The showdown and expectations that surrounded the meeting between the states two top teams did not disappoint. Before an overflow crowd at Detroit Country Day, everyone got their $5 worth the price of admission and more when the states two best teams, Romulus (#1 in Class A) and Detroit Country Day (#1 in Class B), clashed on Thursday night. It was a game that was played like a Championship Title Bout, like there was no tomorrow. It was Big Man vs Big Man and they slugged it out like heavyweight contenders. In the end, the Romulus Eagles and their Big man, Justin Moss were declared the winners by virtue of a 59-57 final score. This one literally came down to the last 3/10 of a second on the clock before it was decided. Detroit Country Day was trailing 59-57 with 3 seconds left when the Yellow Jackets Chris Fowler intercepted the Romulus inbound pass in the right corner of the court and quickly fed Amir Williams under the basket who was hacked to prevent from scoring the tying bucket. Williams went to the line with 3 tenths of a second on the clock. He missed the first of two and had to intentionally miss the second and hope for a tap in but Justin Moss rebounded the ball and the Eagles celebration began. It would have been something if he would have made both and sent it into overtime because many people exited the gym when Romulus went up 59-53 and had foul shots coming at the 43 second mark. Then again when DCD trailed 59-55 after Williams missed a 3 footer and Romulus grabbed the rebound and was fouled with 10 seconds left. However, once again they missed another front end of a one and one and Country Day quickly raced down for a Fowler layup to cut the lead to 2 with 3 seconds left. Romulus was forced to use a timeout as they could not inbound the ball. On their next try following the time out, it was an errant inbound pass that Fowler came up with and got into Williams who was able to put up a shot and get fouled before the final horn.
This game was played not with the caliber of a Championship game but rather with the passion, intensity and closeness of one. There was a lot of physical contact, a lot of bodies hitting the floor, too many turnovers and a fair share of ugly looking and forced shots but my wife and I thoroughly enjoyed this game. It was filled with Alley Ooopp Dunks, block shots, pressing defensive play and the Battle of the Big Men. In this game, my vote went to Justin Moss. He was physical all game with Williams, denying him the ball down low on the block, taking it at him hard on the offensive end. He played with his body forcefully against Williams all game, he played with no fear and a sense of proving that he was the better Big Man. He scored 24 points had 9 rebounds, 2 blocks and 2 dunks - one of which was an Alley Ooopp that he had to reach back for and slam as he fell and landed on his back. Williams was pretty much held in check in the first half (6 pts) and only touched the ball down low twice in the first quarter and was forced to go up top to assert himself and unclog the middle for other players to extort. He came out much more aggressive in the second half and scored 15 of his 21 points in the later half. He also finished with 11 rebounds, 2 blocks and 3 dunks.
The first quarter was an active one and one where the lead did not get any larger than a 4 pt spread with DCD leading 20-16 after 1. Romulus then came out with aggressive attacking man to man defense in the second quarter and held Country Day without a point for over 4 minutes to start the second quarter. Romulus ended up limited DCD to 5 total points in this period and outscored them 18-5 to take a 34-25 halftime lead. But Country Day came out and scored 6 straight points in the first minute of the third quarter to cut the lead to 34-31. Romulus maintained the lead at 42-40 going into the last quarter. Moss and Jamyles Coleman led the fourth quarter charge with 7 & 5 points respectively and Senior Derrick Stephens hit a big three pointer with 1:48 to go to put Romulus back in the lead, 53-52 after they had fallen behind. Then Coleman nailed another big 3 with 1:20 left in the game to break a 53-53 tie and give the Eagles a 56-53 lead. Then it was Moss's turn to come up big as he attacked the basket scoring and drawing the foul and converting the free throw to make it 59-53 with 43 seconds. That is when people started filing out the doors. But Country Day did not go down without a fight and that they did until the end.
In the end, Romulus was the more aggressive team, Moss was more impressive than Williams, the defense was played with an intensity that I have not seen from a collective unit yet this season. All 5 players for Romulus that were on the floor played aggressive, shut down defense. Senior Mouse Boler was a pleasure to watch on the defensive end. This 5'11 guard was in the jock of every player he defended and did not get beat, had 3 steals and forced two jump balls and several turnovers. This Romulus team, when they play as a team unit, is very strong. They play 8 players, they all guard well, they have very quick guard play with Coleman (quickest), Stephens, Boler, Clark and Lee. They have athleticism with Lee and EC Matthews and they have a Big Man that plays with a football player mentality but a feathery soft touch on his shots. This is a talented team that has a trio of underclassmen in Lee and sophomores Wes Clark and EC Matthews that will allow them to compete again next year.
Both teams struggled with the outside shot tonight and Romulus really hit a cold spell in the third and early fourth quarters. For Country Day, sharpshooter Mahesh Umasankar had 8 points but missed quite a few 3 pointers and shot well below his normal percentage from the field. Sophomore Austin Price played very impressively in limited time in this game. I believe if they had used him more in this game the outcome might have been different and Bailey, Fowler and Knight struggled with the ball especially in the second half.
Overall this was an entertaining and fun war to watch tonight. It has me excited about the state playoffs starting on Monday and was just what I needed to get me psyched for my annual pilgrimage to Breslin at the end of March.
Time to catch some ZZZZZZZ'sssssss
Your Basketball SNOB
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