high school basketball : All posts

Washtenaw County athletes officially commit to schools on April signing day

Huron senior Auzhane' King, right, will play basketball at Glenn Oaks Community College.

Daniel Brenner | AnnArbor.com file photo

• Related Fifteen Gabriel Richard students commit to play college sports and more community sports notes

National Signing Day is the first week of February and its when most high-profile football players realize a part of their dreams and sign their National Letter of Intent. Basketball breaks it into two parts with an early signing day in November and a regular period in April.

The regular period opened today, which means former Pioneer High School basketball player James Kelly made his commitment to Miami official.

dream team: Ypsilanti and Milan highlight 2013 All-Washtenaw County Boys Basketball Dream Team

The Ypsilanti boys basketball team celebrates its district title at Skyline.

Daniel Brenner | AnnArbor.com

Related:

• Milan's C.J. Turnage is AnnArbor.com 2013 Washtenaw County Boys Basketball Player of the Year


• Manchester's McKenna Erkfritz is AnnArbor.com 2013 Washtenaw County Girls Basketball Player of the Year


• VIDEO: Player of Year C.J. Turnage on dunking, family and his Milan legacy

In the end, two Washtenaw County boys basketball teams stood above the rest, as Ypsilanti and Milan captured district titles.

And they didn't get there without some standout players.

dream team: State finalists aplenty on 2013 All-Washtenaw County Girls Basketball Dream Team

The Manchester girls basketball team celebrates winning the MHSAA Class C state championship.

Daniel Brenner | AnnArbor.com

Related:

• Milan's C.J. Turnage is AnnArbor.com 2013 Washtenaw County Boys Basketball Player of the Year


• Manchester's McKenna Erkfritz is AnnArbor.com 2013 Washtenaw County Girls Basketball Player of the Year


• VIDEO: Player of Year C.J. Turnage on dunking, family and his Milan legacy

video: Player of Year C.J. Turnage on dunking, family and his Milan legacy

It was an eventful year for Milan's C.J. Turnage, between winning league and district titles, scoring 1,000 points, committing to Saginaw Valley State and celebrating his uncle's jersey retirement.

dream team: Milan's C.J. Turnage is AnnArbor.com 2013 Washtenaw County Boys Basketball Player of the Year

C.J. Turnage averaged 19.1 points per game in leading Milan to a regional final.

Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com

The journey began in an open gym in July 2009, when new coach met new player and the course of a program changed.

Josh Tropea was the incoming coach at Milan High School, taking over a program that had gone 3-39 in the two seasons before.

C.J. Turnage was an incoming freshman who showed promise but had yet to grow into his body.

dream team: Manchester's McKenna Erkfritz is AnnArbor.com 2013 Washtenaw County Girls Basketball Player of the Year

Manchester senior McKenna Erkfritz battle for a loose ball during the Class C state championship game. Erkfritz is AnnArbor.com Player of the Year for the second year in a row.

Daniel Brenner | AnnArbor.com file photo

Third district championship in four years for the girls basketball team. No problem.

Second straight Cascades Conference championship. Count it.

Second straight time receiving All-State recognition. Easy.

AnnArbor.com’s Washtenaw County Player of the Year for the second consecutive year. There was no debate.

Ex-Pioneer basketball star commits to Sweet 16 bound Miami after overcoming academic struggles

In January of 2010, Pioneer High School basketball coach Rex Stanczak walked over to the scorers table of a midseason game to report a roster change.

Ypsilanti custodians, community help send high school basketball star to national business competition

Ypsilanti's Lavonte Davis goes up for a shot in a state quarterfinal game against Saginaw High Tuesday.

Daniel Brenner | AnnArbor.com file photo

Minutes after his Ypsilanti High School team ended its longest state tournament run since 1981, falling to Saginaw High in the state quarterfinals Tuesday, senior forward Lavonte Davis reflected on the feeling of playing for his community.

associated Press: Ypsilanti, Milan and Pioneer boys basketball teams represented on AP Class A All-State team

Ypsilanti's Lavonte Davis, pictured above is one of three Washtenaw County players to earn honorable mention on the Associated Press Class A All-State team.

Courtney Sacco | AnnArbor.com file photo

• Michigan signee Derrick Walton is Class B player of the year; Gabriel Richard's Jason Houle honorable mention
• Rudolf Steiner's Koji Vroom makes honorable mention for Class D All-State basketball team

A trio of Washtenaw County seniors earned honorable mention on the Associated Press Class A All-State team, which was released on Monday.

photo gallery: Images from Ypsilanti basketball's 58-54 Class A quarterfinal loss to Saginaw High

GRAND BLANC -- The Ypsilanti High School basketball team nearly came back from a 22-7 deficit against defending Class A state champion Saginaw High on Tuesday. But the Trojans proved too strong in the 58-54 win.

