took home the MVP award for leading the team in points but if you know basketball it was Kearney's ability to take care of the ball that sealed the win. Saginaw brought the pressure and Kearney was cooler than the other side of the pillow while handling the press.

NOTABLE PERFORMANCES

Kimani Boyton, S.E.- is starting to turn into a scoring machine, had a team high 22 points to go with 10 boards.

Willie Gholston, S.E.- one of the nation's top football prospects gave Saginaw problems inside with his physical play. He added 10 points and 6 rebounds but stats don't show how big of a role he played in the win.

Mike Green, Saginaw- Green continues to perform on a high level and has now thrown his name in the top echelon for the Mr. Basketball award. He had team highs of 22 points and 7 rebounds.

Greg Hayes, Saginaw- Hayes was spectacular in the second half... he was flat out ballin! Added 14 points, 5 boards, and 4 steals with most of coming in the third quarter. Early in the fourth he took a hit in the face while driving to the basket, and was knocked out of the game.

HOOPS: Hartland vs. Flint Powers

**Sugar Shane goes up for 2 of his 27 points**
**Vonn Jones led Hartland with 27 points and 10 assist**
**Powers' Demarco Sanders**

**Matt Poches added 20 points and 8 boards**

Harper Woods- this was a very intriguing game due to the match-ups at every position, as big time recruits filled the court on both teams. Hartland is a veteran team looking for some state wide love while Powers brought back almost everyone from a team that advanced to the state championship last year.

Powers used that state final experience to jump out to a 12-2 lead and a 32-16 lead at the end of the first quarter. Powers was off and running and resembled the Harlem Globetrotters as they took turns tossing no look passes to each other. Midway through the second quarter Vonn Jones had seen enough and went on a 3-point bomb fest to cut the lead to single digits. Two baskets from Powers' Shane Moreland built the lead back to 46-29 at halftime.

Baskets from Vonn and Matt Poches kept Hartland close as they again trimmed Powers' lead to 10 points. However Hartland had no answer for Rodney Anderson, who's "and 1" slam put Hartland way and Powers cruised the rest of the way for a 94-71 win.

BREAKDOWN: boy, oh boy, was Powers impressive. They spread the floor with shooters all over the place and they don't waste any time pushing the ball. That was the difference in the game because Hartland's transition defense was horrible and Powers must have had atleast 30 points in fastbreak lay-ups. Powers is so balance in scoring that all five starters reached double figures. Powers will only get tougher in January when transfer Pierre Brackett becomes eligible- giving Powers one of the best defenders in the country.

PLAYER OF GAME: Shane Moreland, Powers- Sugar Shane seems more focused into getting his teammates involved this year. He can still score whenever he wants, as he put up 27 points in this game. But I love his ability to pass the ball and his eagerness to feed his teammates.

NOTABLE PERFORMANCES

Patrick Lucas-Perry, Powers- PLP played like a seasoned veteran. He controlled the tempo and quickly pushed the ball up the floor. He knocked down a handful of mid range jump shots, which is starting to become his signature mark just like the Piston's Richard Hamilton. Finished with 18 points.

Rodney Anderson, Powers- Hartland was never able to get a body on the 6-8 leaper. Andersons' skills are so raw but the light is starting to turn on for him. He finished with three sick dunks on his way to 12 points and 9 rebounds.

Demarco Sanders, Powers- I was really impressed with Sanders, teamed up with PLP and Sugar Shane, Powers now has three guards that can fill it up. Sanders added 12 points and 8 boards and is much improved from a year ago.

Vonn Jones, Hartland- Powers tried to double team Jones but he was still able to get his. Jones rained six 3-pointers on his way to a 27 point and 10 assist game.

Matt Poches, Hartland- had his motor running which led to 20 points, 8 boards, and 4 steals.