Preps!

Can you say instant classic?

The Clarkston Wolves (20-3) kept clawing away, but Jermaine Jackson Jr. and the Macomb Dakota Cougars (24-0) proved to be too much, defeating the Wolves, 68-66, in double overtime in a Class A regional semifinal Monday night at Dakota.

After Clarkston took a 20-19 lead at halftime, things picked up for both sides drastically largely because of their star point guards — sophomore Foster Loyer for Clarkston and junior Jackson for Dakota.

With 6:50 to play in the third quarter, Jackson made a three-pointer to make it 24-20 in favor of Dakota and then made another three to make it 27-20. Loyer answered with a two at 5:11.

Clarkston went on an 8-1 run, tying it at 28 with 3:21 to play in the third. Then Jackson scored off an inbound pass before sophomore C.J. Robinson did the same for Clarkston with 2:37 to go in the third. Jackson then made one of two from the free-throw line.

After some back-and-forth, Dakota led 36-34 going into the fourth. Jackson scored the first points of the quarter on a crazy, acrobatic lay-up.

Then it became the Loyer show. He went to the line with 6:17 to play and converted both attempts. Loyer scored the next four points for the Wolves and cut the deficit to, 41-40, with 4:21 remaining.

Loyer committed his third foul with 3:50 to go, sending Dakota center Thomas Kithier to the line, where he made both. Clarkston junior Dylan Alderson hung in the air and finished for two with 3:19 to go.

Dakota senior guard Chris Marshall made a one-handed lay-up to give the Cougars a 45-43 lead with 2:05 left.

After an exchange of buckets by Jackson and Loyer, it was 47-45 Dakota until Clarkston senior Mitch Heaton tied it with 49 seconds to go.

It remained that way as the game went into overtime. Jackson had the ball in his hands at the end of regulation and missed a last-second jumper.

One overtime wasn’t enough to settle the contest. Jackson scored the first two points of the second OT with a lay-up in transition. Loyer answered with a two-pointer off the glass while getting fouled. He nailed his one-and-one attempt with 2:41 to go.

Marshall then took it the length of the court and got fouled with 1:46 left. He made two from the stripe to give Dakota a 63-62 lead. But the Wolves weren’t done clawing. Alderson made a spinning two-pointer for Clarkston before Jackson struck right back with a three-pointer.

Loyer made two from the stripe, and it was 66-all with 32.8 seconds to play. The score didn’t change until Dakota junior guard Chris Magee hit a lay-up with six seconds left to win it for the Cougars.

“I’m just proud of the kids,” Dakota coach Paul Tocco said. “This feels good. We beat a great, disciplined basketball team tonight.”

Jackson finished with 25 points. Loyer had 27.

Dakota advances to play Rochester Adams for the regional championship at 6 p.m. Wednesday.

Preps!

CLASS A

No. 3: Ann Arbor Pioneer 60, Woodhaven 37

3: Ypsilanti 67, Belleville 43

4: U-D Jesuit 74, Livonia Churchill 49

4: Detroit Western 68, Dearborn Fordson 31

5: North Farmington 62, Hartland 30

5: Walled Lake Central 72, Novi 61

6: Sterling Heights Stevenson 60, Warren De La Salle 52

6: Roseville 61, Birmingham Groves 56

7: Rochester Adams 47, Ortonville-Brandon 38

7: Macomb Dakota 68, Clarkston 66

CLASS B

12: River Rouge 44, Ann Arbor Richard 32

12: Onsted 74, Grosse Ile 51

13: Detroit Henry Ford 63, Detroit Collegiate Prep-Northwestern 56

13: Detroit Osborn 62, Detroit Douglass 56

14: Lake Fenton 59, Yale 40

14: New Haven 45, Birmingham Detroit Country Day 44

CLASS C

19: Pewamo-Westphalia 59, Ypsilanti Arbor Prep 52

19: Hanover-Horton 77, Dansville 65

20: Detroit Loyola 66, Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central 53

20: Riverview Richard 71, Adrian Madison 66

21: Southfield Christian 101, Sandusky 57

21: Flint Beecher 62, Detroit Cornerstone 55

CLASS D

27: Waterford Our Lady 41, Allen Park Inter-City Baptist 33

27: Lansing Christian 71, Novi Franklin Road 55

28: Genesee Christian 50, Bay City All Saints 49

28: Marine City Cardinal Mooney 38, Kingston 31

Boys basketball regional recaps for Monday, March 14

Complete statewide results available at usatodayhss.com/market/detroit.

Williamston boys basketball coach Jason Bauer underwent brain surgery last week after doctors found two tumors.

WILLIAMSTON – It was the biggest game of his five-year career as Williamston’s varsity boys basketball coach — a Class B regional semifinal Monday night against defending state champ and No. 1-ranked Wyoming Godwin Heights — but Jason Bauer was sitting in his spacious family room instead, listening to the game on the radio and reading text messages.

He wasn’t whining about missing the game.

“I can’t complain too much right now,” he said Tuesday morning. “I’m still alive, and so is my team.”

Yes, Bauer is still alive — after doctors found two tumors in his brain and quickly operated on him last week.

And with assistant coach Tom Lewis calling the shots, No. 8 Williamston upset Godwin Heights, 57-55, in overtime.

“Coach told us if we win our battles, Coach Bauer will win his,” senior Kurtis Kodet said. “Every possession — everything we did — it was all about battles. Coach Bauer is one tough guy. He’s doing great now.”

The war Bauer, 36, is raging began a week ago when persistent headaches didn’t go away. He began taking ibuprofen before his wife, Dawn, got him stronger medicine, but that worked for only a day.

Senior Kurtis Kodet.

Finally, he went to an Urgent Care in Okemos on Wednesday afternoon, and after he vomited there, he was taken to the emergency room at Sparrow Hospital, where he sat in the waiting room for almost 3 hours.

“I’ve heard stories,” he said. “So, I was thinking: ‘Do I fake this?’ I wanted to get back in there because I knew something was wrong.”

There was nothing to fake. A CT scan revealed two brain tumors.

Bauer was in the hospital when the Hornets defeated Lansing Sexton in Wednesday’s district semifinal, but the players didn’t know it.

However, they weren’t shocked when he wasn’t at the game.

“The practice before, he wasn’t himself, we knew that,” Kodet said. “So we didn’t expect to see him at the game.”

On the bus ride home Wednesday, Lewis received the diagnosis from Dawn. He and the other coaches decided they needed to tell the players as soon as they arrived at the school before they heard about it via social media.

“It was definitely sad,” said senior Riley Lewis, who had scored 40 points that night against Sexton. “It was a tough moment for all of us.”

From that moment on, the Hornets’ season became all about their coach.

Bauer, who played at Williamston and Grand Valley State, is an imposing figure at 6 feet 8, but he is not a yeller or a screamer. His players love playing for him, and they adore him away from the court.