Aggressiveness of Ypsilanti guards despite foul trouble nearly leads to upset of Saginaw High

Ypsilanti junior Janeau Joubert is fouled on the side of the court in the second half of the game against Saginaw High on Tuesday, March 19.

Daniel Brenner | AnnArbor.com

Ypsilanti coach Steve Brooks had to sit Joubert down and not coincidentally, the defending state champions jumped out to 22-7 lead. Joubert, the Phoenix’s floor general, sat helplessly watching from the bench.

Early deficit dooms Ypsilanti in quarterfinal loss to Saginaw High

Ypsilanti's Lavonte Davis goes up for a shot in the first half against Saginaw High Tuesday.

Daniel Brenner | AnnArbor.com

Updated at 10:40 p.m.

Live Chat: Follow along as Ypsilanti competes for Breslin Center berth against Saginaw High

The Ypsilanti boys basketball team celebrates winning a district title over Huron.

Will Washtenaw County be sending a boys basketball team to the Breslin Center?

We’re about to find out.

associated press: Rudolf Steiner's Koji Vroom makes honorable mention for Class D All-State basketball team

The Associated Press released the first of its four All-State basketball teams on Tuesday and Rudolf Steiner guard Koji Vroom was among the players to receive honorable mention.

Senior LaVonte Davis leads Ypsilanti into first state quarterfinal game in three decades

Ypsilanti's Lavonte Davis chases after a loose ball in a regional semifinal game last week against Canton.

Courtney Sacco | AnnArbor.com

Steve Brooks has a sore throat.

His Ypsilanti program is preparing for its first state quarterfinal game in more than three decades, and Brooks caught a sickness that’s been going around his team. His voice, raspy to begin with, won’t project much.

“They won’t hear me tomorrow,” he said after Monday’s practice.

State championship a dream come true for Manchester sisters Taylor and Jessie Manders

Mark Manders embraces his daughters Jessie, left, and Taylor after the game against Saginaw Nouvel on Saturday, March 16.

EAST LANSING -- How many times had they played the scene out in their heads?

Playing on the 30-by-50-foot back-yard basketball court built for them by their father, sisters Taylor and Jessie Manders’ countless games of 1-on-1, against each other or their dad, how often had the state championship been on the line?

Saturday afternoon the dream became reality.

photo Gallery: Images from Manchester girls basketball's Class C state championship win

EAST LANSING -- The Manchester High School girls basketball team made history on Saturday with a 57-52 win over Saginaw Nouvel in the MHSAA Class C state title championship on Saturday at the Breslin Center in East Lansing. It is the first team state championship in school history.

Manchester defeats Saginaw Nouvel Catholic Central for program's first-ever girls basketball state title

The Manchester High School girls basketball team celebrates after winning the MHSAA Class C girls basketball state championship with a 57-52 win over Saginaw Nouvel Catholic Central at the Breslin Center in East Lansing on Saturday, March 16.

Daniel Brenner | AnnArbor.com

EAST LANSING -- In a postseason where nearly everything had gone right for the Manchester High School girls basketball team, slow starts were one glaring weakness.

And when the Flying Dutch fell down 14-2 against Saginaw Nouvel on Saturday, it looked like that weakness might finally catch up with them with a state title on the line.

But Manchester had one more comeback left in it, and rode it all the way to the school’s first ever team state championship with a 57-52 win in the MHSAA Class C state championship game at the Breslin Center in East Lansing.

live chat: Join us for a live chat as Manchester plays for a Class C basketball championship

Manchester High School girls basketball coach Cori Kastel and her team will take on Saginaw Nouvel Catholic Central at the Breslin Center in East Lansing on Saturday, March 16.

Mike Mulholland | MLive.com

The Manchester High School girls basketball team has raised the ceiling on program expectations for the past four years and on Saturday it will play for the ultimate prize in the MHSAA Class C state championship game against Saginaw Nouvel Catholic Central

live chat: Manchester girls basketball team ready to compete for Class C state title

Manchester coach Cori Kastel talks to her team during a timeout during their Class C semifinal game against Riverview Gabriel Richard at the Breslin Center in East Lansing on Thursday, March 14. Manchester won the game, 53-46.

Mike Mulholland | MLive.com

• Join live chat during the game at MLive.com.

Having gone as far as it can go, Manchester’s girls basketball team wants to take one more step.
That step? From Class C state finalist to champion.

The Flying Dutch (26-1) will get the chance Saturday at 4 p.m. at Michigan State University’s Breslin Center against Saginaw Nouvel (25-2).