WARREN — Rick Palmer was beside himself Tuesday evening after his Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice squad outlasted De La Salle, 58-56, to qualify for the Catholic League championship game Friday.

“I’m excited,” he repeated a couple times. “We’re going to Calihan Hall for the first time since 1999.”

That’s partially correct. It was 22 years ago when the Warriors were in the CHSL finals, one they lost 70-59 in overtime to Orchard Lake St. Mary’s.

However, instead of traveling to the Detroit Mercy campus at Livernois and McNichols, they’ll be a short distance away at Seven Mile and Outer Drive at the University of Detroit Jesuit High School campus, where the league is forced to conduct its boys championship because of COVID-19 concerns.

“Well, then,” Palmer said, “this is a big deal for us. We want to make going to the finals a habit.”

That wish could very well come true. He probably has the youngest and tallest starting five in the CHSL: four sophomores and a freshman who average 6-feet-5.

They’ll be facing a formidable obstacle to realizing their wish. No. 4-ranked Detroit U-D Jesuit, who trounced Ann Arbor Fr. Gabriel Richard, 78-46, in the semi-final, will be seeking to get back on the championship trail, having won seven in a row before St. Mary’s Prep beat the Cubs a year ago. Tipoff is 7 p.m.

In a regular-season match five weeks ago, U-D Jesuit manhandled the Warriors by 29 points.

Nothing against Brother Rice, but the popular thinking anticipated No. 1-rated St. Mary’s (10-0, 3-0 Central) would be across the floor from U-D Jesuit (7-0, 4-0). Adding a little more drama, it would be the first time this year they opposed each other after a pair of regular-season games were cancelled because of the virus, which has also knocked the Eaglets out of the CHSL playoffs.

The virus has played havoc with the Bishop Trophy playoffs that involve teams from the Central and AA Divisions. Catholic Central, Dearborn Divine Child and Detroit Loyola are also sidelined because of the virus.

That left Brother Rice (6-3, 2-3) and De La Salle (7-3, 1-2) both of whom recently emerged from quarantine.

The Pilots, who six days earlier lost to Jesuit 66-64 in double overtime and were eager for a rematch in the final, flew out to an early 9-1 lead and 20-12 first quarter advantage. Sophomore point guard Nino Smith accounted for half of De La Salle’s output.

“We had only two practices after coming out of a 12-day quarantine,” Palmer said. “We made some mistakes. It wasn’t pretty.”

In pretty quick fashion, a triple by sophomore Curtis Williams sandwiched by baskets from sophomore Henry Garrity and sophomore Johnathan Blackwell turned a 28-22 disadvantage into a 29-28 lead at the half.

Senior Linden Holder, who had a 30-point night against U-D but was held in check for three quarters, scored six quick points to start the fourth to give De La Salle a 50-45 cushion with 5 minutes to play.

Garrity answered with six of his own (a basket, a triple and a free throw) to tie the score at 52 with 3:25 to play. The Warriors converted six of eight free throw attempts down the stretch for the win.

Sophomore Xavier Thomas led Rice’s offense with 15 points. Blackwell had 12, freshman Keithan Gilmore and Garrity contributed 10 each, and Williams nine on three triples.

For De La Salle, Smith and junior Reese Caleb had 15 apiece, sophomore Triston Nichols 13, and Holder 10.

In other playoff action

Semi-final games are on tap tonight (Wednesday, March 17) to determine finalists in the boys and girls CHSL playoffs. 

In the boys Cardinal Trophy playoffs, Riverview Gabriel Richard hosts Marine City Cardinal Mooney, and Madison Heights Bishop Foley travels to meet Everest Collegiate in Clarkston. The winners play for the championship at 5 p.m. Friday, March 19, at U of D Jesuit High School.

On the girls side, for the Bishop Trophy: Bloomfield Hills Marian hosts Macomb Lutheran North, and Farmington Hills Mercy welcomes Warren Regina.

For the Cardinal Trophy: Bishop Foley plays at Wixom St. Catherine, and Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes hosts Royal Oak Shrine.

The winners play for the championships at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. Friday, March 19, at Riverview Gabriel Richard.

Contact Don Horkey at [email protected].