“He’s really a quiet guy,” said Lewis, a four-year starter. “He’s not really a people person, per se. For the last four years I’ve gotten to know him well. He’s opened up to me, and I can see he doesn’t do that with a lot of people, so knowing him on a deeper level is really awesome.”

Top scorer Riley Lewis.

Bauer is young enough to relate to the kids on different levels. He is almost a big-brother figure as opposed to a father figure, and he always is talking about teachable moments that may or may not pertain to basketball.

“It’s just life skills,” Kodet said. “He’s taught me so much. He taught me if you’re 5 minutes early, you’re 10 minutes late. He taught me how to man-up and take responsibility for your own actions. He taught me so much outside of basketball. He’s really helped me in my life. He’s a huge role model.”

Less than 24 hours after receiving the diagnosis, Bauer underwent surgery to remove the tumors on the front left lobe.

“All I remember is being wheeled back to the surgery room,” he said, “and the next thing I knew I was awake and they were dealing with me and figuring me out.”

Bauer seems to be doing remarkably well considering the circumstances. The biggest problem he has experienced post-surgery is struggling to find the right words while speaking and texting, which is gradually improving.

“It was more during texting, trying to plug in words,” he said. “Even Riley had said there were a couple of times I texted him and it really wasn’t making sense. But it’s all good.”

It got even better Friday night when Lewis scored 27 points to lead Williamston to a victory over No. 3 Lansing Catholic, Williamston’s archrival.

Before they played Lansing Catholic, the Hornets discussed what Bauer had told them before the tournament. “He told us that we’ve won the league every year, but this year we need to make a run,” Lewis said. “We need to win a couple of trophies.”

The players took trophy No. 1 to Bauer’s hospital room Saturday morning, but it was difficult for them to see their coach in a hospital bed.

“It was a little weird at first,” Kodet said. “Coach has always been a big guy, real strong. He was down, but we picked his spirits up, and he said he was listening to the game.”

Bauer was listening Monday to the heart-pounding overtime victory that earned the Hornets (19-3) a spot in Wednesday’s regional final against Stockbridge (18-5) at Eaton Rapids.

“It was awesome,” Kodet said Tuesday. “I still can’t believe it. It’s a whole day later, and I’ve still got chills about it.”

Lewis, who is averaging 29 points and has committed to play at Hope College, was terrific again in sparking the upset of Godwin Heights, scoring 37 points. He made every key free throw down the stretch to prolong what is becoming an unforgettable season.

Williamston hadn’t advanced to the regionals during Lewis’ career, so March Madness was something new to him … until Monday night.

“It’s amazing,” he said. “This is crazy. I didn’t know what it was like. Last night was really my first tournament experience. It was packed, everyone was standing up, screaming. It was awesome.”

Meanwhile, Bauer is feeling conflicted. His team is winning, but he is sitting at home.

“It takes its toll to where it’s like: ‘How mad should I get or should I just be happy I’m still alive?’ ” he said. “I don’t really have a choice.”

But when he takes a step back and considers everything that has transpired in the past week, he is extremely grateful.

And outside of the staples in his head and a little swelling under his left eye, Bauer looks remarkably good.

“Sitting here listening to the game … it’s good stuff,” he said. “I can’t complain about that.

“It’s exciting to still be alive and kicking and pushing.”

For him and his team.

Contact Mick McCabe: 313-223-4744 or mmccabe@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @mickmccabe1.

Wednesday’s game

What: Class B Region 11 final.

Matchup: Williamston (19-3) vs. Stockbridge (18-5).

When: 7.

Where: Eaton Rapids High.

U-D Jesuit’s Greg Eboigbodin is fouled during a 47-39 regional final win over Detroit Western on Wednesday.

Most high school basketball fans knows about U-D Jesuit senior sensation Cassius Winston, the guy who makes the Cubs go.

Well, the Cubbies also have someone on their roster almost as important as Winston. He is the “Human U-Turn.”

Time after time in Wednesday’s Class A regional final at Detroit Renaissance, Detroit Western guards drove into the lane and, time after time, they turned around and dribbled out of the paint where 6-feet-9 Greg Eboigbodin was lurking, waiting to swat shots into the cheap seats.

“It was a team effort,” said Eboigbodin. “My teammates were pushing me like: ‘Hey, you’ve got to be physical.’ ”

He was physical, so defending Class A state champ Western was in trouble.

“He changed stuff,” said Western coach Derrick McDowell. “He gave up nothing down there. He just sat in the lane and we never shot the ball well, so we never brought him out. If we had the lead, he would have come out.”

The lead belonged to U-D Jesuit all night long as the Cubs rolled to a hard-fought 47-39 victory.

Wednesday’s boys basketball regional finals

Western (19-4) is usually a good three-point shooting team, but the No. 1-ranked Cubs (26-0) limited Western to a mere 4-for-21 from beyond the three-point arc.

“That’s what we do,” said Winston “We pride ourselves on playing defense. We knew they were a three-point shooting team so in the pregame we said we were going to take them away from the three-point line and send them to the big men.”

The big men are Eboigbodin and Ike Eke, also 6-9, so the lane is off limits to the opposition, meaning the big men do not necessarily have to score to affect a game.

“If they defend well and they rebound well, they’re doing their job,” said U-D coach Pat Donnelly. “We can defend the perimeter much more aggressively when you’ve got two 6-9 guys in there to protect.”

But Eboigbodin also began the game with a couple of strong inside moves for baskets to get the Cubs going.

“I didn’t really plan it,” he said. “My coach just told me nobody could stop me so go aggressive, that’s the only way we can win this game.”

The Cubs usually win the game with Winston, who scored 20 points, while Brailen Neely led Western with 14.

But they were a tough 20 points for Winston, who had to earn every one against the dogged Western guards.

“They have a lot of kids that can sit down and play defense,” Winston said. “They play great help-side. They send you out and make you shoot a lot of jumpers where really, that’s not my game. I really don’t shoot a lot of jumpers so it’s hard to play against them.”

It is even harder playing against the Cubs, who take away so much of what other teams like to do.

“Our size prevents them from getting to the rim a whole lot,” Donnelly said. “It’s tough to finish against 6-9 in there. It does force penetration and kick-out and I thought we did a decent job on closing out on three-point shooters. I thought we did a great job of defending the three-point shot today. They hit a couple, but they take a lot, too.”

U-D led, 26-21, at halftime but a 37-foot bank shot by Neely at the end of the third quarter made it a three-point game.

Freshman Julian Dozier converted a key three-point play for U-D and then made a crucial steal when Western was within four points late.

“It was a two-possession game and their (Armanti) Tinsley can really shoot it,” Donnelly said. “The fact that Julian played great defense and picked his pocket at half court to kind of seal it for us was a huge play for a freshman to make.”

Contact Mick McCabe: 313-223-4744 or mmccabe@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @mickmccabe1.

Preps!

There comes a time in every senior’s career when he’s called back to the bench for the last time and watches the final seconds tick away.

