Buzzer beaters and a blowout as CHSL basketball regular season winds down

BLOOMFIELD HILLS — It was back-to-back buzzer beaters and a blowout last week in Catholic High School League boys basketball.

Last Wednesday evening, No. 1-ranked University of Detroit Jesuit trailed No. 7 Ann Arbor Huron by as much as a dozen points midway through the fourth quarter before catching fire to win 79-78 on Xavier Johnson’s basket with four-tenths of a second remaining on the clock.

Johnson had a game-high 27 points, and Toledo-bound Leroy Bolden, Jr., who passed the 1,000 career point mark, had 24 points.

The Cubs' record stands at 14-1 overall; 7-0 atop the CHSL Central Division. The loss was a forfeit to Detroit Old Redford back on Dec. 29.

The league playoffs begin Feb. 8. University of Detroit Jesuit, under coach Pat Donnelly, since 2008 has won the CHSL Bishop championship nine years in a row between 2013 and 2021. They were a finalist in the 2019 MHSAA playoffs and won it all in 2016.

On the same evening in Riverview, Gabriel Richard (7-0) and Jackson Lumen Christi (6-0) tangled to determine leadership of the Double AA Division. Lumen Christi came in with a statewide Division 3 No. 1 rating and Gabriel Richard No. 4.

Gabriel Richard settled the issue from the start, taking a 23-11 first quarter lead en route to a dominating 88-65 victory. Gabriel Richard (12-2) beat Lumen Christi (13-1) a year ago for the CHSL Cardinal Division championship.

Three seniors led the way: Luke Westerdale with 26 points, four steals and four rebounds; Nick Sobush tallied 23 points, four rebounds and two steals; and Drew Everingham with 12 points, three rebounds and a blocked shot.

On Friday evening, archrivals Orchard Lake St. Mary’s Prep and Brother Rice squared off in front of a boisterous pro-Rice audience. It was go-go-go from start to finish. Rice expanded a four-point halftime advantage to 16 points, 51-35, with three minutes to play in the third quarter.

The Eaglets point-guard combo of senior Sharrod Barnes (23 points) and junior Isaiah Hines (17) scored half of their output in a torrid final eight minutes. Hines’ jump shot from just inside the 3-point arc tied the game, 64-64, with 15 seconds to play.

Senior Dave Williams (22 points) and junior Greg Grays (21 points) were pivotal contributors in face of the Eaglets’ comeback, particularly Grays. His triple attempt with six seconds to play bounced off the rim of the basket. Junior Jacob Lamb grabbed the ball and took an off-balance layup. The ball went through the net as the buzzer sounded for a 66-64 Rice win.

“That wasn’t our prettiest, but we found a way to get it done,” Warriors head coach Rick Palmer said. “They just battled all night. And credit to St. Mary’s; that’s why they’re defending state champs. We know who didn’t play” (referencing Mr. Basketball candidate Trey McKenney) “but they’re still a really good basketball team. We’re really excited we won.”

McKenney broke a bone in his left hand in a game on Jan. 9 and has been sidelined for three games in a row. The Eaglets have won one game by 10 points and lost two by one point and two points in his absence.

Brother Rice (14-1; 4-1 league) has won 11 games in a row. St. Mary’s is 8-6; 4-2.

Elsewhere in CHSL basketball

Clarkston Everest Collegiate boys and girls squads top their respective leagues. The boys are 13-1 overall, 6-0 in the Intersectional I Division. The lone loss was a non-league trouncing administered by Lumen Christi. The girls are 9-2 overall and 5-0 atop the Intersectional II Division. Both teams are defending Ste. Anne Division champions.

Top-ranked in Division 3 across the state, Ann Arbor Fr. Gabriel Richard is 13-1 overall and 8-0 in the girls Central Division. Its lone loss was to Belleville. The Fighting Irish lost in the Division 3 state finals last year and are the defending CHSL Cardinal Division champs.

St. Mary’s Prep girls are 11-1 and 6-0. Chances are they will come up against Fr. Gabriel Richard in the league playoffs that begin Feb. 8. The Eaglets meet Farmington Hills Mercy (8-3; 6-2) on Jan. 31.

Wixom St. Catherine of Siena is 9-2 overall and leads the girls Double AA with a 6-0 slate.

Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes (8-5; 6-0 Boys Intersectional II) hosts its closest rival, Allen Park Cabrini (9-4; 5-1), on Jan. 31. The Lakers won an earlier meeting, 57-47.

Contact Don Horkey at [email protected].



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