For the players on North Farmington — 11 of whom are seniors — that moment hasn’t occurred just yet.

The Raiders advanced into the quarterfinals for the first time with a 75-64 victory over Walled Lake Central Wednesday night at West Bloomfield. North Farmington will play Sterling Heights Stevenson at 7 p.m. Tuesday at U-D Mercy.

Though the game was a two-point affair at half, North Farmington caught fire after the break to lead by as many as 17.

Wednesday’s boys basketball regional finals

“We played a faster tempo; that’s what we had to do,” said North Farmington’s Billy Thomas, who had a game-high 27. “They limited us to lesser shots (in the first half), we didn’t hit our shots that we usually make, I think we just picked it up in the second half.”

After North Farmington came back from an early 25-20 deficit to grab a 33-31 halftime lead, the Raiders scored the first eight points of the third quarter — including two three-pointers from Thomas — to take control.

“I thought we were really amped up to start the (second) half,” North Farmington coach Todd Negoshian said. “I thought we were nervous (at the start) and showed anxiety, and in the second half we really shut it out and started guarding people.”

Walled Lake Central (22-4) couldn’t make any headway. And when the Vikings started fouling in the fourth quarter, it didn’t work since the Raiders sank 15 of 17 from the line.

Central was led by Anton Lucaj (16 points), Runako Zielger (16), Walter Kelser (15) and Malik Abiola (10).

Preps!

Detroit Henry Ford 77, Detroit Osborn 56: James Towns led Henry Ford (17-6) with 17 points in Class B. Kavon Bey scored 16 points. Devontaye Webb added 15 points, and Deonte Ulmer chipped in 11 points. Armonee Felder led all scorers with 21 points for Osborn (14-11). Kenneth Holloway added 11 points, and Devin DuBoise also chipped in 10 points.

Wednesday’s boys basketball regional finals

Detroit Loyola 54, Riverview Richard 39: PJ Mitchell had 10 points and four steals in Class C for Loyola (20-5). DeQuan Powell added 10 points. Josh Blaszak had 17 points for Richard (19-5).

Flint Beecher 78, Southfield Christian 65: Richard Feagin had 18 points and five assists in Class C for Southfield Christian (21-3). Also, Marlo Brown contributed 14 points and seven rebounds plus five assists for Christian. With the victory, Beecher improved to 22-2.

Macomb Dakota 74, Rochester Adams 68: Thomas Kithier had 21 points, eight rebounds and five blocks while Trevon Webster had 15 points in Class A for Dakota (25-0). Jackson had 14 points and four assists plus five steals and nine rebounds. Steven Marshall had 13 points and 13 assists for Adams (18-6), Spencer Littleson had 22 points while Joey Ziniti finished with 22 points as well.

New Haven 53, Lake Fenton 50: Eric Williams Jr. had 26 points in Class B for New Haven (22-2). Romeo Weems added 10 points, 10 rebounds and five assist. Jalen Miller had 19 points for Lake Fenton.

Preps!

Detroit Loyola 58, Hanover Horton 47: DeQuan Powell scored 16 points for Loyola (21-5). PJ Mitchell also added 15 points. Jay McMiller paced Horton (23-3) with 14 points, and Preston Lekata also chipped in 12 points.

Macomb Dakota 67, Midland 47: Thomas Kithier scored 20 points, grabbed 13 rebounds, dished five assists and recorded five blocks for Dakota (26-0). Jermaine Jackson Jr. added 16 points and 10 assists. Tavin Allison also chipped in 14 points and five assists. Payton DeWildt led Midland with 14 points.

Powers North Central 75, Onaway 52: Joe Sigsby led Onaway with 19 points. Jason Whitens dropped a monster 30 points for North Central.

Williamston 53, River Rouge 46: Riley Lewis scored 27 points for Williamston. Darian White Owens paced River Rouge with 19 points.

Boys basketball quarterfinals, semifinals and finals
Winston leads U-D Jesuit over Ypsilanti, 62-47
Detroit Henry Ford races past New Haven, 62-40
North Farmington relaxed, confident on big stage

Detroit Western Josh McFolley holds the championship trophy as they celebrate after their 62-59 win overSaginaw Arthur Hill in the MHSAA Boys Class A final basketball game on Saturday, March 28, 2015 in East Lansing.

ALL SEMIFINALS AND FINALS AT THE BRESLIN CENTER, EAST LANSING

Class A

Tuesday’s quarterfinals

Lansing Everett 63, Hudsonville 54

U-D Jesuit 62, Ypsilanti 47

North Farmington 70, Sterling Heights Stevenson 57

Macomb Dakota 66, Midland 47

Friday’s semifinals

U-D Jesuit (26-0) vs. Macomb Dakota (26-0), 1 p.m.

North Farmington (23-2) vs. Lansing Everett (16-10), 2:50 p.m.

Saturday’s final

Semifinal winners, noon

Class B

Tuesday’s quarterfinals

Stevensville Lakeshore 51, Hudsonville Unity Chr. 45

Williamston 53, River Rouge 46

Detroit Henry Ford 62, New Haven 40

Big Rapids 42, Essexville Garber 23

Friday’s semifinals

Detroit Henry Ford (18-6) vs. Williamston (21-3), 6 p.m.

Big Rapids (23-2) vs. Stevensville Lakeshore (19-7), 7:50 p.m.

Saturday’s final

Semifinal winners, 6:30 p.m.

Class C

Tuesday’s quarterfinals

Grandville Calvin Christian 64, Kalamazoo Hackett 42

Detroit Loyola 58, Hanover-Horton 47

Flint Beecher 72, Ithaca 45

McBain 49, Ishpeming Westwood 40

Thursday’s semifinals

Grandville Calvin Christian (20-4) vs. McBain (26-0), 1 p.m.

Flint Beecher (23-2) vs. Detroit Loyola (21-5), 2:50 p.m.

Saturday’s final

Semifinal winners, 4:30 p.m.

Class D

Tuesday’s quarterfinals

Wyoming Tri-unity 54, Adrian Lenawee Christian 43

Waterford Our Lady 52, Marine City Cardinal Mooney 46

Fulton 51, Bellaire 41

Powers North Central 75, Onaway 52

Thursday’s semifinals

Wyoming Tri-unity Christian (20-5) vs. Waterford Our Lady (21-4), 6 p.m.

Fulton (19-6) vs. Powers North Central (26-0), 7:50 p.m.

Saturday’s final

Semifinal winners, 10 a.m.

Cassius Winston named Michigan’s Mr. Basketball

Son of Swami

Son of Swami

There are some things the Son of Swami never thought he’d live to see.

One of them is North Farmington playing in Friday’s boys basketball semifinals, with an excellent shot at playing for all the marbles — not to mention the Class A state championship Saturday at noon.

North Farmington has upgraded its basketball program recently, but never seemed to have what it took to get to that next level.

It turns out that North Farmington coach Todd Negoshian read about Drew Cannon, who produced statistical analysis that helped the Butler program and is now on staff with the Boston Celtics. Negoshian was so impressed he went to North Farmington math teacher Jill Gordon, selected by SOS as North’s Teacher of the Year in each of the last 10 years, and asked her to devise statistical data that would help the North program.

It turns out that, as a young girl, the mathematical prodigy did pretty much the same thing, writing algorithms to help the Westland Glenn football team. Gordon was so successful it is rumored that Lloyd Carr had her on retainer at Michigan.

So maybe it isn’t such a surprise to see the Raiders advance to the semifinals. To see if SOS thinks North can reach the championship game … read on. All games are at the Breslin Center in East Lansing.

Class A

U-D Jesuit (26-0) vs. Macomb Dakota (26-0), 1 p.m. Friday. These teams match up so well with terrific point guards and dominating big men in the paint. So what will be the difference? SOS wonders if we didn’t get a preview of that when Dakota scrimmaged East English Village. DUD Jesuit 67, Dakota Fanning 63.

North Farmington (23-2) vs. Lansing Everett (16-10), 2:50 Friday. It turns out that Jill Gordon’s No. 1 statistical finding was that when a team actually plays defense, it usually wins the game. Genius! North may want to try that. If Everett falls behind by nine again, it will lose by 19, but Jamyrin Jackson won’t let that happen. North of Harrison 72, Magic High 65.

Class B

Detroit Henry Ford (18-6) vs. Williamston (21-3), 6 p.m. Friday. SOS understands that Williamston handled River Rouge’s press just fine, but Henry Ford’s pressure is a different level. Henry Ford will have to figure a way to stop Riley Lewis, but Williamston won’t have a picnic trying to defend James Towns. Hank High 61, Williamston Settlement 60.

Big Rapids (23-2) vs. Stevensville Lakeshore (19-7), 7:50 Friday. SOS expected so much from Lakeshore early this season, and then it stumbled badly. But it has won 10 straight now, and that should be enough to beat a Big Rapids team that plays absolutely dynamite defense. Steven’s Villa by the Lake Shore 49, Rapid Fire 47.

Class C

Grandville Calvin Christian (20-4) vs. McBain (26-0), 1 p.m. Thursday. SOS want to know exactly who in McBain, a suburb of Lake City, will be able to match up with Calvin Christian’s 6-foot-9 sophomore Blake Verbeek? Of course, stopping McBain junior Logan Eling won’t be easy, either. Calvin & Hobbs 58, McPain 54.

Flint Beecher (23-2) vs. Detroit Loyola (21-5), 2:50 Thursday. Defending state champ Beecher doesn’t score as easily as it did a year ago, but the way Aquavius Burks is playing right now, it doesn’t matter. This is the first semifinal performance for Loyola and super sophomore P.J. Mitchell, but it will have difficulty matching up with Beecher. Beechnut 66, Loyalty 61.

Class D

Wyoming Tri-unity Christian (20-5) vs. Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes (21-4), 6 p.m. Thursday. The Defenders of Tri-unity played great defense against Lenawee Christian to earn their 10th trip to the semifinals. The Lakes players certainly know their way to The Bres, but SOS doesn’t think they can generate enough scoring to get to the final. Triumvirate 51, Waterford Our Gal 50.

Fulton (19-6) vs. Powers North Central (27-0), 7:50 Thursday. Fulton plays excellent defense, can it shut down junior Jason Whitens, who hit 13 of 15 shots for 30 points in the quarterfinals to become the school’s all-time leading scorer (1,370)? North Central will have to make sure Colton Antes doesn’t start lighting it up from behind the three-point arc. Power to the People 68, Fulton’s Folly 60.

Contact with the Son of Swami can be arranged through Mick McCabe: 313-223-4744 or mmccabe@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @mickmccabe1

Boys basketball quarterfinals, semifinals and finals

State finals

What: Boys basketball state finals.

When: Saturday.

Where: Breslin Center, East Lansing.

Schedule: Class D — 10 a.m.; Class A — noon, Class C — 4:30 p.m., Class B — 6:30 p.m.

Detroit Loyola’s Blaine Woodland is defended by Flint Beecher’s Levane Blake and Jermaine Shumpert during the second quarter Thursday.

EAST LANSING – Detroit Loyola led, 59-55, with 25 seconds to go in the Class C semifinal, but that didn’t seem to faze Flint Beecher even though it had surrendered an 11-point fourth-quarter lead.

That’s because the Bucs faced similar situations in the postseason, coach Mike Williams said.

“One thing about this team is that all season that they’ve shown resilience and poise and composure in the face of elimination,” he said. “They faced it against Flint Hamady in the first round down five points with 50 seconds to go, they faced it against Southfield Christian down by 13 points with a minute to go in the third, and today, the thing that I can say I was proud of — I wasn’t proud that we gave up the lead — it was all positive in the huddle.

“Everyone was saying ‘We got this, we’re OK.’

Class C: Ellison’s buzzer-beater wins it for Beecher

DESTINED FOR GREATNESS: Grandville Calvin Christian Coach Ryan Stevens felt early on — really early on — that the Squires could accomplish great things this season.

“You try not to do this on the first day of practice, but that was when we talked about making it to the state finals and said this is the goal for this season,” he said. “I felt we were good enough to do that. We had enough pieces and parts to put together and things have to go the right way, but it did.

“Eleven of my 12 kids that were on varsity all year played out-of-season, and so they put a lot of work in to get here.”

Class C: DeWitte’s hot hand lifts Calvin Christian

ONCE A COACH, ALWAYS A COACH: One person sitting in front of the Beecher fan section appeared to be the Bucs’ toughest critic, barking commands such as “Get in the game,” “Move your feet,” “Slow it down,” and the like throughout the contest.

But he knows his game, at least — Moses Lacy coached at the school for 15 seasons, winning Class B state titles in 1985 and 1987.

“We made so many mistakes, turnovers; that is not Beecher basketball,” said the 78-year old, dressed in a shiny red jacket and a red “BUCS” baseball cap to match.

If he were still coaching, how would he prepare the team for Saturday’s final against Calvin Christian?

“Go somewhere, sit their butts down,” he said. “I don’t let them stay home. I’d make them stay in the field house.”

Listen live: Michigan boys basketball semifinals

RIM SHOT: It looked like Flint Beecher had put the game away with five minutes to play when a Levane Blake dunk put the Bucs up, 51-40.

However, Blake received a technical foul for hanging on the rim, and that started a chain of favorable events for Detroit Loyola.

First, P.J. Mitchell made both free throws, and the Bulldogs made it a five-point trip as Ernest Adams drained a three after the Bulldogs in-bounded the ball. Keith Johnson hit two more triples in the next three minutes, and Loyola took a lead that looked like it would last.

BOARD GAME: While both Loyola and Flint Beecher finished the game with 35 rebounds apiece, the difference was Loyola had 16 at the offensive end, while Beecher had just five. That was instrumental in keeping the Bulldogs in the game, as they went 0-for-10 shooting three-pointers in the first and second quarters.

Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes coach Paul Robak disputes a call during the second quarter of the Lakers’ 64-53 Class D semifinal win over Wyoming Tri-unity Thursday at the Breslin Center.

Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes’ Devin Senerius celebrates Lakes’ 64-53 win in the Class D state semifinal Thursday at Breslin Center.

EAST LANSING – After a heartbreaking 53-52 semifinal loss to Morenci last season in the Class D semifinals, Thursday was all business for the three seniors who led Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes to a 64-53 victory over Wyoming Tri-unity Christian at the Breslin Center.

“Absolutely,” said Devin Senerius, who along with Clay Senerius posted a double-double for the Lakers. “We weren’t expected to be here. Last year, we were expected to win. We weren’t expected to go this far. The young guys just followed our lead. We knew it would have to be defense to get us to the final.”

Down, 50-47, the Lakers went on a 17-3 run, starting with three straight turnovers to start the spurt.

The Senerius brothers combined for 28 points, 22 rebounds and shot 13-for-22 from the floor.

The youngster who has gained the most is freshman Noah Robak, Lakes coach Paul Robak’s nephew. He hit a couple of threes during the spurt and finished with 12 points.

The Senerius brothers along with Issac Oliver were on the Division 8 football team that lost, 7-0, to Muskegon Catholic Central at Ford Field in November.

A basketball championship would do just fine.

ENJOYING THE RIDE: Jason Whitens is enjoying a ride to a possible second state title.

The Powers North Central junior scored as many points as Fulton in a 64-23 semifinal win Thursday.

“We’re more experienced, so we’re looking at it more as a business trip,” said Whitens, who was a star in last year’s championship run. “We’re having fun, but we’re here to get the job done.

“We keep everything within ourselves. We focus on what we need to do. We focus in on how we can get better and how we can win games.”

One of the games was a 113-25 victory over Wilson Nah Tah Wahsh, a small Indian reservation school that plays in a different league. The team has the option to play in the regular district or not. This time they chose to take on the defending Class D champions, whose starters only played about 11/2 quarters.

“They’re a young team and I give those guys a lot of credit,” said Whitens. “They decided they wanted to play and they work hard.”

Contact Perry A. Farrell: 313-222-2555 or pafarrell@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @farrellperry.

Preps!

EAST LANSING – Jason Whitens was going to make sure the defending Class D champions wouldn’t be caught on upset alert.

The Powers North Central junior scored seven of his team’s first nine points and the Jets took off early in routing Fulton, 64-23, Thursday night at the Breslin Center.

The Jets (27-0) will face Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes Saturday morning at 10 a.m., with hopes for a repeat.

“We don’t try and do anything different,” North Central coach Adam Mercier said. “They have expectations of themselves. We don’t follow anyone else’s expectations. There is no pressure on these kids. The game of basketball is meant to be played with a lot of passion, fun and energy.

“This is 17-, 18-year-old kids playing the game of basketball. When they play it, they play well. We’ve tried to keep that family-type atmosphere. We don’t let anything interfere with what we do as a team.”

Whitens scored 11 points in the first quarter as the Jets took an 18-4 lead. Powers shot 70% from the field while the Pirates were held to 10%.

Whitens played just three quarters and finished with 23 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and two steals in 23 minutes.

“We try to get everyone involved and let everyone get a piece of the glory,” Whitens said. “We share the glory, and it’s really special to be out there with these group of guys.”

By the 6:44 mark of the second quarter, a Whitens jump shot made it 22-4, and the outcome appeared certain.

He then fed Morgan Cox for a dunk to make it a 20-point lead and a fast-break lay-up by Bobby Kleiman blew the game open at 28-6. Cox made all six of his field goal attempts and finished with 12 points.

“I’m feeling great,” Cox said. “I know it’s my senior year, and I’m going to give everything I have Saturday. I’m going to bring it all.”

Whitens and North Central then turned the scoring over to junior Dawson Bilski (11 points). He scored eight straight points to increase the lead to 41-9 with a minute left in the first half.

The Pirates (19-7) managed to score just five points in the second quarter.

Whitens scored 15 in the first half and Bilski chipped in 11. The unselfish Jets had three players with three assists and another with two for a total of 12.

North Central shot a blistering 68% in the first half and held a 21-9 rebounding edge. The Pirates made just three of 23 field goal attempts for 13% and were two of 11 from three-point land for 18.2%.

In the third quarter, the Jets were the beneficiaries of a running clock as the Pirates couldn’t score until Zach Walden hit a triple with 4:15 left in the third to make it 52-12.

Listen live: Michigan boys basketball semifinals

Tony DeWitte, Grandville Calvin Christian

EAST LANSING – If it seemed like everything Grandville Calvin Christian’s Tony DeWitte threw at the net Thursday afternoon was going in, there’s a simple reason — because it was.

The Squires’ 6-foot-2 senior guard showed the crowd at the Breslin Center what it looked like to be “in the zone,” scoring 31 points in Calvin’s 65-42 Class C semifinal victory over previously-undefeated McBain.

DeWitte scored Calvin’s first 10 points, finishing the first quarter with 15. He surpassed his per-game average three minutes into the second, and had 26 by the end of the first half. At that point in the contest, he was 10-of-11 from the floor, draining all three trey attempts, and had added three-of-four from the free throw line.

“I came out shooting with confidence. I was just going in and my teammates found me, and it was a great team win,” DeWitte said. “The rim feels like it’s two times bigger when it’s like that — the ball just keeps going in, and it feels great.”

“When you get hot like that, his teammates know that,” said Grandville Calvin coach Ryan Stevens. “We’ve got a lot of kids who can do that, and we find each other when we are hot, but the thing about Tony is he can score in so many different ways. You’ll see him score outside, you’ll see him score inside, you’ll see him score off the dribble, you’ll see him score off a pass, a screen, a back cut. He’s just a very, very good scorer all around, and very hard to defend.”

Spurred by DeWitte’s hot hand, the Squires (21-4) shot 70% as a team in the first half to McBain’s 36%, and finished the game with a 68%-30% edge.

“I think I’ve coached Tony since he was in fourth grade, maybe third, and we’ve seen him go off in a lot of different opportunities in a lot of different venues, so it’s not rare,” Stevens said. “That’s a senior stepping out and other kids finding him on the team.”

Calvin led, 22-14, at the end of the first, and increased its lead to 36-22 by halftime. McBain wasn’t able to get any closer the rest of the way.

“We started off and we were right there with them at the beginning, but when you’ve got the kind of depth they have and the kind of shooters they have, I mean, it’s hard to compete with them,” Ramblers forward Ethan Eisenga said. “We gave it our best but we came up a little short.”

Logan Eling led McBain (26-1) with 18 points.

“This wasn’t our A game by far, but we got beat by a team that was playing exceptionally well and we give them all the credit in the world,” McBain coach Bruce Koopman said. “We’re a better team than this and these guys are a great group of young men, and I can tell you going 26-1 is not an easy task.”

Listen live: Michigan boys basketball semifinals

Flint Beecher high schools Malik Ellison celebrates after hitting the game winner against Detroit Loyola high schools Keith Johnson during fourth period action in the State Class C semifinal on Thursday, March 24,2016 at Breslin Center in East Lansing. Kirthmon F. Dozier/Detroit Free Press

EAST LANSING – Flint Beecher’s reign as Class C state champion was about to end.

Upstart Detroit Loyola led by two points with five seconds left Thursday when the ball was inbounded to Beecher junior Malik Ellison.

“At first when I pump faked,” Ellison said, “I was like, ‘Should I pass?’ ”

There really wasn’t enough time for another pass-and-shoot opportunity, but Ellison wanted to pass because Loyola’s PJ Mitchell was all over him.

“I seen him jump,” said Ellison, who had to adjust his body in mid-air just to get the shot off. “He had two hands in my face so I leaned to the side and floated it up and it was a bucket.”

It was a game-winning bucket … at the buzzer.

Beecher kept alive its dream of winning its fourth state title in five years with a heart-stopping 60-59 victory over Loyola in the Breslin Center. The Bucs will meet Grandville Calvin Christian for the state title Saturday at 4:30 p.m.

It was a devastating loss for Loyola (21-6), which missed its first 13 three-point shot attempts, trailed by 15 points in the third quarter and by 11 with 5:20 left in the game before staging a furious rally.

Loyola led by four points with 47 seconds left to play, but had a turnover, missed the front end of a one-and-one and then missed two free throws on its final three possessions.

“I think we’re the better team, he just hit a lucky shot,” said Loyola senior Romari Ennis. “I think that’s what happened.”

If there is such a thing as luck, Ellison’s shot may have been a good example — except for one thing.

“Every day I go in the gym — either the ‘Y’ or I stay after practice,” said Ellison (11 points on 3 of 12 shooting), “and hit shots like that — fadeaways and everything for times like this. I pulled through today.”

Yes he did, and so did No. 1 Beecher (24-2), despite committing 18 turnovers.

“I thought we were a little careless with the ball,” said Beecher coach Mike Williams. “This is the first time we turned the ball over as many times as we did all year. But, one thing about this team and what they’ve shown all season is resiliency, poise and composure in the face of elimination.”

The Bucs could have been eliminated in the district opener when they trailed Flint Hamady by five points with 50 seconds left, or in the regional when they trailed Southfield Christian by 13 points with one minute left in the third quarter.

Levane Blake did his version of a chin-up on the rim while dunking the ball with 5:20 left to give Beecher an 11-point lead. But he was hit with a technical foul and Loyola responded with two Mitchell free throws and a triple from Ernest Adams (15 points).

Following a three-pointer by Loyola’s Keith Johnson (10 points), Aquavius Burks (22 points) got the Bucs rolling with a power move for a three-point play.

Loyola had four-point lead with 25 seconds left when Beecher’s Jordan Roland, who had missed all five of his shots, missed the front end of a one-and-one, but stole the ball and scored to make it a two-point lead.

“Coach said don’t let nobody get behind you and I didn’t,” said Roland. “When he cut, I could see the passer was going to pass it to him. I always keep my deny hand up, I denied, it, stole it and made the lay-up.”

And Beecher has another spot in the state finals.

Contact Mick McCabe: 313-223-4744 or mmccabe@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @mickmccabe1

Listen live: Michigan boys basketball semifinals

Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes high schools Devin Senerius passes against Wyoming Tri-Unity Christian high schools Jared Blauwkamp during first period action in the State Class D semifinal on Thursday, March 24, 2016 at Breslin Center in East Lansing. Kirthmon F. Dozier/Detroit Free Press

EAST LANSING – Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes was on a teeter-totter Thursday at the Breslin Center.

One second it had the lead, and a few seconds later Wyoming Tri-unity Christian swiped it away.

“It came down to defense,” said Lakes senior Clay Senerius. “We really stepped up at the end with those big turnovers. We just kind of committed to playing defense and from there, offense would have opportunities for us.”

Tri-unity thought it had the lead for good when Willie Otole buried a three-point shot with 4:17 left to play, but the Defenders will have to wait until December to score their next point.

Our Lady of the Lakes scored the game’s final 12 points Thursday night to give it a 64-53 victory over Tri-unity Christian and move into Saturday’s 10 a.m. Class D championship game against No. 1 ranked and defending state champ Powers North Central.

It was a difficult ending for No. 9 Tri-unity (20-6), which was fortunate to be in the game despite being out-rebounded, 37-15. The biggest rebound of the game came following Otole’s basket when Lakes (22-4) missed a shot, but Andrew Kline (15 points) grabbed his only offensive board and fed Noah Robak, who drilled a three-pointer for a lead Lakes never surrendered.

“We had an opportunity to get the rebound and then go down and increase our lead,” said Tri-unity coach Mark Keeler. “But instead they got the offensive board and hit the ‘three.’ When they came back and scored, we just did not step it up and get a stop, and for us that’s very important. We could not get that separation in the score.”

Following Robak’s triple, Kline scored on a dunk — and suddenly Tri-unity was in the midst of eight consecutive scoreless possessions, which featured four turnovers.

A year ago Lakes lost in the semifinals, and then many of the same players lost in the Division 8 football state championship game last fall. Those experiences paid off against Tri-unity.

“Playing on the big stage, it’s not as hard as it used to be,” said Devin Senerius (17 points, 12 rebounds). “Last year, in the semifinals, we were all nervous and then in the state (football) finals we were little bit nervous and now we just wanted to win instead of lose.”

Helping No. 7 Lakes was Robak, a freshman, who hit 3 of 5 three-point shots, including two in the fourth quarter.

“Noah can do that,” said Lakes coach Paul Robak, Noah’s uncle. “He’s got a very good game. He’s learning as he goes and it’s a great group of guys to learn with. Noah came into a great situation. Being young he’s got Andrew and Devin and Clay to handle the rock for him and it makes it easier. He can still do that, but it’s not as much pressure.”

Lakes was a sensational 14 of 21 (66.7%) in the second half. Tri-unity only attempted one free throw the entire game, mainly because it attempted 27 three-point shots, but made only seven (25.9%).

Contact Mick McCabe: 313-223-4744 or mmccabe@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @mickmccabe1.

Listen live: Michigan boys basketball semifinals

Fans cheer at an MHSAA boys basketball Class C semifinal March 26, 2015, in East Lansing.

The best boys basketball teams in Michigan travel to the Breslin Center in East Lansing this week to battle for state championships.

We’ll have reporters and photographers on the scene all weekend, so check back often with usatodayhss.com/market/detroit. In the meantime, check out Son of Swami’s predictions for all eight semifinals.

Here is the schedule. (Links before and during games go to a live radio broadcast. Links after games go to our stories.)

Thursday (semifinals)

Class C: Grandville Calvin Christian 65, McBain 42

Class C: Flint Beecher 60, Detroit Loyola 59

Class D: Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes 64, Wyoming Tri-unity Christian 53

Class D: Powers North Central 64, Fulton 23

Friday (semifinals)

Class A: Macomb Dakota (26-0) vs. U-D Jesuit (26-0), 1 p.m.

Class A: North Farmington (23-2) vs. Lansing Everett (16-10), 2:50 p.m.

Class B: Detroit Henry Ford (18-6) vs. Williamston (21-3), 6 p.m.

Class B: Big Rapids (22-2) vs. Stevensville Lakeshore (19-7), 7:50 p.m.

Saturday (finals)

Class D: Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes (22-4) vs. Powers North Central (27-0), 10 a.m.

Class A: TBD, Noon

Class C: Grandville Calvin Christian (21-4) vs. Flint Beecher (24-2), 4:30 p.m.

Class B: TBD, 6:30 p.m.

Tweets from the arena

On a mobile device? Click here for live updates.

Cassius Winston named Michigan’s Mr. Basketball
Williamston boys hoops, coach Jason Bauer live to fight another day

Lansing Everett’s head coach Desmond Ferguson talks with Victor Edwards, during the MHSAA boys basketball Class A semifinals against North Farmington at the Breslin Center in East Lansing, Mich. on Friday, March 25, 2016.

EAST LANSING – Although North Farmington was making its first trip to the final four, one of its players had been here before.

Billy Thomas scored 22 points in a 2014 semifinal when he suited up for the team the Raiders will face in today’s championship — U-D Jesuit. But Thomas left the Cubs after his sophomore year, attended Genesis Academy in Virginia for a semester, and soon came home to North Farmington, where he lives, getting immediate eligibility.

Also, Thomas’ father Ron had guardianship of UD-J’s Ike Eke and Gregory Eboigbodin when they first came to this country from Nigeria as ninth graders. But in August 2014, Oakland County Family Court Judge Linda Hallmark stripped Thomas’ father of legal guardianship, issued a restraining order against him and fined him $15,000. Eke and Eboigbodin returned to U-D Jesuit soon after.

What are Billy Thomas’ thoughts on today’s impending championship matchup? “I expected it,” he said simply.

CHAIRMEN OF THE BOARDS: One big reason — make that two big reasons — that U-D Jesuit was a notch above Macomb Dakota was the play of Eboigbodin and Eke. The Cubs had a 39-24 edge in rebounds, paced by Eboigbodin’s 18 and Eke’s 8. And with the duo’s height (6-feet-9 each), great length and leaping ability, they altered many shots throughout the game.

“Obviously their length makes a difference, but we missed shots we normally make, so I credit their defense and their length,” Macomb Dakota coach Paul Tocco said.

Dakota’s 6-8 sophomore center, Thomas Kithier, found himself in over his head trying to match up against both.

“Playing against two big guys like that, if I get past one, I know there’s going to be another one waiting there,” he said. “Plus, their whole team is defensively sound.”

A GOOD FRIDAY FOR CUBS: For the third year in a row, U-D Jesuit played in the final four, but this is the first time the Cubs have been able to advance into the championship game, perhaps because the novelty has worn off.

“Two years ago, there was some awe when we walked on to the court,” Jesuit coach Pat Donnelly said. “Last year there was more disappointment after losing that semifinal game because we felt like we weren’t in awe anymore. Coming in the third time we shouldn’t be in awe. We thought our opponents would be a little in awe of the environment and we could play to that a little bit.”

Tocco felt otherwise.

“We treated it like a business-type trip; we weren’t just happy to be here,” he said. “We just got outplayed tonight and those things happen. I’m very proud of their efforts and how they treated this weekend. They’re great kids and they deserve this type of spotlight.”

LATIN LESSON: The jerseys of both U-D Jesuit and Class C semifinalist Detroit Loyola were adorned with a cross and “AMDG” on the back below the neckline. Those letters stand for “ad majorem Dei gloriam,” translated to “For the greater Glory of God.”

That’s the motto of the Jesuits, an order of the Catholic Church, founded by Saint Ignatius of Loyola in the 16th Century. Loyola’s uniforms, by the way, also sported a Detroit’s “Old English D” and the Bulldog logo — but nary a mention of the school name.

GLASS SLIPPERS: Lansing Everett has flown under the radar lately but reached the Class A semifinals the past two seasons. And that wasn’t a surprise to Desmond Ferguson, who noticed talent early in his two senior captains, LeAndre Wright and Jamyrin Jackson.

“Everett basketball was 10-72 in the previous four years before I got the job,” Ferguson said. “When I became head coach these guys were freshmen, and I knew ahead of time that they would be good when they became seniors. To get to the Breslin two years in a row, that don’t happen often, but these guys definitely left their mark on the program.”

Listen live: Michigan boys basketball semifinals

Detroit Henry Ford coach Ken Flowers tells his players to think during their 70-48 semifinal win over Williamston.

EAST LANSING – Ken Flowers and his point guard are making history.

Detroit Henry Ford, a Class B finalist a year ago, wasn’t expected to make a return appearance to the Breslin this year, let alone be playing for the championship tonight after blitzing Williamston, 70-48, on Friday.

“This is the first time Henry Ford has made back-to-back semifinals,” said Flowers. “We made our first championship game a year ago, so we are making history. This is great for the school and the community. This is a blessing for us”

Superb point guard James Towns was back this year, but gone was outstanding scorer Joshua Davis, who had 16 points and 11 rebounds in the 85-68 championship game loss to Wyoming Godwin Heights last season.

Towns, the only Trojan with any experience from last year’s squad, had 15 points and six assists in the title game. That season followed two .500 years under Flowers.

“Nobody expected us to be here,” said Towns, who finished with 17 points, three assists and three steals in Friday’s victory. “We have good chemistry. We aren’t big, but we play together.”

Towns averages 23 points, 5.7 assists and 4.2 rebounds per game. The only other Trojan starter to average double figures is senior Jeremy Crawley at 10.7 per game with a high of 30, one less than Towns’ season high.

Two players that have emerged this season are sophomore guard Deonta Ulmer and senior forward Kavon Bey.

“Ulmer has the green light,” said Flowers. “He’s a young guy, but I think he’s one of the best shooters in the state in my opinion. Because he’s so young he’s going to get better and better every year. Bey has been playing well the last half of the season and right now all the guys are playing well.

Bey, who watched the state championship game from the bench last year, scored 21 and pulled down eight rebounds against Williamston.

Flowers runs a three-guard offense and Bey is the teams’ best inside player.

“A lot of people don’t know about him, but he’s a good player and he grabs every rebound,” said Towns.

“We put in the work in the summer time and came back strong,” said Towns. “We just had to come out here and prove it. Everybody underestimated us.”

On Ulmer and Bey, Towns said: “People don’t know their names but they are the heart of the team. Ulmer can hit threes and Bey is tough under the basket. Colleges aren’t looking at him, but he comes out and plays hard every night.”

HOT HANDS: Williamston and Henry Ford combined for seven triples in the first quarter. Riley Lewis had three for the Hornets and Towns and Crawley had two each for the Trojans.

Lewis scored all 11 points for the Hornets in the first quarter and took all their shots. Williamston had 23 points at halftime with Lewis scoring 21 of them. He finished with 32.

FOOTBALL RECRUIT: Big Rapids sophomore Braeden Childress is on the basketball team, but the 6-foot-3 sophomore is already being recruited as a tight end/defensive end by Mid-American Conference schools. He comes off the bench for the Cardinals.

Listen live: Michigan boys basketball semifinals

Preps!

EAST LANSING – Stevensville Lakeshore’s semifinal against Big Rapids was a study in contrasts Friday night at the Breslin Center.

Lakeshore was tough inside with Max Gaishin, a 6-foot-7 post player, along with 6-6 Colin Brushwyler and 6-11 center Braden Burke.

Conversely, the Cardinals relied on the three point shooting of Kenny Davis (15 points), Demetri Martin and Braeden Childress.

In the end Stevensville Lakeshore (20-7) eked out a 61-60 victory. The Lancers will face Detroit Henry Ford for the Class B title tonight.

“I thought it was a crazy game because in all the film we watched on them we never saw them make that many threes,” said Lakeshore coach Sean Schroeder. “They shot the heck out of it. They made a ton of shots. It’s a testimony to my team. We seem to find a way to win.”

Burke made two free throws with 51.1 seconds left to give the Lancers a 57-56 lead.

Big Rapids point guard Jeffrey Davenport then let a ball roll out of bounds with 37 seconds left. Gibson Archer turned the miscue into a basket with 32.4 left, putting Lakeshore up three.

Martin (22 points) made two free throws to trim the deficit to one. Gaishin made two free throws to make it 61-58, and a Davenport’s lay-up ended it with the Cardinals down one.

“Missed free throws and we turned the ball over twice,” said Big Rapids coach Kent Ingles. “We kind of lost our composure and they made plays. … This group of kids come to play. At one point it could’ve gone either way.”

Burke led a balanced Lakeshore scoring attack with 16 points. Archer and Gaishin (10 rebounds) each scored 15.

“I get inside and I get buckets,” said Burke.

Big Rapids made nine field goals in the first half in building a 30-29 halftime lead. Six of the field goals were triples, and the Cardinals hit 11 in the game. Meanwhile, the Lancers big three of Gaishin, Burke and Brushwyler combined for 19 points in the first half.

The trend continued in the second half as a Davis triple gave the Cardinals a 35-33 lead. Burke and Gaishin continued their inside assault before a triple from teammate Logan Steffes gave the Lancers a 41-39 lead.

Big Rapids countered with a three from Christian Hector and the see-saw battle went in favor of the Cardinals, 42-41.

Davis, listed at 6-1, then goaded Burke into his third foul, but the center stayed in the game.

Undeterred, the Lancers got the deficit down to 56-53 on a three by Archer.

Steffes turned a turnover into a fast-break basket with 1:35 left to make it 56-55.

“It’s a point in the game where you have to be looking for any opportunity,” said Steffes, who scored 11 points. “We knew we needed every bucket we could get. I was just scoping out everything trying to make a play.”

Contact Perry A. Farrell: 313-222-2555 or pafarrell@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @farrellperry.

Listen live: Michigan boys basketball semifinals

Detroit U-D Jesuit’s Gregory Eboigbodin dunks the ball against Macomb Dakota during the MHSAA boys basketball Class A semifinals at the Breslin Center in East Lansing, Mich. on Friday, March 25, 2016. Eboigbodin scored 13 points in the 72-51 win.

EAST LANSING – It is not often that Cassius Winston is upstaged by anyone on a basketball court, much less by someone from his own team.

But that is precisely what happened when U-D Jesuit made its third straight Class A semifinal appearance Friday, and the happiest guy in the Breslin Center was … Winston.

“I wouldn’t say I was nervous,” said Winston, the state’s newly-crowned Mr. Basketball. “I definitely wasn’t playing well out there. This year we just have a talented team. It’s a talented group of kids that we can get it done from the inside, we can get it done from the outside; we have kids who can knock down shots.”

And the Cubs have 6-foot-9 Gregory Eboigbodin, who can rebound like no one else.

Eboigbodin hit all six of the shots he took for 13 points and yanked down a career-high 18 rebounds to lead U-D Jesuit to a surprisingly easy 72-51 victory over Macomb Dakota in a battle of unbeatens.

The win means the Cubs can claim the school’s first Class A state championship today when they meet North Farmington at noon.

No. 1 ranked U-D Jesuit (27-0) had a 39-24 edge on the boards — and it was Eboigbodin, who grew up in Nigeria, who looked nothing like the player who was held to three points and eight rebounds in last year’s semifinal loss to Detroit Western.

“Last year I was really scared because I never played such a crowd like that before,” he said. “This year I tried to get up my confidence and my teammates they advised me every year to kick it up.”

Winston, who still managed to score a game-high 27 points with 12 assists, was elated with Eboigbodin’s performance.

“That’s what we tell him every day — 15 and 15,” Winston said. “If he gets 15 points and 15 rebounds, we win every game.”

The Cubs won this one in several areas, most notably with a terrific defensive effort led by Matt Schearer, who had the difficult assignment of guarding 5-10 junior Jermaine Jackson, Dakota’s best player.

Jackson hit his first two shots — both three-point bombs — but then missed 12 consecutive shots and finished 4 of 21 for 12 points.

“I just tried to use my length and my athleticism to make life difficult for him,” said Schearer, 6-3. “I tried to make it difficult for him to catch it every time, keep a hand up because he’s a great shooter, and overall just effort to try to limit his touches and play the defense I can.”

Dakota (26-1) trailed, 17-9, after one quarter and 30-15 at halftime — and all of the Dakota players had difficulty making shots.

This was the deepest Dakota has ever advanced in the state tournament and the Cougars played a lot like U-D Jesuit did in its first trip to the semifinals two seasons ago.

“It’s probably the hypest game I ever played in,” said Jackson. “Cassius is a great player. Mr. Basketball coming in, that’s a tough task. He led his team tonight and he just came out with the win.”

U-D Jesuit never came close to losing control of the game in the second half, proving once again that this is a much different team than the ones which lost in the last two semifinals.

“This year it’s not just me doing everything,” Winston said. “As you can see today, it was a bad outing, but I had strong supporting cast that helped me out and got us to the victory.”

Contact Mick McCabe: 313-223-4744 or mmccabe@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @mickmccabe1

Listen live: Michigan boys basketball semifinals